Program Director IHS (EAP), Senior - Full-time (Remote U.S.)

Acentra Health, LLC

12h•Remote

About The Position

As a Senior Program Director, you will be in a key leadership role for managing sophisticated and complex Employee Assistance Program (EAP) accounts. You will oversee a team, budget and processes and engage customer and matrix Acentra staff directly to ensure best of class projects and services are delivered on schedule and within budget. The Senior Program Director works with customers, functional and matrix managers, and staff to ensure that Acentra Health services and projects are delivered on schedule and within budget, consistent with defined Acentra Health guidelines and processes and with client expectations. In this role, you will also use AI and digital tools to expand EAP access and efficiency.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, healthcare, nursing, social work or a related field.
10+ years of experience in utilization management, case management, behavioral health and/or pharmacy.
Medicare, Medicaid, or healthcare verticals domain knowledge.
Experience engaging and managing stakeholder relationships across government entities, providers, and associations.
Business development, strategic planning and tactical implementation.
Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills to address program challenges and deliver actionable solutions.
Employee development and performance management experience within the healthcare field.
Effective communication skills and the ability to influence at all levels within the organization and externally.
Leadership skills and ability to influence beyond this role; display strong ability to build credibility and relationships internally and externally.
Proven track record to meet and enforce deadlines, conduct research into issues, and to take initiative in the development and completion of projects.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams) and proven ability to learn proprietary software applications.
Travel up to 15-20%, program dependent.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of best practice in healthcare operations.
Master’s degree (or higher level of education).
Knowledge of government policy and structure.
Knowledge of metrics, productivity measures and reporting.
Knowledge of regulatory agency compliance.
Knowledge of contract development and implementation.
Budget and financial skills.
Able to lead and mange direct reports to achieve contract deliverables.
Aptitude for systems planning and prioritization of tasks
Competent communication skills (written and verbal and listening); uses appropriate interpersonal skills with variety of stakeholders.
Ability to provide supervision to staff that ensures excellent customer satisfaction.
Provide ongoing monitoring and supervision to meet contract deliverables for all operations
Provide data analysis and reporting that meets the contractor’s goals of quality care and cost effectiveness in a timely manner.
Provide consultation to contractor on system and policy issues.

Responsibilities

Direct, manage, plan, and develop methods and procedures for implementing and managing sophisticated and complex EAP accounts delivering core Acentra Health Services including but not limited to clinical services and EAP and related services for employer and public-sector clients.
Oversee and exercise independent judgment to solve complex clinical, technical, administrative, and managerial problems across EAP operations (Account Management, Call Center Operations, Technology enablement, and Onsite/Clinical Services).
Ensure compliance with contractual requirements within the operation by monitoring critical indicators, deliverables and budgets. For EAP, ensure adherence to SLAs (e.g., speed to answer, first-call resolution, clinical timeliness), confidentiality standards, and client satisfaction goals.
Drive strategic initiatives and contribute to organization growth and innovation by expanding EAP reach, enhancing digital engagement, and advancing employer-focused behavioral health solutions.
Maintain strong, successful relationships with clients and various stakeholders as the executive EAP sponsor, lead client reviews, renewals, and expansion plans in partnership with Account Management.
Drive program activities and exercise control over personnel responsible for specific functions or phases of a program. Lead four direct reports across EAP Account Management, Call Center Operations, Technology, and Onsite/Clinical Services.
Provide program management for complex teams across multiple skill areas and align cross-functional EAP workstreams through a consistent operating cadence and SOPs.
Provide program management on multiple EAP accounts or project portfolio with annual value of more than $30M.
Manage program risk, including pre-launch preparations and day-to-day operational aspects of multiple projects and/or services ensuring contract requirements, deliverables and timelines are adhered to. Execute project activities accurately and on time. For EAP, lead structured implementations (readiness gates, staffing plans, communications) and use AI-enabled analytics for capacity forecasting and early risk detection.
Determine estimated time and financial commitment of project and monitor progress for multiple projects concurrently. Collaborate with Finance and Technology to forecast EAP demand, resources, and productivity targets.
Support and participate in strategic planning to enhance growth, profitability, productivity, and efficiency throughout the company’s operations. Collaborate with leadership in the development of new and enhanced policies and procedures. Translate EAP strategy into roadmaps for digital self-service, conversational support, and data-driven clinical pathways.
Participate in cross-regional activities to enhance operating efficiencies and serve as a Subject Matter Expert in EAP operations and employer behavioral health
Partner with customers and analyze issues and problems using EAP utilization trends, outcome data, and client feedback to drive continuous improvement.
Collaborate with senior leadership to align program with business strategy
Develop detailed status reports for both project management team and customer highlighting EAP KPIs (utilization, service levels, satisfaction/NPS, and outcomes).
Lead transformation and critical Acentra Health initiatives that improve overall contract performance including AI-enabled automation, digital triage, and enhanced access to clinical services.
Collaborate with Business Development to support new business opportunities as requested (RFP solution design, orals, and client presentations for EAP offerings).
Read, understand, and adhere to all corporate policies including policies related to HIPAA and its Privacy and Security Rules.
The work hours for this role are generally Monday through Friday but may require nights and weekends since the Employee Assistance Program is open 24/7.