[QMHP] Clinical Program Manager

New Narrative; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

New Narrative in Portland, OR is seeking an experienced Program Manager for the Outpatient Clinic to ensure accessible, high-quality, participant-centered behavioral health services. You will lead daily operations, supervise staff, and align service delivery with Medicaid/CCBHC readiness, quality measures, and fiscal targets, while fostering trauma-informed, recovery-oriented care.

This role partners across clinical, quality, billing, and community teams to drive continuous improvement and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related field.
• QMHP or equivalent credential in Oregon.
• Minimum two years post-master’s clinical supervisory experience.
• Minimum three years progressive behavioral health leadership experience.
• Experience with serious mental illness or co-occurring disorders.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership for the outpatient clinic.
• Oversee staffing, workflows, and service delivery.
• Monitor data to guide decisions and improve performance.
• Lead implementation of MBC/FIT and CCBHC readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Team-based care

Operational planning

Education

Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related behavioral health field

QMHP or equivalent credential in Oregon

Job description

At New Narrative, we believe mental health care is community care. As a nonprofit organization, we partner with individuals to promote healing, housing stability, and long-term wellness through compassionate, equitable support.

If you’re passionate about community impact, we invite you to join our team.

Pay Rate: Starts at $85,000 and can go up DOE

The Outpatient Clinic Program Manager provides operational leadership for New Narrative’s outpatient behavioral health clinic, ensuring accessible, high-quality, participant-centered services that meet contractual, regulatory, financial, and organizational expectations. The Program Manager is responsible for clinic operations, staff supervision and development, service delivery, financial stewardship, quality improvement, and implementation of organizational priorities.

As New Narrative transitions toward becoming a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), the Program Manager plays a key role in developing and implementing the workflows, team-based practices, access standards, Measurement-Based Care (MBC), including Feedback-Informed Treatment (FIT), quality expectations, and operational infrastructure necessary to support CCBHC readiness and ongoing success.

Working collaboratively with Community Services leadership, Clinical Practice, Medical Services, Peer Services, Quality, Billing, Access & Benefits, and community partners, the Program Manager leads an integrated, multidisciplinary outpatient environment grounded in recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, evidence-informed, and team-based care.

Core Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Operations

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership for the outpatient clinic, ensuring services are accessible, coordinated, effective, and aligned with agency mission, values, regulatory requirements, contracts, and CCBHC expectations.
• Oversee clinic workflows related to access, referrals, intake and enrollment, authorizations, scheduling, service planning, documentation, care coordination, and ongoing service delivery.
• Coordinate staffing and workflows to support participant needs, equitable workload distribution, timely access, and efficient program operations.
• Monitor operational, quality, financial, and participant outcome data to identify trends, address barriers, guide decision-making, and improve program performance.
• Lead implementation of organizational priorities and continuous improvement efforts within outpatient services.
• Participate in an on-call rotation to provide consultation and support for crisis response and program operations as assigned.

Staff Supervision & Leadership

• Lead, supervise, and develop assigned staff, fostering professional growth, reflective practice, accountability, and alignment with New Narrative’s mission, values, and Team-Based Care model.
• Recruit, interview, onboard, train, and retain qualified staff in partnership with Human Resources and appropriate SME leaders.
• Conduct regular supervision, annual performance evaluations, and professional development planning, providing ongoing coaching, feedback, delegation, and mentorship.
• Address performance concerns through timely coaching, documentation, corrective action, and performance improvement planning in accordance with agency policy and Human Resources practices.
• Provide qualifying supervision to assigned QMHP and QMHA staff while partnering with Clinical Practice, Peer Practice, and other SME leaders to support staff competency, discipline-specific practice standards, clinical quality, and consultation.
• Foster a team culture emphasizing psychological safety, collaboration, learning, accountability, and participant-centered care while modeling professionalism, ethical practice, and collaborative leadership.

