Chief 988 Lifeline Officer

Vibrant Emotional Health; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 275,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive benefits

National impact

Job summary

Vibrant Emotional Health seeks a seasoned Chief 988 Lifeline Officer to lead the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Reporting to the CEO, you will steer a large, multidisciplinary organization with accountability for strategy, performance, and sustainability.

You will supervise senior leaders across operations, partnerships, standards, training, and technology, ensuring equity, quality, and impact nationwide. Hybrid-flex work and national scope offer dynamic leadership opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in behavioral health, public health, healthcare administration, business administration, or related field.
• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in behavioral health, crisis services, suicide prevention, public health, healthcare, or closely related field.
• Clinical education, licensure, or professional experience strongly preferred.
• Experience managing federally funded programs, Cooperative Agreements, or government partnerships; direct collaboration with SAMHSA preferred.

Responsibilities

• Set and execute a multi-year strategy advancing service quality, sustainability, national impact.
• Advise the CEO, Board, and executive leadership with enterprise-wide perspective.
• Lead a 24/7 national service and ensure quality, efficiency, and continuity.
• Oversee the SAMHSA Cooperative Agreement and governance of federal resources.
• Build scalable systems and shared ways of working across functions.
• Represent Vibrant and the Lifeline with government officials and partners.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Chief 988 Lifeline Officer

Location: Hybrid-Flexed

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Organization: Vibrant Emotional Health

Travel: 30% or more

Compensation: $275,000 - $300,000

About Vibrant Emotional Health

For more than 50 years, Vibrant Emotional Health has delivered high-quality, technology-enabled services, community wellness programs, advocacy, and education to make emotional wellness a reality for everyone.

Vibrant administers the federally funded 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, providing free, confidential support nationwide, 24/7. With nearly $200 million in revenue and more than 30 national and local programs, Vibrant reaches millions of people each year.

The Opportunity

Vibrant is seeking an accomplished executive to lead the next chapter of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Reporting to the CEO and serving on Vibrant's executive leadership team, the Chief 988 Lifeline Officer will serve as Program Director and Key Personnel for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Cooperative Agreement.

The Chief will lead a large, multidisciplinary organization spanning operations, administration, partnerships, network engagement, standards, training, and best practices. This leader will be accountable for the Lifeline's strategy, performance, sustainability, and continued evolution as a vital national crisis service.

The successful candidate will be a leader of leaders who can navigate complexity, strengthen organizational capacity, and advance quality, equity, and impact on a national scale.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Set and execute a multi-year strategy that advances service quality, sustainability, national impact, and alignment with Vibrant's priorities.

• Advise the CEO, Board, and executive leadership team with sound judgment and an enterprise-wide perspective.

• Translate strategy into measurable outcomes, clear accountability, and disciplined execution. Lead a complex, 24/7 national service, strengthening quality, efficiency, continuity, and organizational performance.

• Align resources and processes around the highest-impact work, using financial and performance data to manage risk and guide decisions.

• Partner across technology, finance, people, legal, communications, and other functions to build scalable systems and shared ways of working.

Federal Partnership and Public Stewardship

• Oversee the SAMHSA Cooperative Agreement, ensuring strong governance, compliance, performance, and stewardship of federal resources.

• Maintain a credible, solutions-oriented partnership with SAMHSA, supported by clear responsibilities and escalation pathways.

• Navigate an evolving policy, funding, and stakeholder environment while protecting service continuity.

• Represent Vibrant and the Lifeline with government officials, policymakers, behavioral health leaders, funders, advocates, and the media.

People and Enterprise Integration

• Lead and develop the senior team responsible for the Lifeline's major functions, strengthening leadership capability and succession.

• Foster trust, inclusion, accountability, and transparent communication across teams.

• Strengthen 988's integration across Vibrant through shared accountability, deeper relationships, and coordinated planning.

Service Quality, Network, and Innovation

• Advance equitable, evidence-informed standards, training, and best practices across the 988 network.

• Build influential relationships with crisis centers, governments, Tribal communities, providers, advocates, and other essential partners.

• Use performance data, research, lived experience, clinical insight, and network feedback to improve access, quality, equity, and outcomes.

• Serve as executive business owner for the 988 Unified Platform, aligning technology, operations, and user needs to improve reliability and impact.

What We're Looking For?

• Bachelor's degree in behavioral health, public health, healthcare administration, business administration, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.

• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in behavioral health, crisis services, suicide prevention, public health, healthcare, or a closely related field, including responsibility for enterprise-level programs or services within a large, complex organization.

• Clinical education, licensure, or professional experience is strongly preferred. Significant leadership experience overseeing crisis-care systems, national networks, or behavioral health contact-center operations within a large-scale, 24/7 environment is required.

• Demonstrated experience managing federally funded programs, Cooperative Agreements, or government partnerships is required; direct collaboration with SAMHSA is strongly preferred.

• Proven success overseeing large-scale programs, multidisciplinary teams, substantial budgets, and organizational transformation.

• Strong capabilities in operational and financial management, data-informed decision-making, communication, and relationship building.

• Ability to travel at least 30%.

Why Join Vibrant?

• Mission with Meaningg: Support people experiencing emotional distress or suicidal crisis nationwide.

• National Impact: Shape the future of a vital public service with extraordinary reach and responsibility.

• Transformational Leadership: Connect strategy, people, technology, and partnerships to deliver stronger outcomes.

• Comprehensive Rewards: Receive competitive compensation, benefits, and retirement programs.

We determine base pay through a comprehensive review of skills, experience, education, certifications, geographic location, and other relevant factors. The range listed reflects the compensation parameters for the role and does not represent the full compensation package. A complete overview of compensation and benefits will be provided by the Talent Acquisition team during the hiring process.

Full time employees will be eligible for excellent comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, supplemental income insurance, employer paid disability insurance, employer paid life insurance, pre-tax FSA for medical and dependent care, and 401K available.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. Vibrant will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

Vibrant Emotional Health is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for positions without regard to veteran status, uniformed service member status, race, creed, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, caregiver status or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.