Senior Director, Behavioral Health

Memorial Health•Springfield, IL

About The Position

The Senior Director, Behavioral Health provides system-level operational, administrative, and business leadership for assigned behavioral health services across Memorial Health. This role is accountable for aligning clinical, operational, administrative, and financial functions to ensure services are accessible, high-quality, compliant, and effectively integrated across the behavioral health continuum. The Administrator serves as the primary leader responsible for translating organizational strategy and executive direction into coordinated operations, business processes, and administrative systems across inpatient and/or ambulatory behavioral health services. Working in close partnership with Clinical Directors, Managers, and administrative support leaders, the Administrator ensures that programs operate effectively, meet regulatory and accreditation requirements, and are financially and operationally sustainable. This role is responsible for ensuring that clinical standards established by Clinical Directors are supported through appropriate staffing models, business processes, workflows, infrastructure, and resource allocation. This role has decision-making authority for operational, administrative, and business matters within assigned scope.

Requirements

Master’s degree required in healthcare administration, business administration, public health, behavioral health, social services, or a related field
Progressive leadership experience in healthcare, behavioral health, or social services environments
Experience overseeing operations, administrative functions, and/or business operations across multiple programs or service lines
Experience working in regulated service environments (e.g., healthcare systems, CMHCs, Medicaid-funded services, accreditation standards)
Experience partnering with clinical leaders to support quality, safety, and compliance
Experience managing complex workflows, system change, and cross-functional teams
Strong understanding of behavioral health systems and continuum of care
Knowledge of healthcare administrative and business operations, including budgeting, staffing models, and performance monitoring
Working knowledge of regulatory, accreditation, and payer requirements as they relate to behavioral health services
Ability to integrate clinical priorities with operational, administrative, and financial considerations
Strong leadership, communication, and decision-making skills
Ability to analyze operational and performance data to drive improvement
Ability to manage complexity, competing priorities, and system-level change
Collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence across disciplines

Nice To Haves

Clinical licensure preferred and may be required based on program needs (e.g., LCSW, LCPC, LMFT, or equivalent)

Responsibilities

Provide overall leadership and accountability for assigned behavioral health services and related administrative operations
Ensure alignment between clinical standards, operational processes, business practices, and organizational priorities
Promote integration and coordination across inpatient and ambulatory behavioral health services and levels of care
Serve as the primary escalation point for system-level operational, business, and performance issues
Oversee day-to-day operational and administrative performance across assigned behavioral health programs
Ensure consistent implementation of policies, procedures, workflows, and administrative processes
Monitor system capacity, access, patient flow, throughput, and service utilization across inpatient and ambulatory settings
Ensure effective coordination of scheduling, registration, intake, and administrative support functions
Identify operational and administrative risks, inefficiencies, and barriers and implement corrective actions
Maintain accountability for budgets, staffing models, and resource allocation across assigned behavioral health services
Partner with Finance to develop, monitor, and manage operating budgets and financial performance
Monitor productivity, utilization, and cost drivers and take corrective action as needed
Ensure alignment between clinical service delivery models and financial sustainability
Identify opportunities for operational efficiency and business process improvement while maintaining quality, safety, and access
Lead Directors to support clinical quality, safety, and consistency across programs
Ensure clinical standards, supervision frameworks, and quality expectations are operationalized effectively
Support clinical governance structures, escalation pathways, and interdisciplinary collaboration
Balance clinical priorities with operational, regulatory, and business consideration
Maintain accountability for compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, accreditation standards, and payer requirements
Ensure readiness for audits, reviews, and accreditation activities across assigned services
Oversee implementation and sustainability of corrective action plans
Lead Compliance, Quality, and Risk teams to mitigate operational, regulatory, and financial risk
Monitor and evaluate system performance metrics, including access, utilization, quality, safety, outcomes, and financial performance
Use data and reports to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities
Ensure implementation of quality improvement and performance improvement initiatives
Promote accountability for outcomes at the manager and program level
Translate executive strategy into operational and business plans for behavioral health services
Contribute to strategic planning related to behavioral health growth, integration, and service redesign
Identify system gaps, emerging needs, and opportunities for improvement across inpatient and ambulatory settings
Lead or sponsor system-level improvement, redesign, integration, or business optimization initiatives
Provide leadership, direction, and accountability to Directors, Managers, and administrative leaders
Ensure clear role clarity, accountability, and decision-making authority across leadership levels
Support leadership development, performance management, and succession planning
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement