Director of Operations - Behavioral Health

Job Description

Job Description

Primary Responsibility: Texas Operations with Operational Oversight/Liaison Responsibilities for Chicago, Illinois

About the Organizations

Life Enhancement Services of Texas (LESTX) is a community-based behavioral health organization committed to providing quality mental health services to individuals and families throughout Texas.

We are seeking an experienced, highly organized, and results-driven Director of Operations to oversee the day-to-day operations of our Texas programs while also serving as the primary operational point person for our affiliated Chicago office, Empower Behavioral Health .

This is a senior leadership position for someone who understands that successful behavioral health operations require more than managing people. It requires ensuring that clients move efficiently through the organization, staff have the support and accountability needed to perform, documentation and operational requirements are met, and problems are identified and resolved before they affect service delivery.

Position Summary

The Director of Operations will provide leadership and oversight for the daily operations of Life Enhancement Services of Texas and serve as an operational liaison for Empower Behavioral Health in Chicago.

The Director will work closely with executive leadership, clinical leadership, Team Leads, intake/scheduling, administrative staff, human resources, billing/finance, quality assurance, outreach and other departments to ensure that operational systems function effectively.

This position is responsible for turning organizational expectations into consistent day-to-day execution.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on operational leader who can see the big picture while also paying attention to the details. This individual should be comfortable reviewing data, holding managers accountable, solving problems, improving processes and following issues through to resolution.

Key Responsibilities

Texas Operational Leadership

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of Life Enhancement Services of Texas.
• Ensure departments are operating efficiently and consistently with organizational policies, procedures and expectations.
• Provide operational oversight and support to Team Leads, managers and administrative departments.
• Establish clear expectations, priorities and accountability measures for operational leaders.
• Conduct regular operational meetings and follow up on identified action items.
• Identify workflow problems, bottlenecks and service gaps and develop solutions to address them.
• Ensure operational issues are resolved timely rather than remaining unresolved between departments.
• Assist executive leadership with implementing organizational initiatives, policies and strategic priorities.
• Develop and improve systems that support organizational growth without sacrificing service quality or compliance.

Client Flow & Service Delivery

• Monitor the operational flow of clients from referral and intake through assessment, authorization, assignment and ongoing service delivery of (Targeted Case Management Services, Foster Care and Medicare Therapy Services)
• Work with intake, clinical and program teams to identify delays that prevent clients from beginning or continuing services.
• Monitor caseload capacity and work with leadership to address staffing or service-delivery barriers.
• Ensure departments communicate effectively regarding client status and outstanding requirements.
• Review operational data to identify trends affecting access to services, client retention and program performance.
• Promote a culture in which operational decisions remain focused on timely, appropriate and quality services for clients.

Staff & Management Accountability

• Work with Team Leads and department managers to establish performance expectations and operational priorities.
• Monitor whether managers are completing required meetings, supervision, reporting and follow-up responsibilities.
• Address recurring performance and operational concerns with appropriate leadership and Human Resources.
• Participate in interviewing, hiring, onboarding and retention initiatives for key operational positions.
• Assist with identifying staffing needs and ensuring adequate staffing levels based on program and caseload needs.
• Support managers in developing stronger leadership, communication, organization and accountability practices.
• Promote consistent communication between executive leadership and front-line operations.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Work collaboratively with clinical leadership and Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement to ensure operations support regulatory and contractual requirements.
• Monitor operational compliance with organizational policies, payer requirements and applicable state and federal standards.
• Assist with preparation for audits, reviews, corrective action plans and other compliance activities.
• Monitor documentation and operational performance indicators and ensure identified deficiencies are addressed.
• Ensure processes are in place to track important deadlines, authorizations, assessments and other program requirements.
• Collaborate with clinical leadership on issues requiring clinical judgment while maintaining responsibility for operational follow-through.
• Support continuous quality improvement initiatives across programs.

