Executive Director, Behavioral Health Startup Lead

Atlantic Health Strategies; Dubuque (IA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Bridgewater Recovery is seeking an Executive Director to lead the Dubuque, Iowa facility’s launch and ongoing operations, directing IOP, PHP, detox, and residential programs. You’ll ensure regulatory compliance, financial performance, and high-quality client care while developing a strong leadership team across clinical and administrative functions.

The role requires 5+ years of progressive behavioral health leadership and 3+ years in an executive role, with startup experience and familiarity

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive behavioral health leadership experience.
• 3+ years of executive leadership experience.
• 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, preferred.
• Experience with state licensure, accreditation readiness, Joint Commission, CARF, or similar standards preferred.
• Experience working with Medicaid MCOs, commercial payers, utilization review, and reimbursement-driven operations preferred.
• Prior leadership experience in a high-growth or multi-site behavioral health organization preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead pre-opening planning and execution, including hiring, onboarding, policy implementation, licensure readiness, and go-live prep.
• Stand up programming across IOP, PHP, detox, and residential treatment.
• Develop operating systems, reporting structures, workflows, and accountability processes across departments.
• Oversee facility-level financial performance, budgeting, labor management, census growth, and operational efficiency.
• Monitor KPIs and support payer strategy, reimbursement awareness, referral growth, and census development.
• Recruit, build, and lead a high-performing leadership team across clinical, medical, nursing, admissions, operations, compliance, and admin functions.
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and support to department leaders.
• Collaborate with Medical Director, Clinical Director, nursing leadership, and treatment team to support high-quality care.
• Ensure compliance with state, federal, payer, and accreditation requirements; maintain survey readiness.
• Represent Bridgewater Recovery in the community, referral networks, payer environments, and behavioral health market.

Skills

Executive leadership

Behavioral health leadership

Startup / pre-opening leadership

Regulatory compliance & licensure

Education

Master's degree in Healthcare Administration

Job description

Bridgewater Recovery is seeking an Executive Director to lead the Dubuque, Iowa facility’s launch and ongoing operations, directing IOP, PHP, detox, and residential programs. You’ll ensure regulatory compliance, financial performance, and high-quality client care while developing a strong leadership team across clinical and administrative functions.

The role requires 5+ years of progressive behavioral health leadership and 3+ years in an executive role, with startup experience and familiarity