Quality, Measurement-Based Care, & CCBHC Readiness

• Ensure outpatient services comply with Medicaid, Oregon Administrative Rules, CCBHC requirements, payer expectations, contracts, and other applicable regulatory standards.
• Partner with Quality, Clinical Practice, and other SME leaders to monitor documentation, service plans, access, utilization, productivity, quality measures, and participant outcomes.
• Lead operational implementation and sustained use of Measurement-Based Care (MBC), including Feedback-Informed Treatment (FIT), ensuring measures and participant feedback are integrated into clinic workflows and meaningfully inform care.
• Use MBC/FIT, participant outcome, quality, and operational data to identify trends, guide continuous quality improvement, and evaluate program performance.
• Conduct or coordinate chart reviews, audits, incident reviews, and performance improvement activities and ensure identified deficiencies are addressed.
• Translate quality, compliance, and CCBHC requirements into practical clinic workflows and clear staff expectations.
• Support implementation and monitoring of CCBHC-required practices, performance measures, and service standards.
• Coordinate external audits, site reviews, reporting requirements, and monitoring activities applicable to outpatient services.

Team-Based Care & Service Integration

• Lead interdisciplinary Team-Based Care practices that strengthen participant outcomes, continuity of care, and integrated service delivery.
• Support panel-based care, team huddles, collaborative service planning, and shared accountability for participant outcomes.
• Partner with internal and external partners to coordinate integrated behavioral health care and reduce fragmentation across services.
• Promote effective communication and shared decision-making across disciplines while integrating operational, clinical, and subject matter expertise.
• Support seamless participant transitions across services and levels of care through proactive coordination with internal and external partners.

Financial Stewardship & Resource Management

• Manage program budgets, staffing resources, productivity, and utilization in partnership with Community Services leadership.
• Monitor service delivery, authorizations, documentation, and other operational factors affecting billing, reimbursement, and program sustainability.
• Partner with Finance, Billing, Quality, and Access & Benefits to support accurate reporting, contract deliverables, and achievement of financial and quality targets.

Community Partnerships & Systems Coordination

• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with County partners, CCOs, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders that support coordinated care and positive participant outcomes.
• Represent New Narrative at community meetings, collaborative initiatives, and contract-related activities as assigned.
• Support coordination across behavioral health, medical, housing, and social service systems.
• Respond to stakeholder concerns and collaborate with internal and external partners to resolve barriers to access and service delivery.

Direct Reports

The Outpatient Clinic Program Manager provides direct operational supervision to outpatient clinic staff, including:

• Mental Health Clinicians
• Case Managers/Skill Trainers
• Peer Specialists
• Administrative/front desk staff

The Program Manager holds primary accountability for day-to-day staff management, performance, development, and required supervision while partnering with Clinical Practice, Peer Practice, and other SME leaders for discipline-specific practice guidance, consultation, competency development, and quality.

Indicators of Success

Program success is demonstrated through:

• Timely access, high-quality services, and positive participant outcomes.
• Strong staff engagement, development, and retention.
• Effective interdisciplinary and Team-Based Care.
• Consistent implementation and use of MBC/FIT.
• Achievement of productivity, financial, quality, and compliance targets.
• Effective implementation of CCBHC readiness priorities.
• Strong internal and community partnerships.
• Continuous improvement informed by data and participant feedback.

Core Competencies

Successful Program Managers demonstrate:

• Leadership, supervision, and staff development
• Operational planning, organization, and accountability
• Regulatory, payer, and contract compliance
• Financial stewardship and resource management
• Team-Based Care leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration
• Trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and culturally responsive leadership
• Quality improvement and data-informed decision-making
• Strong communication, relationship building, and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to lead change and implement organizational priorities
• Ability to lead effectively within a matrix environment, integrating operational accountability with clinical and subject matter expertise.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or a related behavioral health field
• QMHP or equivalent credential in the State of Oregon
• Minimum two years post-master’s clinical experience in behavioral health services sufficient to provide qualifying supervision to QMHP and QMHA staff under applicable requirements
• Minimum three years progressively responsible behavioral health experience, including experience leading or supervising staff.
• Experience working with individuals with serious mental illness, co-occurring disorders, or complex behavioral health needs.

Desired Qualifications

• Licensed in the State of Oregon (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, or equivalent).
• Experience providing clinical supervision, consultation, or mentorship to behavioral health staff.
• Experience in community-based outpatient behavioral health services.
• Experience leading interdisciplinary or integrated care teams.
• Experience with CCBHC, integrated care, or other value-based behavioral health service models.

Other General Expectations

• Maintain a valid driver’s license, CPR, and First Aid certification.
• Use a company vehicle and / or a personal vehicle to support participant access to appointments and activities.
• Complete required agency trainings and stay current with training.
• Follow all New Narrative policies, procedures, and safety protocols.
• Maintain security of all New Narrative interests

All of our job openings are located in Portland, Oregon, and the surrounding metro areas.