Salmon Falls Healing Center Administrator

Indian Preference in hiring is given to qualified enrolled members of Ketchikan Indian Community (KIC) and Native Americans consistent with P.L. 93-638 and in accordance with KIC policy and other applicable federal laws.

Job Summary

The Salmon Falls Healing Center Administrator is a senior leadership role responsible for standing up, launching, and operationalizing Salmon Falls Healing Center as the premier place for recovery in Alaska. This position works in close partnership with the CEO/TA, KIC leadership, and Tribal Council to transform Salmon Falls into a nationally recognized, tribally led, culturally grounded recovery and healing campus.

The Administrator provides day-to-day leadership and long-term strategic direction for all aspects of Salmon Falls operations, including regulatory compliance, accreditation, staffing, budgeting, fundraising, community engagement, and cross-departmental coordination. This role is both visionary and operational—requiring strong leadership, systems thinking, relationship-building, and an unwavering commitment to culturally informed, trauma-responsive care.

The Administrator operates in a high-visibility, politically sensitive, sovereign context and serves as an ambassador for Salmon Falls in public, professional, and intergovernmental settings. This position is foundational to KIC's vision for healing, recovery, and sovereignty—building a place where recovery, culture, land, and community come together to restore lives and identity.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategic Implementation

• Serves as the lead administrator responsible for launching and operating Salmon Falls Healing Center.
• Implements plans as approved by the TA and Tribal Council, ensuring milestones, timelines, and deliverables are met.
• Translates Council and executive vision into operational plans, policies, and procedures.
• Fosters a healthy, respectful, and mission-driven workplace culture aligned with KIC values and the vision of culture as medicine.

Clinical Systems, Licensing & Accreditation

• Leads CARF accreditation readiness, survey preparation, and ongoing compliance, ensuring all standards are implemented across leadership, programs, facilities, and administration.
• Obtains and maintains all required State of Alaska Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) licenses and certifications, including ASAM level determinations and Certificate of Need processes.
• Supports the development and implementation of KIC's model of care, ensuring alignment with tribal values, clinical best practices, and regulatory standards.
• Coordinates with KIC Clinic, Behavioral Health, and RISE to ensure integrated and seamless care pathways.
• Maintains program integrity through quality improvement systems, data collection, performance measurement, and outcome tracking.

Operations & Facilities

• Oversees daily operations of the Salmon Falls campus, ensuring safety, compliance, and readiness for residential treatment use.
• Works closely with the Maintenance Foreman and facilities staff to ensure the campus is maintained to clinical, cultural, and hospitality standards.
• Develops operational protocols for a dual-use facility supporting treatment, healing, cultural programming, and site visits.

Budgeting, Grants & Fundraising

• Develops, manages, and monitors Salmon Falls operational budgets in coordination with KIC Finance and leadership.
• Leads grant writing, fundraising, and donor engagement efforts to sustain and grow the Healing Center.
• Cultivates relationships with foundations, government partners, and private donors in coordination with KIC leadership.
• Tracks grant compliance, reporting requirements, and performance outcomes.
• Coordinates billing and revenue readiness, including identification of reimbursement pathways and compliance with documentation standards.

Personnel Management

• Directly supervises the Health Systems Specialist and designated Salmon Falls staff and contractors.
• Provides indirect oversight and works closely with facilities staff assigned to the center.
• Recruits, hires, trains, coaches, and evaluates staff; recommends personnel actions per tribal policy.
• Establishes performance expectations tied to quality standards, cultural competency, and accreditation requirements.
• Develops and delivers comprehensive staff training on CARF standards, policies, safety procedures, trauma-informed care, and cultural responsiveness.

Cross-Departmental & Subsidiary Collaboration

• Coordinates across KIC departments to develop and implement cultural, land-based, and community healing programming.
• Collaborates with RISE and other KIC subsidiaries to align services, referrals, and shared goals.
• Supports workforce development and training opportunities connected to Salmon Falls.
• Coordinates staffing, logistics, and program integration across organizational boundaries.

Community Engagement, Partnerships & External Relations

• Develops and implements a community engagement plan in partnership with KIC leadership, including listening sessions and visioning processes.
• Hosts and coordinates site visits for community members, Tribal citizens, elected officials, state and federal partners, and potential donors and funders.
• Leads or supports the development of MOAs/MOUs with external partners (e.g. True North) and other clinical and service partners.
• Reports to the Health Services Committee and provides reports to Tribal Council on program participation, outcomes, compliance milestones, and financial sustainability.
• Coordinates with the community task force, including Council representation, Elders, and program leaders.

