Program Director

Wayfinder Family Services; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off (PTO) and holidays

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan with employer/m

PSLF eligible

Flexible spending account (FSA)

Job summary

Wayfinder Family Services in Sacramento, CA seeks an experienced program leader to manage the ATLAS program, ensuring compliance with county contracts and Medi-Cal regulations. The role includes budgeting, staffing, and evidence-based practice implementation in a mission-driven nonprofit setting.

The position emphasizes bilingual English/Spanish capabilities, stakeholder collaboration, and 24/7 crisis response oversight. A Master’s degree and CA licensure are strongly preferred.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required and licensure in CA (LCSW or LMFT) preferred.
• Minimum five years of progressive behavioral health leadership experience, including supervision of staff.

Responsibilities

• Oversee ATLAS operations and ensure compliance with contracts and licensing requirements.
• Manage budget development and oversight in coordination with finance leadership.
• Lead recruitment and retention strategies with emphasis on bilingual capacity for priority communities.
• Coordinate program milestones, training, and evidence-based practice implementation.
• Respond to county monitoring, audits, and corrective action plans.

Skills

Program leadership

Bilingual: English/Spanish

Budget oversight

Crisis management

Education

Master's degree in social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, psychology, or related field

Tools

SmartCare (EHR)

Job description

Job Details: Job Location: North Sacramento Office - Sacramento, CA 95821-2622, Position Type: Full Time, Education Level: Graduate Degree, Salary Range: $120,000.00 - $130,000.00 Salary/year, Travel Percentage: Up to 25%, Job Shift: Day/AM, Job Category: Nonprofit - Social Services, At Wayfinder Family Services, we understand the unique challenges facing some of our state’s most vulnerable children, youth and adults. Those with disabilities, those without a home of their own, those who have been abused and many, many more. We answer the call for them. We believe in the amazing potential in, and for, each and every one of them. And, together, we find a way to turn that potential into reality.

Program and Role Summary:

Wayfinder’s ATLAS program connects Sacramento County children, youth, and families to community outreach, early intervention, outpatient mental health, and Therapeutic Behavioral Services that improve access to care, strengthen families, and support long-term stability.

The salary range reasonably expected for this position is $120,000 - $130,000.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Maintains ATLAS operations in compliance with the Sacramento County Behavioral Health Services contract and all applicable federal, state, County, and Mental Health Plan requirements, including Medi-Cal specialty mental health services regulations, County Behavioral Health Plan policies, medical necessity and documentation standards, beneficiary rights and confidentiality requirements, and staff licensing and credentialing standards.
• Ensures that services under each ATLAS component remain fiscally and programmatically distinct across Medi-Cal SMHS under EPSDT, BHSA Early Intervention, MH-MAA, BH-CONNECT CHW services, and County-allocated BHSA-funded Flexible Stabilization Supports, with activities classified to the correct stream in real time, non-duplication and non-supplantation verified, and SmartCare maintained as the system of record for funding stream classification.
• Monitors County and DHCS communications, including BHINs and County policy issuances, and updates program service delivery and documentation practices as directed.
• Leads program response to County monitoring, audits, and any corrective action plans, in partnership with the Quality Assurance Specialist and Wayfinder's Quality, Risk, and Performance Improvement division.
• Holds accountability for the program's year-one implementation schedule, including staffing, certification, evidence-based practice launch, and service activation milestones as established in the County contract.
• Leads recruitment and retention strategy for the ATLAS team with attention to cultural, racial, ethnic, and linguistic alignment with the communities served in the priority ZIP codes, including bilingual Spanish capacity as a program baseline and prioritization of candidates with lived experience from the priority ZIP communities.
• Responsible for the development, oversight, and maintenance of the program's budget in coordination with the Vice President of Finance.
• Provides crisis response leadership and holds escalation authority for complex clinical, safety, and operational situations, and participates in the program's 24/7 on-call rotation shared with the Clinical Program Managers.
• Performs other duties as may become necessary or as directed.

Qualifications: Education and Experience:

• Master's degree in social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, psychology, or a closely related field.
• Current California license as a Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts, specifically LCSW or LMFT, in good standing with the Board of Behavioral Sciences.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible behavioral health program leadership experience, including three years supervising supervisors.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, or another language prevalent in the ATLAS priority ZIP code communities, preferred.
• Demonstrated experience administering Medi-Cal specialty mental health services for children and youth, including EPSDT medical necessity, documentation, and utilization requirements.
• Demonstrated experience leading program startup, expansion, or implementation to a defined schedule of contractual milestones.
• Experience implementing and sustaining evidence-based practices with fidelity monitoring. Direct experience with PCIT or comparable manualized models preferred.
• Experience with electronic health records in a behavioral health setting. SmartCare experience preferred.
• Valid CA Driver License with a minimum of three (3) years good driving history and must be approved by the agency’s insurance carrier to drive agency vehicles.

Benefits:

• Paid Time Off: Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, 11 paid holidays, plus five winter holidays
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match up to 4%
• Employee referral program: Encourage your colleagues to join us
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible
• Flexible spending account (FSA) plans
• Eligibility and other benefits are outlined in plan documents

Additional Benefits Offered for this role:

• Training and professional development.

Wayfinder Family Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We support a drug-free workplace and conduct pre-employment background and drug screenings