Chief Executive Officer, Behavioral Health Hospital
Location: Denver Metro, Colorado | Full-Time | Relocation Assistance Available
The Opportunity
We are looking for a Chief Executive Officer to lead an established inpatient behavioral health hospital in the Denver metro area into its next chapter of growth. Compensation is competitive and negotiable based on experience.
This is a full-facility leadership role. You will own patient care outcomes, regulatory readiness, financial performance and the growth of a continuum that spans inpatient psychiatric care, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs for children, adolescents, adults and seniors.
The Role
- Lead day-to-day operations and the leadership team, with full responsibility for the facility
- Build the annual operating and capital budgets and the strategic business plan with the governing body, with input from the medical staff
- Deliver census and EBITDA targets through sound financial management and focused business development
- Keep the hospital survey-ready at all times, including Joint Commission and CMS standards, auditing, corrective action and compliance follow-up
- Lead QAPI and patient safety work, with prompt follow-up on any safety issue
- Recruit psychiatrists and allied health professionals to widen the hospital's service offerings
- Lead commercial payer contract negotiations, rate discussions and contract performance reporting
- Develop the continuum of care, including outpatient and community-based programs
- Build relationships with health system partners, referral sources, government agencies and the wider community
- Lead governing board reporting and quarterly calls
- Appraise, coach and develop the leadership team, and build a culture that keeps strong performers
What You Bring
Required
- Bachelor's degree, preferably in business administration, healthcare administration, public health or a related field (equivalent experience may be considered)
- 3 to 5 years or more as a CEO or senior leader in a behavioral health, acute care or managed care setting, or completion of a CEO training program
- Full operational responsibility as a CEO, COO or hospital administrator in an inpatient behavioral health or psychiatric hospital
- Point-person experience leading a Joint Commission survey in a behavioral health hospital
- Full P&L responsibility for a hospital with an operating budget of at least $20 million
- Experience leading QAPI, patient safety initiatives or corrective action plans after regulatory findings in a behavioral health hospital
- A record of directly recruiting, developing and retaining clinical and medical staff such as psychiatrists, nursing leaders and therapists
Preferred
- MBA or MHA
- Behavioral hospital start-up or expansion experience
- Joint venture experience
- Marketing and community engagement experience
- A collaborative leadership style focused on operational detail, census growth, staff retention and culture building
What We Offer
- Base salary range: $200,000 to $220,000 per year, based on experience
- Performance-based bonus eligibility
- Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits
- 401(k) plan with company match
- Equity or stock incentive opportunities
- Generous paid time off
- Relocation assistance and reimbursed interview travel
- Onboarding and operational support from a national network of behavioral health facilities, with room to advance
Why the Denver Metro
The hospital serves the Denver metropolitan area on Colorado's Front Range, where the need for behavioral health care continues to grow.
About the Organization
The hospital is an inpatient behavioral health facility operated as a joint venture between a regional health system and a national behavioral health organization. It provides a broad continuum of care, from inpatient psychiatric treatment to partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, and plays a vital role in the region's mental health services.