Executive Director | Brookfield, WI | Full-Time | On-Site

About Wisconsin Behavioral Health

Wisconsin Behavioral Health is a mission-driven organization expanding access to quality behavioral healthcare. With a commitment to evidence-based, recovery-oriented programming, Wisconsin Behavioral Health is launching a new PHP/IOP program in Brookfield, Wisconsin and is seeking experienced operational leadership to bring it to life.

The Opportunity

In this full-time, on-site role, the Executive Director will lead the launch of a new PHP/IOP program from the ground up. This position is responsible for operational execution across facility readiness, licensure, staffing, referral development, and early-stage program stabilization.

As the senior on-site leader, you will coordinate closely with outsourced HR, compliance, and IT partners while maintaining full accountability for operational performance. This role is ideal for a clinically-informed, hands-on healthcare operator who has worked directly within behavioral health programs, brings structure to ambiguity, and can successfully move a program from empty building to licensed, staffed, open, and admitting.

This position does not require clinical licensure and includes no direct clinical responsibilities.

What You'll Do

• Lead operational readiness for a new PHP/IOP program, including facility setup, workflow development, staffing ramp-up, and launch sequencing.
  
• Serve as the on-site operational lead during state licensure and payer credentialing processes.
  
• Hire, onboard, and manage non-clinical and program staff aligned with licensure timelines and census projections
  
• Develop and execute referral relationship strategies and community outreach prior to opening and throughout early operations
  
• Own census management, staffing efficiency, scheduling optimization, and operational KPIs post-launch
  
• Partner with outsourced HR, compliance, and IT teams while retaining accountability for execution and issue resolution
  
• Maintain financial discipline during start-up, ensuring budget adherence and resource optimization
  
• Act as the primary on-site point of contact for ownership, regulators, vendors, and referral partners.
  

Why Join Us at Wisconsin Behavioral Health

• A high-impact opportunity to build and lead a program launch with significant operational ownership
  
• A visible leadership role with direct influence on program success and growth
  
• A dynamic start-up environment designed for operators who enjoy building from the ground up
  
• Mission-driven work expanding access to quality behavioral healthcare in the community
  
  
  

What You Bring

Required:

• At least 5 years of direct, hands-on experience in behavioral health operations, including time spent working within PHP, IOP, or outpatient behavioral health programs at the program or facility level
  
• Firsthand familiarity with day-to-day behavioral health workflows — clinical team structures, treatment schedules, group programming logistics, and patient flow — gained through direct program involvement, not solely executive oversight
  
• Proven success launching, scaling, or stabilizing behavioral health programs, with preference for candidates who have been actively involved in execution, not just strategic direction
  
• Demonstrated ability to build teams and operate effectively without pre-existing infrastructure
  
• Strong working knowledge of behavioral health staffing models, census-driven economics, payer expectations, and regulatory requirements as applied in a clinical program environment
  
• Experience collaborating with outsourced operational partners while maintaining accountability
  
• Strong financial and operational management capabilities
  
• Exceptional organizational, leadership, communication, and decision-making skills
  
• Full-time, on-site availability in Brookfield, Wisconsin
  
• Bachelor's degree required
  

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, or a related field
  

Note: Candidates whose experience is primarily corporate or multi-site executive leadership without hands-on program involvement may not be the right fit for this role.

Compensation and Benefits

$85,000 to $115,000 annually, commensurate with experience and start-up leadership scope. Performance-based incentives may be available based on launch milestones and operational outcomes.

This is a direct hire with Wisconsin Behavioral Health. Atlantic Health Strategies is recruiting on their behalf.