Director of Operations - Mental Health Practice

Who we are

Counseling Works is a $5M+ behavioral health group practice with 30+ clinicians and four offices across the Chicago suburbs, and we’re still growing. Our CEO brings big ideas and real momentum. Our admin team brings talent and heart. And we're looking for the operations leader who connects the two, turning vision into clear priorities, reliable systems, and work the team can be proud of.

About the role

The Director of Operations owns every operational team, process, and metric at Counseling Works, so our clinicians can stay focused on client care and our leadership team can stay focused on growth.

As a core member of the leadership team, you'll own the operations side of our EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) scorecard. EOS is the simple framework we use to set quarterly priorities and track the weekly numbers that matter. Experience with it is a big plus, but not a requirement. You'll be accountable for the systems that keep the practice running smoothly, from intake and billing to facilities, outreach, and technology. You’ll manage the leads of those teams, empowering each of them to set their own teams up for success.

This role is vital to our mission. Efficient, reliable operations make client-centered, effective care possible, and they support the growth of both our clients and our clinical team.

Why you'll love it here

• A real seat at the table. You'll be part of the leadership team that shapes where the practice goes, not just the person who carries out decisions.
• Room to build. We're growing across four offices, so the systems you design will shape how the practice scales for years.
• A strong team behind you. You'll have direct reports and a solid admin team already in place. You won't be building from scratch.
• Autonomy and growth. We give our team the autonomy, collaboration, and professional growth we promise our clinicians.
• Work that matters. Every process you improve helps kids, teens, adults, families, and couples get care faster.

What you'll do

You won't do this alone. You'll have team leads as your direct reports, and you'll help each of them own their area.

• Lead the operations team. Run weekly one-on-ones and department meetings, coach your leads to solve their own problems, and handle hiring, onboarding, and performance for operations seats.
• Run the numbers. Design each department's KPIs, keep the operations scorecard and dashboards accurate, and act quickly when a measure goes off track.
• Keep the client and revenue journey healthy. Oversee the full path from first inquiry to payment: marketing and referrals, intake and scheduling, eligibility and billing, and credentialing.
• Build and maintain the systems. Keep every operations process documented and followed, from facilities and vendors to tech access, data security, and HIPAA safeguards.
• Turn ideas into plans. Shape operations priorities each quarter (we call them Rocks), bring issues to the weekly leadership meeting, and turn growth ideas into clear, actionable plans.

Are you the right fit?

• You are an anchor, not a sail. You don't absorb external stress; you defuse it with data, logic, and structure.
• You have exceptional boundary management skills. You know how to look a passionate leader in the eye and say, “That's a great idea. Let's schedule time to vet it for next quarter so we don't derail the team's current focus today.”
• You love the details. You're naturally analytical and deeply detail-oriented, and you find genuine joy in organizing workflows, mapping metrics, and holding teams accountable.
• You make the call. When information is incomplete, you still decide, own the outcome, and keep things moving.
• You lead with empathy and clarity. You can talk through performance data with clinically trained professionals in a way that's compassionate, direct, and consistent.
• You believe in the mission. You have a genuine appreciation for mental health care and understand why confidentiality, clinician autonomy, and compassionate care matter.

Qualifications

Required:

• 3+ years leading operations teams in healthcare, ideally outpatient or behavioral health
• Experience managing managers and holding people accountable to measurable results
• Working knowledge of the revenue cycle: intake, eligibility, credentialing, billing, and collections
• Comfort building and running a scorecard and making decisions from data
• Strong grasp of HIPAA and responsible handling of client information
• Bachelor's degree in business, healthcare administration, human services, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience

Preferred:

• Experience with EOS or a similar operating system (L10s, Rocks, scorecards)
• Group private practice or multi-location experience
• Experience writing SOPs and training teams on them
• Familiarity with EHR and practice management systems and Google Workspace administration
• Master's degree, such as an MHA, MBA, or human services degree

Success in your first 90 days

• Days 1–30: Meet every operations lead and team. Learn the SOPs, systems, scorecard, and current Rocks. Keep operations stable while sharing first insights on the scorecard and emerging ideas for improvement.
• Days 31–60: Take full ownership of the operations scorecard and department meetings. Name the top three operational gaps. Bring improvement proposals with rationale.
• Days 61–90: Fully own the seat and department KPIs. Set operations Rocks for the next quarter, with a staffing plan and fixes for those gaps underway. Leads are owning their own problems, with clear deadlines and follow-up.

Compensation and details

• Pay: Salary, 80,000+ per year, based on experience
• Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance. 401k with matching. PTO & Sick Time
• Location: Hybrid; some travel between our Naperville, Frankfort, Lemont, and Shorewood offices as needed