Chief Executive Officer

HopeLink Behavioral Health; Oakton (VA); On-site; USD 275,000 - 325,000; Full time

Job summary

HopeLink Behavioral Health, headquartered in Oakton, Virginia, seeks a visionary Chief Executive Officer to guide strategy, governance, and growth. You will partner with the Board and senior teams to advance mission-aligned programs and ensure exceptional community impact.

The CEO will lead organizational development, financial stewardship, and external relations, guiding HopeLink through a dynamic behavioral health landscape. Base salary range is $275,000–$325,000 with competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience in behavioral health or related nonprofit setting.
• Experience with government funding, contracts, grants, and philanthropy is preferred.
• Understanding of Virginia's behavioral health system is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and work with the Board to set direction.
• Strengthen communication and accountability across programs and departments.
• Develop leadership capacity and align strategy with financial sustainability.

Skills

Leadership

Nonprofit governance

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Financial acumen

Communications

Education

Master's degree in business/public administration/healthcare/social work

10+ years executive leadership

Job description

HopeLink Behavioral Health is a nonprofit behavioral health organization headquartered in Oakton, Virginia, with a 60-plus-year history of serving Northern Virginia and an expanding presence in communities across the Commonwealth. HopeLink is a significant provider of behavioral health, crisis and suicide intervention services in Virginia.

Founded in 1963, HopeLink provides a broad continuum of services for individuals and families, including mental health outpatient therapy, psychosocial rehabilitation services, mental health skills-building services, coordinated specialty care, individual supported employment services, and other programs for youth, young adults and families. HopeLink also operates the largest 988 crisis contact center in Virginia, providing around-the-clock support to individuals experiencing suicidal ideation, substance use struggles, or emotional distress.

HopeLink’s Impact

In 2025, HopeLink served nearly 2,000 individuals and families through its behavioral health programs and responded to more than 350,000 crisis calls, texts, and chats.

Today, the organization operates a budget of roughly $30 million, with funding coming from government contracts and grants, program service revenue, contributions, and other sources.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Chief Executive Officer will provide overall leadership for HopeLink Behavioral Health, working closely with the Board of Directors and executive leadership team to set direction and ensure the organization remains responsive to the people and communities it serves. The next CEO will join HopeLink at an important point in its development, with the opportunity to build on a strong reputation and history while preparing the organization for continued growth and changes in the behavioral health environment.

Organizational Leadership, Culture, & Talent Development

An early priority will be getting to know the organization and its people. Stakeholders consistently described the importance of a CEO who is visible, accessible, and willing to listen before making decisions. The next leader will work to strengthen communication and relationships across programs and departments, support employee engagement, and create an environment where people feel valued and connected to HopeLink's mission.

Developing the executive leadership team, building internal talent, and establishing clear expectations and accountability will be important. The CEO will work to strengthen leadership capacity throughout the organization while supporting collaboration and effective decision-making across programs and departments.

Strategic Planning & Organizational Development

The CEO will work with the Board and leadership team to establish clear priorities and turn those priorities into action. This will include evaluating HopeLink's organizational structure, leadership capacity, systems, technology, and other infrastructure to make sure they continue to support the organization's size and direction. As new opportunities emerge, the CEO will need to weigh growth thoughtfully, considering mission, community need, organizational capacity, and long-term sustainability.

Financial leadership will be a significant part of the role. HopeLink relies heavily on government contracts and grants while also drawing support from program revenue, philanthropy, and other sources. The CEO will need to understand the financial performance and sustainability of programs, anticipate changes in government funding and reimbursement, and work with the Board and leadership team to strengthen and diversify revenue over time. This will require balancing financial discipline with HopeLink's commitment to providing high-quality, accessible services.

External Relations, Partnerships & Advocacy

The CEO will also be an important external voice for HopeLink. Building and maintaining relationships with government leaders and agencies, funders, donors, healthcare and behavioral health partners, and community organizations will be essential. The next leader will advocate for HopeLink and the people it serves, strengthen the organization’s visibility and partnerships, and remain attentive to the needs of the diverse communities across Virginia.