Performance Monitoring & Reporting

• Develop, monitor and report on key operational performance indicators.
• Review trends related to referrals, assessments, client assignments, caseloads, staffing, documentation timeliness, service delivery and other operational measures.
• Provide executive leadership with regular updates regarding operational performance, risks and areas requiring intervention.
• Use data to identify problems and recommend solutions rather than relying solely on anecdotal information.
• Develop action plans when departments or programs are not meeting established expectations.
• Track action items through completion and verify that corrective measures have produced the intended results.

Chicago – Empower Behavioral Health

In addition to overseeing Texas operations, the Director of Operations will serve as a primary operational point person for Empower Behavioral Health in Chicago, Illinois .

Responsibilities will include:

• Maintain regular communication with Chicago leadership and staff regarding operational needs and concerns.
• Serve as a liaison between Empower Behavioral Health and executive leadership.
• Assist with implementation and monitoring of organizational systems, policies and operational expectations.
• Help identify staffing, workflow, administrative and service-delivery issues requiring leadership attention.
• Coordinate with local leadership to ensure operational concerns are addressed and followed through to resolution.
• Participate in operational meetings and provide guidance and support as needed.
• Assist with preparation for audits, compliance activities and organizational reviews as appropriate.
• Ensure executive leadership remains informed regarding significant operational developments within the Chicago program.
• Travel to Chicago periodically when necessary for operational support, meetings, training, audits or other organizational needs.

Cross-Departmental Leadership

The Director of Operations will work closely with:

• Executive Leadership
• Clinical Leadership
• Team Leads and Program Management
• Intake and Scheduling
• Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement
• Human Resources
• Billing and Finance
• Outreach/Referral Development
• Administrative Support
• Chicago Program Leadership

This position requires the ability to work across departments and ensure that responsibilities do not fall through the gaps between teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Behavioral Health, Social Work, Psychology, Human Services or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership or management experience , preferably within behavioral health, mental health, healthcare or human services.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing multiple departments, programs, teams or locations.
• Strong understanding of operational management, staff accountability, workflow development and performance improvement.
• Ability to analyze operational data and translate findings into action.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, time-management and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and follow projects and issues through completion.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Ability to travel between locations as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Public Administration or a related field.
• Previous leadership experience in a community-based behavioral health organization.
• Experience with Medicaid-funded behavioral health programs.
• Knowledge of Texas behavioral health operations, including community-based mental health services.
• Experience with audits, compliance monitoring, quality improvement and corrective action planning.
• Experience managing operations across multiple locations or states.
• Familiarity with electronic health records, data reporting systems and operational dashboards.
• Experience working with clinical professionals, QMHPs, Team Leads and other behavioral health staff.

Clinical licensure is not required for this position. The Director of Operations will work collaboratively with licensed clinical leadership on matters requiring clinical oversight or clinical decision-making.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who:

• Takes ownership rather than waiting for someone else to solve a problem.
• Can respectfully hold managers and staff accountable.
• Is comfortable asking questions when numbers, processes or outcomes do not make sense.
• Understands both the business and service sides of behavioral healthcare.
• Can move between strategic planning and day-to-day problem solving.
• Communicates clearly and follows through consistently.
• Can build systems and processes instead of relying on individual employees to remember what needs to happen.
• Recognizes potential operational risks early and takes action.
• Can work effectively with different personalities, departments and professional disciplines.
• Is comfortable working in a growing organization where priorities may evolve.
• Understands that strong operations ultimately support better care for clients.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Director of Operations will create an environment where:

• Leaders understand what is expected of them and are held accountable.
• Operational problems are identified early and resolved promptly.
• Clients move through referral, assessment and assignment processes efficiently.
• Staffing and caseload concerns are visible before they become crises.
• Departments communicate effectively with one another.
• Leadership has reliable operational data to make decisions.
• Compliance and quality concerns are addressed proactively.
• Texas and Chicago operations remain connected to organizational leadership and expectations.
• Processes become more efficient, consistent and scalable as the organizations grow.

Schedule & Travel

This is a full-time leadership position. The Director of Operations must be available during normal business hours and may occasionally need to respond to urgent operational matters outside of regular hours.

Periodic travel within Texas and Chicago, Illinois will be required.