VP of Clinical

New Narrative; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 135,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

New Narrative is seeking a Vice President of Clinical Services to lead outpatient behavioral health, access and benefits, ICM, PSRB, and residential programs in Portland, Oregon. This senior role focuses on strategic planning, operational excellence, and culturally responsive care across a matrix leadership model.

The position requires an Oregon LPH credential and 5–7 years of progressive leadership in behavioral health, with a track record of supervising managers and implementing quality

Qualifications

• Oregon Licensed Mental Health Professional credential required.
• Minimum five to seven years of progressive leadership experience in behavioral health.
• Experience supervising managers and developing leadership teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for clinical services and treatment-focused community programs.
• Lead interdisciplinary teams and ensure fidelity to trauma-informed and recovery-oriented practices.
• Oversee integration of clinical services with peer, housing, medical, and community-based supports.
• Drive workforce development, succession planning, and performance improvement.
• Partner with funders, regulators, and partners to ensure program quality and sustainability.

Skills

Strategic thinking and operational

Operational execution

Organizational leadership

Leadership development

Financial stewardship

Equity-centered leadership

External partnership management

Change leadership

Education

Oregon Licensed Mental Health Professional credential (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LP)

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 $135,000 but can go up considering relevant experience

Purpose (General Description and Summary)

The VP of Clinical Services provides strategic and operational leadership for New Narrative’s clinical and treatment-focused community services, including outpatient behavioral health services, access and benefits, intensive case management (ICM), psychiatric security review board (PSRB), residential team-based care programs, and future clinical service lines.

Serving as the Chief of Community Services’ primary operational partner, this position is responsible for translating organizational strategy into effective service delivery, leadership development, and sustainable program operations. The VP of Clinical Services oversees implementation of integrated, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive services that advance participant outcomes and organizational priorities.

This role plays a central leadership function in New Narrative’s matrix management model, ensuring effective partnership between operational leaders and subject matter experts, including peer and clinical practice leaders. The position is accountable for integrating discipline-specific expertise, lived experience perspectives, and best practices into program design, workforce development, and service delivery.

The VP of Clinical Services provides senior leadership for implementation, sustainability, and continuous improvement of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across Community Services.

Accountabilities (Responsibilities of the Job)

Strategic Leadership & System Development

• Partner with the Chief of Community Services to shape and implement organizational strategy across clinical and treatment-focused service lines.
• Translate strategic priorities into operational plans, measurable outcomes, and sustainable service models.
• Contribute to agency-wide planning, organizational decision-making, and implementation of strategic initiatives as a senior member of Community Services leadership.
• Represent New Narrative with funders, community partners, healthcare systems, county and state agencies, and regulatory stakeholders as assigned.
• Identify emerging service needs, funding opportunities, and innovations that strengthen New Narrative’s continuum of care and support organizational growth.
• Lead and contribute to the development and implementation of new programs, service expansions, and system improvements aligned with organizational strategy and approved priorities.
• Promote organizational values, mission alignment, equity, and participant-centered care across all supervised programs.

Clinical Operations & Program Integration

• Provide leadership oversight for outpatient behavioral health services, access and benefits, ICM, PSRB, residential team-based care programs, and other assigned clinical services.
• Ensure consistent implementation of recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and evidence-informed practices.
• Promote integration across clinical, peer, housing, medical, and community-based services to support whole-person care and continuity of services.
• Provide consultation and support regarding complex clinical situations, operational challenges, high-acuity participants, and systems-level service concerns.
• Ensure programs maintain effective systems supporting access, engagement, care coordination, service transitions, and participant outcomes.
• Partner with program leaders to establish clear operational expectations, service standards, and accountability structures.
• Collaborate with medical, peer, residential, and operational leaders to strengthen interdisciplinary service delivery and participant outcomes.
• Lead implementation and continuous improvement of matrix leadership structures that integrate operational supervision with discipline-specific practice leadership.
• Establish clear roles, decision authority, accountability, and communication pathways between operational leaders and SME supervisors.
• Partner with clinical, peer, and other SMEs to ensure program design, workforce development, and service delivery appropriately incorporate discipline-specific expertise and lived experience perspectives.
• Promote effective collaboration between operational leaders and SMEs to strengthen practice quality, workforce development, and participant outcomes.

Leadership Development & Workforce Excellence

• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and professional development to assigned Program Managers and other leadership staff.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability systems across supervised programs.
• Build leadership capacity through coaching, mentorship, succession planning, and performance development planning.
• Partner with Human Resources and agency leadership to recruit, retain, and develop a diverse, culturally responsive, and mission-aligned workforce.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, feedback, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Ensure supervisors possess the skills, knowledge, and support necessary to effectively lead teams and achieve program outcomes.
• Collaborate with organizational leaders to identify and implement workforce development initiatives that strengthen leadership capacity and organizational sustainability.

CCBHC Implementation and Quality Systems

• Lead implementation, sustainability, and continuous improvement of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model across Community Services.
• Ensure programs maintain systems that support regulatory compliance, contractual fidelity, accreditation requirements, and quality standards.
• Ensure matrix practice leadership structures support fidelity to clinical, peer, and CCBHC practice standards across all service lines.
• Partner with Quality and Impact, Finance, Operations, and Executive Leadership to establish performance metrics, outcome monitoring systems, and continuous improvement processes.
• Utilize program data, participant feedback, and performance indicators to drive operational improvements and strategic decision making.
• Ensure organizational readiness for audits, accreditation reviews, licensing activities, and external monitoring processes.
• Promote implementation of evidence-based practices, participant-centered services, and quality improvement initiatives across programs.

Financial Stewardship & Program Growth

• Maintain accountability for operational and financial performance across assigned programs.
• Partner with Program Managers and Finance to develop budgets, monitor performance, and support long-term program sustainability.
• Support achievement of productivity, utilization, quality, revenue, and contract performance goals.
• Partner with Development on grant development, RFP responses, program reporting, and strategic funding opportunities.
• Lead implementation of approved program expansions, new services, and strategic initiatives.
• Evaluate program performance, resource utilization, and service outcomes to support informed decision making and responsible stewardship of organizational resources.

Positions Reporting

• Outpatient Program Manager(s)
• Access and Benefits Program Supervisor
• Intensive Case Management Program Manager
• Residential Team-Based Care Program Supervisor
• PSRB Program Manager
• Additional leadership positions aligned with organizational structure

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and operational execution
• Organizational leadership and sound judgment
• Leadership development and succession planning
• Financial stewardship and business acumen
• Clinical service systems knowledge and integrated care leadership
• Collaborative and matrix leadership
• Change leadership and implementation
• Quality improvement and data-informed decision-making
• Effective communication, influence, and conflict resolution
• External partnership and stakeholder management
• Equity-centered, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented leadership
• Ability to navigate complexity, competing priorities, and shared decision-making
• undefined

Education/Certificates/Licenses/Registration

Oregon Licensed Mental Health Professional credential (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LP).

Experience/Qualifications

Minimum five to seven years of progressive leadership experience in behavioral health, integrated care, community mental health, or related healthcare settings. Demonstrated success leading multiple programs, departments, or service lines. Experience supervising managers and developing leadership teams. Strong knowledge of Medicaid-funded behavioral health services, CCO systems, regulatory requirements, and community behavioral health practices. Experience implementing quality improvement initiatives, operational change efforts, and evidence-based practices. Experience with integrated care models and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) implementation strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution. Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills. Ability to build productive partnerships with funders, regulators, healthcare organizations, and community stakeholders.

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