Communications & Visibility

• Implements the Salmon Falls communications plan in coordination with KIC Communications.
• Supports storytelling, data collection, and impact reporting for grants, donors, Council, and the community.
• Ensures consistent messaging that reflects KIC's sovereignty, values, and healing-centered approach.

• Other related duties as assigned.

Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. 

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee is frequently required to walk, stand and/or sit. The employee is occasionally required to climb, or balance. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.  The noise level in the work environment is usually average but may be loud during periods of construction.

This is a high-responsibility position requiring the ability to manage complex issues involving multiple operational programs and regulatory requirements. Extended hours, evening meetings, and occasional travel may be required. The position may involve exposure to challenging situations related to individuals in recovery.

Minimum Qualifications (Education & Experience)

• Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, Behavioral Health, Social Work, or related field.
• Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in healthcare, behavioral health, treatment services, or complex healthcare program administration.
• Demonstrated experience with program start-up or systems development.
• Demonstrated experience with regulatory compliance and licensing processes.
• Experience with grant writing and/or fundraising.
• A combination of relevant experience, education, and training may substitute for education and experience requirements on a year-for-year basis.
• Proof of valid driver's license with acceptable driving record.

Preferred Qualifications (Education & Experience)

• Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, or related field.
• Certification or licensure in behavioral health, addiction counseling, or healthcare administration (e.g., CADC, CASAC, CHC, FACHE).
• Seven (7) or more years of senior leadership experience in healthcare or behavioral health settings.
• Experience working with tribal Governments, tribal health systems, or Indigenous-serving organizations.
• Experience with CARF Behavioral Health accreditation standards.
• Experience hosting funders, elected officials, or high-level site visits.
• Experience with Alaska state behavioral health licensing and ASAM criteria.
• Alaska experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in community clinic preferred and a strong commitment to multi-disciplinary teamwork.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of culturally grounded, trauma-informed, or Indigenous models of care.
• Knowledge of residential treatment program development, behavioral health service delivery, and recovery-oriented systems of care.
• Knowledge of CARF accreditation standards, state licensing requirements, and other regulations governing treatment facilities.
• Knowledge of healthcare financial management, billing systems, and revenue cycle operations.
• Knowledge of Indian Health Service regulations, self-governance compacts, and tribal healthcare systems.
• Skills in strategic planning, organizational development, and change management.
• Skills in building and maintaining partnerships with clinical providers, regulatory agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Skill in grant writing, fundraising, and donor cultivation.
• Ability to lead start-up operations and navigate complex, ambiguous, and politically sensitive environments.
• Strong understanding and sensitivity to American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribal culture and lifestyle, working effectively with AI/AN populations.
• Effective oral and written communication skills with sensitivity to the lifestyles of targeted participants.

• Skills in operating personal computers using a variety of computer software.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with management, coworkers, and outside contacts.
• Ability to make presentations to governing bodies, funders, and external audiences.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and comply with all applicable federal and tribal privacy laws and KIC policy (HIPAA, HITECH, etc.).
• Ability to learn and apply program/agency operating policies and procedures.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and tasks concurrently and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently as well as with teams.

Role-Specific Competencies

• Strategic leadership and execution in complex organizational environments.
• Relationship-building, diplomacy, and stakeholder management.
• Cultural humility and deep respect for Tribal sovereignty.
• Strong judgment, accountability, and follow-through.
• Ability to build systems, structures, and culture where none previously existed.

KIC Core Competencies

Cultural Competency: To be respectful and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, and cultural and linguistic needs of KIC Tribal Members. Developing cultural competence is an evolving, dynamic process that takes time and occurs along a continuum.

Uphold Values: To make decisions and behave in a manner consistent with KIC Workplace Values of Trust, Teamwork, Respect, and Accountability, as well as Southeast Traditional Tribal Values “Our Way of Life”.

Commitment: To serve Tribal Members and set a high standard for yourself in your performance; strive for results and success; convey a sense of urgency and bring issues to closure; and stay persistent despite obstacles and opposition. 

Customer Service: Meet/exceed the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; identify, understand, and monitor the needs of both internal and external customers; always talk and act with customers in mind; and recognize working colleagues as customers.

Effective Communication: Ensure important information is passed to those who need to know; convey necessary information with respect, clearly and effectively orally or in writing

Responsiveness and Accountability: Demonstrate a high level of conscientiousness; hold oneself personally responsible for one's own work; and do the required fair share of work.

Salary : $142,833 - $214,250