Executive Director

Job Description

Job Description

We are an established senior living management company seeking an Executive Director to lead one of our assisted living and memory care communities.

The Executive Director is the most important leader in the community: the person who sets the cultural tone, drives operational performance, develops the team, and ensures that every resident experiences the quality of life they deserve. This is a role with full operational authority and accountability, supported by a Regional Director of Operations and our corporate support teams.

As Executive Director, you will lead all aspects of community operations: resident care and services, financial management, team development, sales and marketing, regulatory compliance, and community culture. You will be the visible, accessible leader for residents, families, associates, and external partners, and the standard-bearer for our core values in everything you do.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Leadership & Culture

• Provide on-site, hands-on oversight of all community operations, ensuring day-to-day excellence across resident services, staffing, programming, housekeeping, and physical environment.

• Serve as the visible, accessible leader for residents, families, associates, and community partners, maintaining an open presence on the floor and throughout the community.

• Create and sustain a workplace culture where team members feel valued, residents feel known, and families feel confident their loved one is safe and celebrated.

• Lead employee appreciation and retention programs that strengthen team cohesion, reduce turnover, and build loyalty to the community and the organization's mission.

• Champion the organization's core values and person-centered memory care philosophy, modeling the standard for how every resident is known, honored, and cared for as an individual.

2. Resident Experience & Care Quality

• Oversee all resident services including admission, individualized service plan development, healthcare coordination, and ongoing care management, ensuring each resident's dignity, independence, and quality of life is protected at every stage.

• Collaborate with clinical leadership to maintain the highest standards of memory care quality, safety, and programming consistency.

• Maintain an active, personal relationship with residents and families through regular engagement, council sessions, and responsive follow-through on concerns and feedback.

• Ensure all services and interactions reflect a commitment to person-centered care by meeting residents where they are, not where the schedule requires.

3. Financial Management & Business Performance

• Develop, manage, and be fully accountable for the community's operating and capital budgets, ensuring financial performance aligns with company goals and resident needs.

• Monitor and analyze performance against budget; identify variances early and implement corrective action with confidence and transparency.

• Manage FTE levels, staffing costs, and departmental expenditures to maintain sustainable operations without compromising care quality.

• Identify and pursue opportunities to enhance revenue and reduce cost while preserving the resident experience.

4. Team Development & People Leadership

• Recruit, hire, develop, and retain a high-performing, mission-aligned team across all departments, ensuring every associate understands and lives the organization's values.

• Coach and develop department heads with consistent direction, honest feedback, and genuine investment in their professional growth.

• Partner with community-level HR support and the corporate HR team on employee relations, performance management, and compliance.

• Conduct or ensure completion of thorough and compliant onboarding, orientation, and ongoing training programs for all associates.

5. Sales, Marketing & Occupancy

• Drive occupancy and revenue performance through active engagement in tours, family consultations, and prospect relationships, demonstrating the community's care philosophy firsthand.

• Partner with the sales and marketing function to develop and execute strategies for achieving and sustaining census targets.

• Build and maintain relationships with referral sources, physicians, hospitals, discharge planners, and community partners to generate leads and grow the community's presence.

• Represent the organization publicly as a credible ambassador of quality memory care in civic organizations, healthcare networks, and local business partnerships.

6. Regulatory Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure full compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations governing assisted living and memory care operations.

• Maintain all required records, licenses, reporting, and documentation in accordance with company policy and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Lead emergency preparedness, safety protocols, and ongoing quality improvement initiatives across all departments.

• Ensure the physical environment (buildings, grounds, common areas, and resident spaces) meets organizational standards of excellence and regulatory requirements at all times.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is an experienced, compassionate, and results-driven leader who thrives in the complexity of senior living operations and never loses sight of why the work matters.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, Gerontology, or a related field required; graduate degree a plus.

• Minimum of 3 years of executive-level leadership experience in assisted living, memory care, or a comparable senior living environment.

• Demonstrated track record of financial performance, team development, and operational excellence in a residential care setting.

• Must hold the assisted living administrator/manager license required by the applicable state. Licensure must be current and in good standing at time of hire.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong financial acumen with experience managing operating budgets, forecasting, and analyzing performance metrics.

• Proven ability to build trust-based relationships with residents, families, team members, and community partners, especially in emotionally complex caregiving environments.

• Deep personal commitment to person-centered, dignity-driven memory care and the values that make it possible.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills with the ability to inspire and develop a diverse team.

• Ability to operate independently while maintaining transparency and alignment with regional and corporate leadership.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and comfort with HRIS, scheduling, and community management software.

• Knowledge of applicable state assisted living regulations preferred.

Benefits & Perks

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) with company match

• Paid time off

• Holiday pay

• Tuition reimbursement

• Employer-paid life and AD&D insurance

• Optional supplemental insurance