Central Texas Regional Director

Regional Director

The Regional Director provides clinical, operational, and financial leadership for Santa Maria Central Texas programs to ensure high-quality service delivery, staff development, regulatory/contract and budgetary compliance, and achievement of performance outcomes. This role partners with the CEO and organizational leaders to implement strategy, strengthen community and funder relationships, and promote trauma-informed, culturally responsive, person-centered care that supports participant dignity, engagement, and recovery. This position works closely with regional partners, referral sources, and community stakeholders to coordinate services, strengthen collaborations, and expand access to care. The ideal candidate brings demonstrated leadership in behavioral health operations, clinical program management, and performance improvement, with the ability to lead cross-functional teams, drive efficient workflows, and communicate effectively with diverse populations, including individuals with mental health and substance use challenges.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Relationship Management & Community Engagement

· Cultivate, nurture, and sustain relationships with new and existing referral sources, stakeholders, partners, and community agencies.

· Participate in or lead community initiatives to improve care coordination, promote best practices, enhance maternal/child outcomes, and advance recovery principles.

· Maintain positive relationships with funding, regulatory, and community agencies.

· Serve as the primary site liaison to funders and regulators, including timely reporting, monitoring/site-visit readiness, and response to information requests.

· Monitor budget, grant and contract performance and compliance for the site (deliverables, outcomes, invoicing support/allowable-cost documentation as applicable, and reporting deadlines) and coordinate corrective action plans when metrics are at risk.

· Represent Santa Maria in the Austin regional area at community and public events to enhance visibility and build strategic partnerships.

Team Leadership & Organizational Culture

· Recruit, hire, train, and oversee the orientation of team members.

· Develop and implement strategies to foster a healthy, functional, and effective team environment.

· Supervise, mentor, and evaluate staff performance while addressing complaints and resolving issues.

· Foster a culture of continuous learning, professional growth, and leadership development within the team.

· Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring a welcoming, supportive environment for all employees and participants.

· Communicate and model the vision and mission of Santa Maria Hostel to staff and community partners.

· Ensure adequate staffing coverage and scheduling for all service lines and alignment of staffing patterns to census, program, and budget needs.

Clinical & Program Oversight

· Ensure seamless communication across all programs to deliver high-quality, individualized services to participants and their families.

· Implement and integrate evidence-based practices, including trauma-informed care, brain science principles, resiliency-focused service delivery, motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and harm reduction strategies.

· Participate as a member of the senior leadership team to ensure effective operations and positive participant outcomes.

· Operate programs in compliance with funding sources, city and state regulations, and licensing/accreditation standards.

· Monitor program effectiveness, participant outcomes, and key performance indicators; use data to identify trends, drive continuous quality improvement, and inform operational and clinical enhancements.

· Oversee access, admissions, and utilization processes to support appropriate level-of-care placement, timely service initiation, continuity of care, and achievement of census/productivity targets.

· Establish and monitor clinical documentation timeliness and productivity expectations (e.g., service notes, treatment plans, discharge documentation) and intervene with coaching and process improvements to maintain quality and compliance.

· Oversee operational coordination and processes with medical partners, ensuring compliance with applicable policies and regulations.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

· Ensure program documentation is in compliance with state documentation standards, CARF accreditation, and internal policies.

· Implement quality control mechanisms to measure performance and adherence to Santa Maria Hostel policies and procedures.

· Utilize data analytics to track program effectiveness, identify trends, and implement evidence-based improvements.

· Ensure internal audits and corrective action plans are implemented to maintain compliance with all regulations.

· Ensure safety and environment-of-care standards for the site and serve as the site liaison for applicable contract services including vendor performance monitoring.

· Oversee site risk management processes, including incident reporting, participant grievances, documentation of corrective actions, and follow-through to reduce recurrence and improve safety.

· Ensure effective use of clinical and billing data systems, including staff training, data integrity, appropriate access provisioning/deprovisioning, and adherence to privacy and security requirements.

· Partner with Finance to ensure documentation and billing workflows support timely, accurate claims/invoicing as applicable and maintain readiness for internal and external payer/funder audits.

Strategic Planning & Budget Management

· Participate in programmatic budget preparation and manage budgets within Santa Maria Hostel guidelines.

· Partner with Finance to monitor revenue cycle performance (authorizations as applicable, billing timeliness, denials trends, collections, and payer mix) and implement operational improvements to support financial sustainability.

· Assist in obtaining funding and support for new or continuing services, including identifying grant opportunities and financial sustainability efforts.

· Ensure cost-effective program operations, aligning service delivery with available funding and budget constraints.

· Evaluate program impact and financial feasibility, making recommendations for future program expansion or modifications.

· Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to update the strategic plan and develop ongoing initiatives aligned with the organization's mission and vision.

Education/Experience:

Master's degree in social work, counseling, addiction counseling, or related field from four-year college or university; Five years' experience in SUD and/or behavioral health treatment in a leadership or supervisory role. Experience and knowledge of co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders. Proven ability to manage a diverse staff of human service professionals. Experience and understanding of DSHS regulations and ensure compliance with licensure standards. Experience implementing/practicing Evidence Based Practices, Trauma Informed Care, and the ability/experience to effectively teach these to others. Experience in developing and analyzing program outcomes/indicators and quality improvement plans. Experience with grant development/management and fundraising to support program sustainability.

Certificates and Licenses:

Must have current license from Texas Department of State and Health Services (LCDC, LCSW, LPC) plus five years' experience working in behavioral health. Supervisor license status preferred (LPC-S or LCSW-S).

If driving on SMH business, must have a valid Texas Driver's License and provide proof of current insurance.

Santa Maria Hostel provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.