Program Director

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Voluntary Insurance

401(k) plan

Tuition Assistance

Pet Insurance

Burnalong wellness

Job summary

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. is seeking a Program Director to lead the PACE center within the assigned region.

You will oversee program operations, drive improvements, manage budgets and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations specific to PACE, delivering high-quality, person-centered care. Responsibilities include strategic planning, governance with executive leadership, mentoring the program team, and ensuring performance against KPIs as you liaise with regulators and

Qualifications

• 6+ years in healthcare operations or program management.
• 4+ years in leadership with P&L responsibility.
• Experience leading PACE or home care programs preferred.
• Experience in startup/turnaround environments preferred.
• Strong knowledge of healthcare regulatory requirements.
• Experience with client visits, satisfaction reviews and quality assessments.
• Proven ability to grow accounts and lead cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the local Program Support Team.
• Develop and implement strategic plans for PACE program operations, including growth and quality.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to align goals with organizational strategy.
• Ensure alignment with PACE model requirements across internal teams.
• Lead, mentor and develop the Program Support Team with performance coaching.
• Establish performance expectations and a culture of accountability and high-quality service.
• Oversee daily operations for timely deliverables and documentation accuracy.
• Facilitate cross-functional communication for coordinated care delivery.
• Drive participant satisfaction through high-quality care coordination.
• Conduct regular participant and family visits to assess satisfaction and identify gaps.
• Monitor KPIs and drive continuous improvement in health outcomes and utilization.
• Ensure CMS, state and PACE regulatory compliance and audit readiness.
• Build relationships with community providers and regulatory agencies for program growth.
• Oversee program reporting to executives, board and regulators.

Skills

Leadership

P&L ownership

Regulatory compliance

KPI management

Stakeholder comms

Strategic planning

Team mentoring

Healthcare operations

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

MS Teams/Zoom

Job description

Cross Country is looking for top talent to join our team! We are a market-leading, tech-enabled workforce solutions and advisory firm with more than four decades of experience helping organizations solve complex labor and operational challenges. Recognized as a Top Place to Work by U.S. News & World Report and a Most Loved Workplace by Newsweek, Cross Country is committed to quality and excellence in everything we deliver. We were also the first public company to earn The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for Health Care Staffing Services Certification with Distinction - a standard we continue to uphold today.

BASIC PURPOSE

The Program Director is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) center within the assigned region. This role ensures the delivery of high-quality, coordinated, and person-centered care that aligns with PACE regulatory requirements and organizational goals. The Program Director oversees program operations, drives year-over-year improvements, manages budgets and performance metrics, and ensures compliance with federal, state, and local regulations specific to the PACE model.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the local Program Support Team, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and program objectives.
2. Develop and implement strategic plans for PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program operations, including participant growth, service quality, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
3. Collaborate with executive leadership to align program goals with broader organizational strategy and community health needs.
4. Ensure alignment with PACE program model requirements by working closely with implementation and cross-functional internal teams.
5. Lead, mentor, and develop the Program Support Team, including ongoing coaching, performance management, and professional development.
6. Establish performance expectations and drive a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and high-quality service delivery.
7. Oversee daily operations of the program support team to ensure timely execution of deliverables, accuracy of documentation, and operational consistency.
8. Facilitate cross-functional communication to ensure coordinated, participant-centered care delivery across departments.
9. Drive participant satisfaction through high-quality care coordination, responsiveness, and effective communication.
10. Conduct regular participant and family visits to assess satisfaction, identify service gaps, and implement improvements.
11. Monitor and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs), including participant satisfaction, health outcomes, service utilization, and operational efficiency to support continuous improvement.
12. Ensure full compliance with all CMS, state, and PACE-specific regulatory and licensing requirements.
13. Lead regular audits, quality reviews, and risk assessments; identify gaps and implement corrective action plans.
14. Maintain readiness for internal and external audits and ensure adherence to organizational and regulatory standards.
15. Build and maintain strong relationships with community providers, partner organizations, and regulatory agencies to support program growth and integration.
16. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure effective care planning, coordination, and documentation.
17. Oversee program reporting, including preparation of performance reports, KPIs, and updates for executive leadership, board members, and regulatory agencies.
18. Serve as a key point of contact for internal and external stakeholders regarding program performance and initiatives.
19. Maintain awareness of industry trends, policy changes, and best practices in elder care and managed care delivery to support ongoing program improvement.
20. All other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. 6+ years of experience in healthcare operations, program management, or related service delivery roles.
2. 4+ years of leadership experience with operational oversight and full P&L responsibility.
3. Proven success managing complex healthcare programs and achieving financial, operational, and strategic goals.
4. Prior experience managing PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program accounts or home care operations strongly preferred.
5. Experience working in start-up or turnaround environments strongly preferred.
6. Strong knowledge of healthcare service delivery models, compliance standards, and regulatory requirements.
7. Experience conducting client visits, satisfaction reviews, and service quality assessments.
8. Proven success in client relationship management, account growth, and cross-functional team leadership.
9. Strong collaboration skills with sales, operations, and account management teams to drive growth and service excellence.
10. Excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiation, and presentation skills.
11. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision‑making abilities.
12. Ability to lead teams in fast‑paced, high‑accountability environments while maintaining operational quality and performance standards.
13. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and comfort using virtual collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

1. Familiarity with MSP/VMS technology systems preferred.

Education: High school diploma or equivalent required; Bachelor's degree in business, healthcare or other similar discipline preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

Company equipment (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse headset) will be provided directly to you for use during employment.

Benefits Cross Country offers a competitive compensation, benefits, and wellness program, including Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, Voluntary Insurance, 401(k) plan, Tuition Assistance, and Pet Insurance. The company offers a variety of Wellness options through Burnalong, which offers a robust online platform of classes and programs as well as local gym access.

Cross Country is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) - Veteran/Disability