What are the responsibilities and job description for the Program Director position at New Life Wellness and Recovery Centers?
Program Director
New Life Wellness & Recovery
Springfield, Massachusetts
Full-Time
About New Life Wellness & Recovery
New Life Wellness & Recovery is a newly launching behavioral health organization providing Mental Health Psychiatric Day Treatment and Outpatient Counseling services to adults across the greater Springfield area. We are committed to delivering accessible, high-quality, trauma-informed care while maintaining strong operational systems that support clinical excellence and regulatory compliance.
We are seeking a driven, detail-oriented Program Director (Director of Operations) to oversee the day-to-day operations of our mental health programs during startup and early expansion.
Position Summary
The Program Director serves as the senior operational leader responsible for overseeing all non-clinical aspects of program functioning while working in close partnership with the Clinical Director. This role coordinates staffing, scheduling, patient flow, regulatory compliance management, payer processes, and facility operations to ensure effective service delivery across both Psychiatric Day Treatment and Outpatient Counseling levels of care.
The ideal candidate is an experienced healthcare operations leader who thrives in fast-paced program startup environments and enjoys building systems, workflows, and teams from the ground up.
Key ResponsibilitiesProgram Operations
- Direct daily operations of Psychiatric Day Treatment and Outpatient Counseling programs.
- Build and manage patient scheduling, admissions coordination, and discharge workflows.
- Oversee staffing coordination, timekeeping, payroll coordination, and staff scheduling coverage.
- Develop and maintain policies and procedures aligned with Massachusetts regulatory standards and payer requirements.
- Coordinate facility operations including safety compliance, supply management, vendor relations, and environment-of-care oversight.
Compliance and Quality Management
- Partner with the Clinical Director and compliance consultants to ensure regulatory readiness with Massachusetts DPH and all applicable licensing standards.
- Manage operational tracking systems for patient attendance, group delivery, productivity, and utilization benchmarks.
- Prepare documentation and logistics for audits, licensing surveys, and payer site visits.
- Track data reporting, quality metrics, performance indicators, and outcome management.
Admissions and Patient Access
- Oversee intake coordination including eligibility verification, referral processing, insurance verification, scheduling of evaluations, and authorization tracking.
- Ensure smooth onboarding and patient flow from admission through discharge.
- Maintain relationships with community referral partners, hospitals, clinics, and community agencies.
Staffing & Human Resources Coordination
- Coordinate hiring logistics, onboarding, credential tracking, background checks, and employee file maintenance.
- Monitor staffing ratios and coverage requirements across levels of care.
- Collaborate with leadership on staff development plans and operational training.
Financial & Administrative Oversight
- Coordinate billing operations, claims tracking, and payer authorizations.
- Monitor program revenue performance benchmarks and productivity goals.
- Manage vendor invoices, purchasing, and cost-control initiatives.
- Support budgeting, expense tracking, and financial reporting in collaboration with executive leadership.
Leadership & Culture Building
- Serve as a senior leadership presence onsite.
- Promote a collaborative, accountability-based culture focused on excellence, compassion, and compliance.
- Provide day-to-day supervision and professional development support to administrative and operations staff.
QualificationsRequired
- Bachelor’s degree at minimum in Healthcare Administration, Human Services, Business Administration, or related field.
- 3–5 years of leadership experience in behavioral health, healthcare operations, or hospital program management.
- Experience managing daily operations of outpatient behavioral health or higher-level programming.
- Strong familiarity with healthcare regulatory compliance and payer workflows.
- High-level organization, multitasking, and leadership skills.
- Proficiency with electronic medical records systems, scheduling, and administrative compliance processes.
Preferred
- Master’s degree in healthcare administration, social work, counseling, or business.
- Experience launching or expanding licensed behavioral health programs.
- Direct experience working with Massachusetts DPH or similar licensing bodies.
- Previous exposure to Psychiatric Day Treatment or partial hospitalization level of care operations.
Core Competencies
- Healthcare operations management
- Regulatory compliance coordination
- Intake and patient-flow systems
- Staff management and workforce coordination
- Financial and productivity tracking
- Process improvement and startup execution
- Communication and leadership
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive salary based on experience.
- Full benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, and professional development support.
- Leadership growth opportunities during early-stage program expansion.
Why Join New Life Wellness & Recovery
As Program Director, you will help build a mission-driven mental health program from inception into a stable, fully operational service hub for the region. Your work will directly impact operational excellence, staff retention, patient access, and the long-term success of our organization.
Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
Salary : $70,000 - $80,000