Executive Director | Dubuque, IA

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

Dubuque, United States | Posted on 07/29/2026

• Work Experience 5+ years of progressive behavioral health leadership experience, including 3+ years in an executive leadership role
• Salary $130,000 - $170,000 annually, commensurate with experience
• Country United States

Job Description

About Bridgewater Recovery

Bridgewater Recovery is a behavioral health organization developing a substance use treatment program focused on expanding access to high-quality IOP, PHP, detox, and residential treatment services in Dubuque, Iowa. The program is being built 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 Opportunity

Bridgewater Recovery is seeking an experienced Executive Director to serve as the senior operational leader for its Dubuque, Iowa facility. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for translating vision into execution during the facility's launch and ongoing operations, spanning IOP, PHP, detox, and residential levels of care. The Executive Director ensures regulatory compliance, financial performance, and exceptional client care while developing the leaders and teams that make it all possible.

What You'll Do

• Lead pre-opening planning and execution, including hiring, onboarding, policy implementation, licensure readiness, and operational go-live preparation
• Help 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 key performance indicators 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 administrative functions
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and support to department leaders
• 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, maintaining survey and licensing readiness
• Represent Bridgewater Recovery in the community, referral network, payer environment, and broader behavioral health market

Requirements

What You Bring

• Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Behavioral Health Administration, Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or a related field
• 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 preferred
• 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

Compensation and Schedule

Salary: $130,000 -$170,000 annually, commensurate with experience

Performance Incentives: Additional performance-based incentives tied to census growth, financial performance, operational execution, compliance, and quality outcomes

Schedule: Full-time |On-site | Contract to start, transitioning to employee at facility launch

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Bridgewater Recovery is an EqualOpportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race,color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin,age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protectedstatus in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.