Senior Director of Behavioral Health Strategy and Integration

The Opportunity

The Senior Director of Behavioral Health Strategy and Integration provides strategic leadership for North Central Health Care’s Behavioral Health Services across Marathon, Lincoln, and Langlade Counties. Aligns Acute Care Services, Outpatient Services, and Community Treatment to improve access, care coordination, outcomes, and financial sustainability. Leads Behavioral Health Services strategic planning in alignment with NCHC’s organization-wide strategic plan.

This role advances coordinated, person-centered services by translating Behavioral Health Services priorities into measurable initiatives, strengthening partnerships, and supporting consistent leadership across programs.

What You’ll Get

• The starting pay range for this role is $154,419 -$168,147 based on education and experience.
• This job is a full-time, in person position, usually working 8:00am – 4:30pm on weekdays.
• PTO, paid holidays, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, on-site bistro and cafeteria, employee assistance program, newly updated facility, and more.
• As a full-time employee of NCHC, you are eligible for the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). The WRS is a hybrid defined benefit plan. It contains elements of both a 401(k) or defined contribution plan and a defined benefit plan. Participating staff contribute 7.2% and NCHC will match this at 100% each pay period!

What You Bring

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, public administration, human services, public health, or a closely related field.
• Seven years of progressively responsible leadership experience in behavioral health, healthcare, human services, public administration, long-term care, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, implementing complex initiatives, performance improvement, and collaboration with governmental entities and community partners.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams or program leaders, establishing shared goals, and evaluating progress toward organizational priorities.
• Must possess a valid Wisconsin driver's license, maintain unrestricted driving privileges throughout employment and have use of a personal vehicle.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in healthcare administration, public administration, human services, public health, or a closely related field.
• Experience with budgets, sustainable service models, agreements, grants, or multi-county public-sector systems preferred.
• Experience integrating acute, outpatient, and community-based behavioral health services and improving referral processes or transitions of care.
• Experience supervising senior leaders, managing organizational change, and using service and financial data to evaluate results.

In evaluating candidates for this position, North Central Health Care may consider a combination of education, training, and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position.

What a Senior Director of Behavioral Health Strategy & Integration does at NCHC:

• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Behavioral Health Services strategic plan and integrated service model.
• Establish shared priorities and accountability across Acute Care Services, Outpatient Services, and Community Treatment; provide strategic direction and coaching to the three reporting directors.
• Lead initiatives that improve access, referrals, care transitions, and coordination across the behavioral health continuum, including community-based alternatives and services for individuals with complex needs.
• Ensure strong external partnerships and effective collaboration with county partners, healthcare organizations, law enforcement, schools, and community providers to advance Behavioral Health Services priorities.
• Identify service gaps and resolve barriers across programs and partner organizations; elevate issues requiring executive decisions or additional resources.
• Work with operational leaders, Compliance and Quality, Information Services, and Finance to monitor performance, use data to guide improvement, and support technology and information-sharing needs.
• Partner with Finance and operational leaders on resource planning, sustainable service models, and assigned grant-funded initiatives.
• Report progress, outcomes, risks, and resource needs to the Executive Director and appropriate leadership and governing bodies; perform other duties consistent with the position’s scope.
• Translate approved strategic priorities into implementation plans with defined milestones, responsible leaders, resource needs, and measures of success; monitor progress and address barriers with the reporting directors.
• Facilitate regular leadership collaboration to align referral pathways, service expectations, and escalation processes; resolve competing priorities that affect access or continuity of care.
• Partner with reporting directors to evaluate proposed service changes, workforce needs, and capacity against community needs, anticipated outcomes, and available resources; recommend options to the Executive Director.
• Incorporate feedback from individuals served, families, staff, and community partners into planning and improvement initiatives; identify and address barriers to equitable access.
• Support consistent approaches to quality and risk management across programs by coordinating with operational directors and Compliance and Quality; ensure strategic initiatives account for applicable service requirements and patient safety.
• Occasional travel to other NCHC locations or community partners.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises the Directors of Acute Care Services, Outpatient Services, and Community Treatment for strategic alignment, integration, and shared performance accountability. These directors retain authority and responsibility for clinical services, regulatory compliance, budgets, staffing, quality, and day-to-day operations. Organization-wide strategic planning remains outside this position’s responsibility.
• Establish and communicate performance expectations and strategic goals for direct reports; review progress regularly and complete annual performance evaluations.
• Coach and mentor, support leadership development and succession planning, and encourage effective collaboration across their programs.
• Assign and evaluate strategic initiatives and shared responsibilities; address performance concerns and partner with Human Resources on employee matters as needed.
• Participate in recruitment, selection, onboarding, and retention of direct reports in accordance with NCHC policies and delegated authority.
• Facilitate regular meetings with direct reports to review priorities, performance, resource needs, and issues requiring executive action.

Working Environment and Physical Requirements

• Work is primarily performed in an office environment, with visits to clinical and community service settings and participation in meetings at NCHC and partner locations.
• Requires prolonged periods of sitting and computer use, with periodic standing and walking during meetings and site visits.
• Requires the ability to review documents and electronic information and communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through virtual platforms, with reasonable accommodation as needed.
• Requires travel among Marathon, Lincoln, and Langlade Counties and to partner locations as needed for leadership meetings, service coordination, and community engagement.
• May require work outside standard business hours to attend meetings or address time-sensitive organizational needs.
• May involve contact with individuals experiencing behavioral health crises or displaying agitated or hostile behavior; requires adherence to site safety procedures and appropriate escalation of concerns.
• Requires sustained attention, sound judgment, and the ability to manage competing priorities and sensitive or emotionally challenging information.

Who We Are

Nestled in the heart of Central Wisconsin, North Central Health Care (NCHC) is a healthcare organization formed over fifty years ago as a partnership between three Central Wisconsin counties - Langlade, Lincoln, and Marathon.

NCHC employs more than 600 professionals in diverse roles across a variety of care and work environments.

We provide passionate and high-quality care for individuals and families within the fields of mental health treatment, addiction services, long term care, short term care, physical therapy, crisis stabilization and so much more. We have amazing employees who provide exceptional care and want to add to our team. You can visit our website at norcen.org to learn more.

In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, NCHC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. North Central Health Care is an Equal Opportunity Employer.