Executive Director

Bridgewater Recovery; Dubuque (IA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based incentives tied to growth and outcomes

Job summary

Bridgewater Recovery in Dubuque, Iowa, is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to lead the establishment and operations of a new substance use treatment center. The ideal candidate will be a strategic leader capable of building teams, managing financial performance, and ensuring compliance to deliver high-quality care in a supportive environment.

With a base compensation range of $130,000 – $170,000, this role requires strong leadership skills and operational expertise in behavioral health services.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive leadership in healthcare or behavioral health.
• 2+ years in a senior leadership role like CEO or Executive Director.
• Strong understanding of operations and financial performance.

Responsibilities

• Oversee launch preparation and day‑to‑day operations.
• Lead pre‑opening planning including staffing and policy implementation.
• Ensure high‑quality care and compliance with regulations.

Skills

Leadership in behavioral health

Operational discipline

Financial performance management

Compliance adherence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, or related field

Master’s degree in related field (preferred)

Job description

Bridgewater Recovery is developing a substance use treatment program focused on expanding access to high-quality detox, residential treatment, PHP, and ongoing recovery support.

This is a unique leadership opportunity for an experienced behavioral health executive to help build, launch, and lead a new treatment center from the ground up. The program is being designed to serve individuals who need a higher level of care, with a focus on clinical quality, operational discipline, strong culture, and long-term sustainability.

The ideal candidate is a strategic operator, hands‑on builder, and mission‑driven leader who understands the complexity of behavioral health operations and can translate vision into execution.

Role Description

The Chief Executive Officer / Executive Director will serve as the senior operational leader of Bridgewater Recovery and will be responsible for overseeing launch preparation, day‑to‑day operations, financial performance, staffing, culture, compliance, and overall facility execution.

This role requires someone who can lead during the pre‑opening phase, build strong systems and teams, and then transition into long‑term operational leadership once the facility is active.

The CEO / Executive Director will work closely with ownership, clinical leadership, medical leadership, and administrative teams to ensure the organization delivers high‑quality care while meeting business, compliance, and growth objectives.

Facility Launch & Operational Leadership

Lead pre‑opening planning and execution, including hiring, onboarding, policy implementation, licensure readiness, and operational go‑live preparation.

Help stand up programming across detox, residential treatment, PHP, and related recovery services.

Develop operating systems, reporting structures, workflows, and accountability processes across departments.

Ensure the facility is operationally ready for opening, including staffing, admissions, compliance, clinical coordination, vendor relationships, and internal procedures.

Financial & Business Performance

• Oversee facility-level financial performance, budgeting, labor management, census growth, and operational efficiency.
• Monitor key performance indicators and work with ownership to ensure the organization remains financially disciplined.
• Support payer strategy, reimbursement awareness, referral growth, and census development.
• Identify operational risks early and implement corrective action when needed.
• Recruit, build, and lead a high‑performing leadership team across clinical, medical, nursing, admissions, operations, compliance, and administrative functions.
• Create a culture of accountability, professionalism, compassion, and performance excellence.
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and support to department leaders.
• Ensure staff are aligned with the mission, values, policies, and expectations of Bridgewater Recovery.

Clinical Alignment & Compliance

• Work closely with the Medical Director, Clinical Director, nursing leadership, and treatment team to support high‑quality, evidence‑based care.
• Ensure compliance with applicable state, federal, payer, and accreditation requirements.
• Maintain survey readiness and support licensing, audits, inspections, and quality reviews.
• Promote ethical leadership, transparency, and regulatory accountability throughout the organization.

External Relations & Market Leadership

• Represent Bridgewater Recovery in the community, referral network, payer environment, and broader behavioral health market.
• Build relationships with hospitals, providers, interventionists, community partners, recovery organizations, payers, and other stakeholders.
• Help position Bridgewater Recovery as a trusted, high‑quality treatment provider in the region.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, Behavioral Health, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in healthcare, behavioral health, substance use treatment, or a related field.
• 2+ years in a senior leadership role such as Executive Director, CEO, COO, Program Director, VP, or equivalent.
• Experience managing or leading programs that include detox, residential treatment, PHP, outpatient, or other behavioral health services.
• Strong understanding of operations, staffing, compliance, census development, and financial performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, Social Work, Counseling, or related field.
• Experience launching a new treatment facility or leading a start‑up healthcare operation.
• Experience with ASAM levels of care, including 3.5 residential and 3.7 detox.
• Experience with state licensure, accreditation readiness, Joint Commission, CARF, or similar standards.
• Experience working with Medicaid MCOs, commercial payers, utilization review, and reimbursement‑driven operations.
• Prior leadership experience in a high‑growth or multi‑site behavioral health organization.

The base compensation range for this position is $130,000 – $170,000, with additional performance‑based incentives tied to census growth, financial performance, operational execution, compliance, and quality outcomes.

This range reflects Bridgewater Recovery’s good faith estimate at the time of this posting. Final compensation will be based on a variety of factors, including experience, qualifications, leadership background, market knowledge, and overall fit for the role.

Candidates should be comfortable with an on‑site leadership presence to support facility launch, team development, collaboration, and cross‑functional operational oversight.