Executive Director of Community Based Programs

Merakey; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Retirement plan with pre-tax and Roth(

DailyPay and flexible pay access

Well-being platform and resources

Backup care options

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Job summary

Merakey invites applications for the Executive Director of Community-Based Behavioral Health Programs in Philadelphia. Join a nonprofit driven team to lead strategic, operational, and financial performance across outpatient and community-based services.

The role requires a Master’s degree and significant leadership experience in behavioral health, with knowledge of CBH/DBHIDS. You will oversee budgets, staff development, and partnerships to advance quality and access.

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate will possess a Master’s degree in a related field and significant leadership experience in behavioral health or community services.
• Strong knowledge of Philadelphia’s behavioral-health system (CBH/DBHIDS/HealthChoices) is highly preferred.
• Experience overseeing outpatient behavioral health, IBHS, or similar services is desirable.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programs, locations, or service lines with budget responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for community-based behavioral health programs in Philadelphia.
• Oversee program development, implementation, evaluation, and regulatory compliance.
• Monitor outcomes, quality metrics, client satisfaction, and financial performance.
• Lead recruitment, coaching, and development of program leaders and staff.
• Build partnerships with CBH, DBHIDS, managed-care orgs, providers, and community partners.
• Utilize data (Power BI) to identify trends and drive program improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Data-driven decisions

Communication

Team development

Power BI

Budgeting/financial oversight

Education

Master’s degree in human services, psychology, social work, behavioral health, business administration, healthcare administration, or related field

Tools

Power BI

Job description

Executive Director of Community Based Programs

#112567

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Position Type

Full-Time

Work Schedule

8:30AM-4:00PM

Requirements

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Master’s degree in human services, psychology, social work, behavioral health, business administration, healthcare administration, or a related field.
• Significant progressive leadership experience in behavioral health, human services, healthcare, or a related environment.
• Senior-level experience overseeing community-based or Medicaid-funded programs strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of Philadelphia-area behavioral-health systems and established community relationships strongly preferred.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required.
• Must live in Philadelphia or within a reasonable commuting distance of the North Philadelphia hub.

Description

Are you looking for an opportunity to advance your career while working with an extraordinary team? At Merakey, we put heart and soul into everything we do.

We are seeking an Executive Director of Community-Based Behavioral Health Programs to provide strategic, operational, and financial leadership for programs in Philadelphia.

Salary: Earn up to $100,000 annually

This position will oversee program performance, service quality, financial outcomes, employee development, community partnerships, and organizational growth. Services may include outpatient behavioral health, Intensive Behavioral Health Services, Blended Case Management, and other community-based programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for assigned programs and regions.
• Oversee program development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Ensure services meet regulatory requirements, evidence-based standards of care, and Merakey policies.
• Monitor program outcomes, client satisfaction, quality indicators, utilization, and key performance metrics.
• Use Power BI and other data to identify trends and improve program performance.
• Manage budgets, revenue, expenses, productivity, and P&L results.
• Develop corrective action plans when operational, financial, or quality goals are not met.
• Identify opportunities to increase referrals, expand services, and improve financial sustainability.
• Recruit, retain, coach, and develop program leaders and employees.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, empathy, and excellence.
• Build relationships with CBH, DBHIDS, managed‑care organizations, healthcare providers, government agencies, and community partners.
• Represent Merakey at meetings, conferences, and community events.
• Support the development of strategic partnerships and new programs.

The Ideal Candidate Will Possess

• Leadership experience in behavioral health, human services, or Medicaid-funded community programs.
• Knowledge of Philadelphia’s behavioral-health system, including CBH, DBHIDS, or HealthChoices.
• Experience overseeing outpatient behavioral health, IBHS, case management, or similar services.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple programs, locations, or service lines.
• Experience with budgets, P&L responsibility, program growth, and performance improvement.
• Ability to use Power BI or similar tools to make data-driven decisions.
• Strong strategic‑thinking, communication, and leadership skills.
• Experience developing employees and building community partnerships.

Merakey offers generous benefits that promote well-being, financial security, and work‑life balance, including:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus access to healthcare advocacy support.
• Retirement plan -- both pre‑tax and Roth (after‑tax) options available for employee contributions.
• DailyPay -- access your pay when you need it!
• On the Goga well‑being platform, featuring self‑care tools and resources.
• Access Care.com for backup childcare, elder care, and household services.
• Confidential counseling, legal, and financial services through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Tuition reimbursement and educational partnerships.
• Employee discounts and savings programs on entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
• Access to Pryor Online Learning for free online personal development classes.

Merakey is a non‑profit provider of developmental, behavioral health, and education services. More than 8,000 employees provide support to nearly 40,000 individuals and families throughout 12 states across the country each year. Click here to watch a video about Merakey. Merakey strictly follows a zero‑tolerance policy for abuse.

Merakey is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer! We deeply value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ethnic background, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, or disability status. Moreover, we are committed to creating teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Merakey welcomes all Veterans to apply!

This Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by law. Information on race, gender and national origin will only be used for statistical and recordkeeping purposes, and will not be used in making any employment decisions. All information provided will be kept separate from your expression of interest. Providing this information is strictly voluntary, and you will not be subjected to any adverse action or treatment if you choose not to provide this information. If you do not choose to answer these questions, we ask that you select "Decline to Identify" for each question. Thank you for your voluntary cooperation.