Chief Executive Officer

Hillcrest Family Services; Dubuque (IA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Hillcrest Family Services in Iowa seeks a President & Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization’s next chapter, ensuring stability, operational excellence, and strong community impact.

The CEO will guide long-term vision, drive performance, strengthen accountability, and ensure financial sustainability while maintaining clinical quality and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Seven+ years of progressive executive leadership experience.
• Experience in behavioral health or regulated nonprofit healthcare preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading multi-site operations, organizational turnarounds, or growth-oriented organizations.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and leadership development skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and operational oversight for all programs, service lines, and support functions.
• Drive organizational performance through accountability, goal setting, and measurable outcomes.
• Partner with senior leaders to align strategy, operations, and resources around organizational priorities.
• Lead financial stewardship, including budgeting, revenue cycle oversight, payer strategy, and long-term planning.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, accreditation, and payer requirements.
• Strengthen relationships with community partners, referral sources, government agencies, and key stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, providing strategic guidance and regular organizational updates.
• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing leaders across the organization.
• Continue strengthening governance practices, financial controls, and compliance infrastructure.

Skills

Operational leadership

Financial acumen

Change management

Accountability and decision-making

Relationship building

Leadership development

Community health passion

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

For more than 125 years, Hillcrest Family Services has been a trusted provider of behavioral health and human services across Eastern Iowa. Today, the organization delivers more than 20 services spanning outpatient mental health, residential treatment, community-based adult services, crisis stabilization, and addictions recovery. Hillcrest partners with hospitals, schools, public safety agencies, and community organizations to provide accessible, mission‑driven care throughout the region.

As the organization continues its transformation and growth, Hillcrest is seeking an experienced and visionary President & Chief Executive Officer to lead the next chapter of organizational stability, operational excellence, and community impact.

The Opportunity:

This is a unique opportunity to lead a well‑established organization that has recently completed significant operational and strategic changes. The next CEO will build upon that foundation by driving performance, strengthening accountability, developing talent, and ensuring Hillcrest remains a leading provider of behavioral health and human services in Iowa.

The successful candidate will be an engaged, hands‑on executive who can balance strategic leadership with operational execution. Working closely with the Board of Directors and senior leadership team, the CEO will guide the organization's long‑term vision while ensuring financial sustainability, clinical quality, regulatory compliance, and organizational effectiveness.

What You'll Lead:

• Provide overall leadership and operational oversight for all programs, service lines, and support functions.
• Drive organizational performance through accountability, goal setting, and measurable outcomes.
• Partner with senior leaders to align strategy, operations, and resources around organizational priorities.
• Lead financial stewardship efforts, including budgeting, revenue cycle oversight, payer strategy, and long‑term planning.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, accreditation, and payer requirements.
• Strengthen relationships with community partners, referral sources, government agencies, and key stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, providing strategic guidance and regular organizational updates.
• Recruit, develop, and retain high‑performing leaders across the organization.
• Continue strengthening governance practices, financial controls, and compliance infrastructure.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Exceptional operational leadership and execution skills.
• Strong business and financial acumen.
• Experience leading organizational change and transformation.
• A track record of accountability and sound decision‑making.
• The ability to build trust with boards, employees, partners, and community stakeholders.
• Success developing and mentoring leadership teams.
• A passion for advancing behavioral health and human services within the communities served.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in healthcare administration, business, public administration, behavioral health, or a related field preferred.
• Seven or more years of progressive executive leadership experience.
• Experience within behavioral health, healthcare services, nonprofit healthcare, human services, or similarly regulated environments strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading multi‑site operations, organizational turnarounds, operational restructuring initiatives, or growth‑oriented organizations.
• Strong financial management experience, including oversight of budgets, payer relationships, and performance metrics.
• Knowledge of CCBHC requirements, Medicaid prospective payment systems, and federal grant management is a plus.
• Excellent communication, relationship‑building, and leadership development skills.

Interested candidates should submit the following materials:

• A resume and cover letter outlining relevant leadership experience

Application materials should be submitted electronically to:

Jaime Mead

319.362.1317