Behavioral Health Associate Program Manager

Akua Mind Body; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 73,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance (Medical, Vision, etc

PTO (Sick, Vacation)

Equity Shares

Company Car

Job summary

Akua Behavioral Health is seeking a Behavioral Health Associate Program Manager in Costa Mesa, CA. This role supports the Program Director with leadership and daily operations, focusing on evening and weekend coverage and ensuring staffing compliance across shifts.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree, 2+ years in behavioral health, and at least 1 year in a leadership role, plus required CA licensing & health clearances.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field or higher
• 2+ years of behavioral health experience
• 1+ year of lead experience
• Valid CA Driver's License, Health Screen / Physical, TB Test Clearance, CPR/First Aid certificate, Live Scan clearance

Responsibilities

• Evening and weekend coverage as primary leadership presence (4:00 pm – 12:30 am).
• Provide leadership and operational support across the program to ensure consistent performance standards.
• Monitor staffing guidelines and ensure adequate shift coverage and timekeeping.
• Ensure adherence to Akua’s policies, regulatory standards, and licensing requirements.
• Participate in hiring, interviewing within staffing guidelines, and oversee disciplinary actions with Program Director.
• Communicate and resolve client issues/crises and participate in on-call rotation.
• Monitor program metrics and costs to drive performance improvements and stay within budget.

Skills

Leadership

Staffing

Scheduling

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Description

Position: Behavioral Health Associate Program Manager

Type: Salary, Full-Time, Exempt

Compensation: Up to $81,000 per year (base salary + performance bonus)

Benefits:

• Health Insurance (Medical, Vision, Dental, Life)
• PTO (Sick, Vacation)
• Equity Shares
• Company Car

Key Responsibilities:

Second-in-command to the Program Director, providing leadership and operational support across the program, with primary responsibility for evening and weekend coverage.

• Training & Accountability: The Associate Manager ensures that all program staff are carrying out their daily functions and responsibilities through continuous monitoring, training, and accountability, supporting the Program Director in maintaining consistent performance standards.
• Staffing & Scheduling: The Associate Manager is responsible for ensuring that the program operates within its Staffing Guidelines and maintains adequate coverage on every shift, at all times (including timekeeping), with a particular focus on evening and weekend operations.
• Compliance: The Associate Manager ensures strict adherence to Akua’s policies, regulatory standards, and licensing requirements, helping keep the program fully licensed, credentialed, accredited, and in good standing.
• Employee Management: The Associate Manager actively participates in hiring, interviewing candidates within staffing guidelines, and oversees disciplinary actions and terminations (in coordination with the Program Director), ensuring compliance with HR policies.
• Emergency Management: The Associate Manager is responsible for promptly communicating and resolving any client issues/crisis (including participating in the on-call rotation) and acts as the primary point of contact when the Program Director is unavailable.
• Performance and Cost Management: The Associate Manager monitors key program metrics to drive performance improvements and ensures cost control by adhering to budgetary guidelines, including staffing, scheduling, and operational expenses, in support of the Program Director’s goals.
• Weekend & Evening Coverage: The Associate Manager provides primary coverage during the evening shift (4:00 pm – 12:30 am) and on weekends, with two rest days scheduled during the weekdays. This role ensures continuous leadership presence and operational continuity outside of standard daytime hours.

Requirements:

• License/Credentials: RADT/CADC/SUDCC, or functional equivalent (preferred)
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree (required) or master’s degree (preferred) in a relevant field (e.g. Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Psychology)
• Experience: 2+ years of behavioral health experience and 1+ year(s) of lead experience (required)
• Additional: Valid CA Driver's License, Current Health Screen / Physical, TB Test Clearance, Current CPR/First Aid certificate, Able to Pass Live Scan (required)

Company Description:

Akua Behavioral Health is California’s leading mental health and substance abuse treatment center. We provide our clients with individualized, compassionate treatment from Master’s and Doctorate level clinicians across various levels of care at fully licensed and accredited facilities throughout Northern and Southern California. To give our clients the best chance at lasting recovery, we pioneered an integrative East-meets-West approach that combines Western evidence-based treatment with holistic Eastern traditions to treat the mind, body, and spirit. Our mission is to provide the highest quality of behavioral healthcare for every client by ensuring our team is 100% trained and motivated to deliver industry leading client outcomes.