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  • Location Dana Point, CA
  • Salary $100k/year - 150k/year
  • Job Type Full Time

A growing behavioral health organization is seeking an experienced and compassionate Director of Admissions to lead a high-performing intake and admissions team supporting multiple treatment programs.

This is a leadership opportunity for someone who understands that admissions is more than operations — it is the first critical touchpoint in a client’s recovery journey. The ideal candidate combines strong operational oversight, team leadership, ethical decision-making, and relationship management to create an exceptional admissions experience for clients, families, and referral partners.

The organization offers a collaborative leadership environment, strong clinical support, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a rapidly evolving behavioral health landscape.

Compensation & Benefits

  • Competitive base salary + performance bonus opportunity
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
  • 401(k) with employer contribution/match
  • Paid time off and paid sick leave
  • Wellness reimbursement/gym stipend
  • Leadership development and growth opportunities
  • Supportive, mission-driven culture

Key Responsibilities

Admissions Leadership

  • Lead and supervise an admissions/intake team overseeing client inquiries, assessments, and admissions coordination
  • Ensure a compassionate, professional, and ethical experience throughout the admissions process
  • Collaborate with clinical and operational leadership to ensure appropriate client placement and continuity of care
  • Develop and improve workflows, processes, and department efficiencies

Operations & Performance Management

  • Oversee daily admissions operations and intake performance
  • Monitor KPIs, conversion metrics, referral trends, and operational reporting
  • Establish departmental goals and performance benchmarks
  • Partner cross-functionally with clinical, operations, utilization review, and billing teams

Insurance & Financial Coordination

  • Oversee insurance verification, benefit review, and authorization processes
  • Support accurate documentation and clean handoff processes for billing/revenue cycle teams
  • Monitor payer trends, reimbursement considerations, and operational efficiencies
  • Assist with forecasting and admissions-related reporting initiatives

Marketing & Referral Relationship Support

  • Collaborate with outreach and marketing teams to support organizational growth initiatives
  • Maintain strong relationships with referral partners and community stakeholders
  • Ensure alignment between admissions, outreach, and clinical operations
  • Support initiatives that strengthen referral pipelines and client engagement

Team Development

  • Recruit, mentor, and develop admissions staff
  • Provide coaching, accountability, and ongoing professional development
  • Manage scheduling, staffing coverage, and departmental performance
  • Foster a positive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented culture

Ideal Candidate Profile

  • Strong leadership background within behavioral health, healthcare admissions, or intake operations
  • Ability to balance client care, operational performance, and ethical decision-making
  • Highly organized, data-driven, and operationally minded
  • Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
  • Collaborative leadership style with strong emotional intelligence

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience within residential treatment, mental health, substance use disorder, or higher levels of care
  • Familiarity with EMR systems, CRM/admissions platforms, and intake workflows
  • Experience managing admissions coordinators, intake teams, or call center operations
  • Understanding of commercial insurance, out-of-network benefits, and reimbursement processes
  • Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, Psychology, or related field preferred

Minimum Qualifications

  • 5+ years of admissions or intake experience within behavioral health, mental health, healthcare, or SUD treatment settings
  • 3+ years of leadership or management experience
  • Strong understanding of admissions operations, insurance verification, utilization processes, and client intake coordination

Additional Requirements

  • Ability to work flexible hours as operational needs require
  • Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation preferred
  • CPR/First Aid certification preferred or ability to obtain
  • Successful completion of background screening and employment verification
  • Compliance with HIPAA and applicable healthcare regulations



Why This Opportunity?

This role offers the chance to lead a critical department within a mission-driven organization dedicated to delivering high-quality behavioral healthcare. The Director of Admissions will play a key role in shaping the client experience, driving operational excellence, and supporting organizational growth while helping individuals access life-changing care.