Assistant Clinical Director

Job Description

Assistant Clinical Director

Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Employment Type: Full-Time | On-Site

Industry: Behavioral Health | Mental Health | Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced, engaging, and results-driven Assistant Clinical Director to join a growing behavioral health treatment organization in Scottsdale, Arizona.

This is a hands-on clinical leadership position focused on developing therapists, strengthening clinical performance, building accountability, and driving excellence in patient care.

The ideal candidate is a confident, approachable leader with a strong clinical background in both mental health and substance use disorder treatment. We are particularly interested in individuals who have developed their leadership experience within residential treatment centers, addiction recovery facilities, or other behavioral health treatment environments.

This opportunity is well suited to an established clinical leader who enjoys mentoring therapists, addressing challenges directly, and building high-performing clinical teams.

Unlike traditional administrative clinical leadership positions, this role emphasizes active engagement with clinicians, professional development, performance improvement, and clinical team culture rather than routine administrative oversight.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Therapist Development

• Provide hands-on leadership, coaching, and mentorship to therapists and clinical team members.
• Evaluate clinical performance and identify opportunities for professional growth and improvement.
• Develop therapists' clinical skills, confidence, professionalism, and treatment effectiveness.
• Provide constructive, real-time feedback and ongoing performance coaching.
• Support onboarding, training, and professional development of new clinical staff.
• Promote evidence-based treatment practices and high standards of clinical care.

Performance Management & Accountability

• Establish clear expectations for clinical performance, professionalism, and quality of care.
• Identify performance gaps and implement targeted improvement strategies.
• Address performance concerns directly, professionally, and constructively.
• Partner with senior clinical leadership and Human Resources on performance-related matters.
• Promote consistency in clinical standards, treatment approaches, and organizational expectations.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional development.

Clinical Quality & Team Culture

• Collaborate with clinical leadership to strengthen treatment quality and clinical effectiveness.
• Support the implementation of clinical training initiatives, competencies, and best practices.
• Help maintain compliance with applicable clinical, ethical, and organizational standards.
• Build strong working relationships with therapists and multidisciplinary treatment teams.
• Serve as a visible, accessible, and supportive clinical leader.
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative, and high-performance clinical environment.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Addiction Counseling, or a closely related behavioral health discipline.
• Current independent Arizona clinical license required: LCSW, LPC, LMFT, or LIAC.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of clinical leadership experience within a behavioral health, mental health, addiction treatment, or recovery center environment.
• Direct clinical experience treating individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring, coaching, developing, or managing therapists and other clinical professionals.
• Strong understanding of evidence-based behavioral health treatment, clinical quality standards, and ethical practice.
• Proven ability to address performance issues, navigate difficult conversations, and establish accountability.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and remain composed, approachable, and effective in a fast-paced clinical environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership experience within a residential addiction treatment center, substance use disorder recovery program, or dual-diagnosis treatment facility.
• Experience developing and leading multidisciplinary clinical teams.
• Demonstrated success improving therapist performance, clinical consistency, and treatment quality.
• Experience implementing clinical training programs, performance improvement initiatives, or professional development frameworks.
• Strong understanding of recovery-oriented treatment approaches and the challenges associated with addiction recovery.
• Familiarity with the operational and clinical demands of a growing behavioral health organization.

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are looking for a clinical leader who combines clinical credibility, emotional intelligence, strong interpersonal skills, and the confidence to hold others accountable.

The successful candidate will be:

• Engaging and approachable: Builds trust and strong relationships with clinicians while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Confident and decisive: Comfortable addressing difficult situations and making challenging decisions.
• Development-focused: Passionate about mentoring therapists and helping clinical professionals reach their potential.
• Accountable: Establishes high standards and ensures they are consistently maintained.
• Adaptable and composed: Thrives in a dynamic treatment environment with competing priorities and frequent interruptions.
• Collaborative: Works effectively with clinical leadership, HR, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Clinically credible: Brings meaningful experience and a strong understanding of mental health and addiction treatment.
• Growth-oriented: Motivated by the opportunity to strengthen clinical teams and make a measurable impact on treatment quality.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This position offers an experienced behavioral health leader the opportunity to make a direct and meaningful impact on the development of clinicians and the quality of patient care.

Rather than focusing primarily on administrative responsibilities, the Assistant Clinical Director will play a central role in building a stronger clinical team, mentoring therapists, improving performance, and shaping a culture of clinical excellence.

We welcome applications from experienced clinical leaders who are passionate about behavioral health treatment and ready to take an active role in developing the next generation of clinical professionals.