For the right leader, this is an opportunity to guide a well-established organization through its next stage of development while preserving the mission and values that have shaped HopeLink for more than six decades. The next CEO will have the opportunity to strengthen the organization from within, expand its relationships and influence externally, and position HopeLink to continue meeting changing behavioral health needs in the years ahead.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The ideal candidate for Chief Executive Officer of HopeLink Behavioral Health will:

• Bring significant senior leadership experience in behavioral health, human services, healthcare, or a related nonprofit setting, with a solid understanding of the funding, workforce, regulatory, and operational issues facing organizations like HopeLink. Direct experience with, or a strong understanding of, Virginia's behavioral health system is highly preferred.
• Be a confident and collaborative leader who builds trust, listens to others, gives people room to lead, and holds themselves and others accountable. The next CEO should be willing to make difficult decisions when needed while remaining thoughtful, fair, and open to different perspectives.
• Have strong financial and business judgment, including experience with government funding and contracting, reimbursement, grants, philanthropy, and other revenue sources. Experience with contract negotiations and an understanding of how to balance mission, quality, growth, and long-term financial sustainability will be important.
• Know how to set direction and follow through. The CEO should be able to establish clear priorities, bring people together around them, measure progress, and make sure plans lead to meaningful results.
• Be visible and accessible throughout HopeLink and take the time to understand the organization, its programs, and its people. The CEO should listen well, communicate openly, explain the reasoning behind decisions, and stay connected to employees across the organization.
• Recognize the importance of developing and retaining strong leaders and employees. This includes mentoring and developing talent, planning for succession, delegating effectively, and building an executive team that works well together and takes ownership for results.
• Appreciate HopeLink's compassionate, mission-driven culture and the commitment employees bring to the people they serve. The CEO should have genuine empathy for individuals and families receiving services while also being willing to strengthen accountability, consistency, and performance where needed.
• Be comfortable representing HopeLink externally and building strong relationships with government leaders and agencies, funders, donors, healthcare and behavioral health partners, advocacy organizations, community leaders, and other key stakeholders. The CEO will also serve as a public voice for HopeLink and should be comfortable representing the organization with the broader community and media when appropriate.
• Understand the changing behavioral health environment and be able to anticipate how changes in Medicaid, government policy, reimbursement, workforce availability, technology, and community needs may affect HopeLink and the people it serves.
• Have experience leading through growth and change and know how to assess whether an organization's leadership structure, systems, technology, and other infrastructure are keeping pace. The CEO should also have experience with regulatory and accreditation requirements and understand the importance of identifying and managing organizational risk.
• Be comfortable working within the Carver Policy Governance model or able to quickly become familiar with it. HopeLink's CEO has considerable authority to lead the organization within the Board's established policies and Executive Limitations, along with clear accountability for achieving the outcomes established by the Board. A strong working relationship with the Board and Board Chair, along with timely and transparent communication, will be important.
• Value an inclusive workplace and appreciate the different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives represented among HopeLink's employees and the communities it serves. The CEO should support a culture where people feel respected and valued and understand the importance of equitable access and culturally responsive services.
• Possess a master's degree in business administration, public administration, public health, social work, psychology, counseling, healthcare administration, or a related field, along with at least ten years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience. Prior experience as a CEO, President, Executive Director, COO, or in a comparable senior leadership role is preferred.
• Bring sound judgment, integrity, emotional intelligence, resilience, and adaptability, along with a genuine connection to HopeLink's mission. The next CEO should respect the organization's history and accomplishments while being willing to help HopeLink continue to evolve as the needs of the community and behavioral health system change.

LOCATION

HopeLink Behavioral Health is headquartered in Oakton, Virginia, in Fairfax County. Fairfax County is home to approximately 1.17 million residents and offers convenient access to Washington, D.C., Dulles International Airport, and communities throughout Northern Virginia.

The region combines established residential communities with one of the country's largest business and technology centers. Major employers span healthcare, technology, government, professional services, financial services, aerospace, and defense, and the area is home to an extensive network of healthcare and educational institutions. Northern Virginia also offers a wide range of dining, arts and cultural activities, parks and trails, and access to destinations throughout the Washington metropolitan area and surrounding Virginia countryside.

For the next Chief Executive Officer, the location provides the opportunity to live and work in a diverse and growing region while leading an organization with relationships and impact extending across Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth.

For more information, visit Fairfax County, Visit Fairfax, and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $275,000 to $325,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. An attractive compensation package and benefits await our “ideal” candidate. For more information, please contact: