Director of Behavioral Health

Fort Walton Beach, FL

Full Time

Executive

Location: Fort Walton Beach, FL
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Schedule: Days
Salary Range: $110,000–$130,000/year (experience-based)
Relocation Assistance: Case-by-case
Sign-On Bonus: Not offered

Overview

A 48-bed Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit located within a Level II Trauma Center is seeking an experienced Director of Behavioral Health to lead all inpatient behavioral health operations.

The unit maintains an average daily census of ~38 and requires a leader with strong clinical, operational, and regulatory expertise. This role has full accountability for service line performance and reports directly to senior nursing leadership.

This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned behavioral health leader to advance program quality, staff engagement, patient safety, and strategic growth within a high-demand mental health service line.

Key Responsibilities

Provide operational and clinical leadership for inpatient behavioral health services, ensuring safe, evidence-based, patient-centered care.
Implement and sustain quality, safety, and regulatory compliance initiatives across the service line.
Manage staffing, scheduling, competencies, and labor utilization for approximately 24 FTEs.
Lead efforts to improve patient experience, satisfaction scores, and care coordination.
Oversee admissions, discharges, and patient flow to support efficient throughput.
Monitor budgets, resource utilization, staffing ratios, and financial performance; implement corrective actions as needed.
Foster collaboration with nursing, physicians, social workers, therapists, and support teams.
Develop and update behavioral health policies, procedures, and clinical standards.
Promote employee engagement, retention strategies, professional development, and recognition.
Identify and support opportunities for program expansion and strategic service-line growth.

Qualifications

Required

5+ years of recent inpatient Behavioral Health leadership (Manager or Assistant Nurse Manager level) in an acute-care setting.
Bachelor’s degree.
Active Florida RN license or Compact RN license.
BLS within 30 days of hire.
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (or equivalent) within 90 days.
Successful completion of background and fingerprinting requirements.

Preferred

Experience leading behavioral health operations in trauma-center environments.
Strong communication, crisis-management, and team-building skillsets.
National behavioral health or leadership certifications.

Compensation & Benefits

$110,000–$130,000/year, depending on experience.
Relocation assistance evaluated individually.
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits.
401(k) with 100% match on 3–9%, based on years of service.
Employee stock purchase plan (10% discount).
Tuition reimbursement, certification support, and dependent scholarship programs.
PTO, paid family leave, and disability benefits.
Emotional wellness resources, EAP, legal/financial counseling, identity protection, flexible spending accounts, and pet insurance.

Ideal For

Behavioral health leaders seeking advancement into a Director-level role.
Nursing professionals experienced in behavioral health operations, regulatory compliance, and workforce development.
Leaders dedicated to improving patient experience, safety outcomes, quality metrics, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Keywords / Hashtags

Behavioral Health Director, Psych Director, Inpatient Behavioral Health RN Leadership, Mental Health Services Manager, RN Behavioral Health Administration, Florida Nursing Leadership, Fort Walton Beach RN Jobs
#BehavioralHealthDirector #PsychNurseLeader #MentalHealthLeadership #FloridaNursingJobs #RNLeadership #BehavioralHealthRN #HealthcareAdministration #FortWaltonJobs

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