Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships

Compass Health Center is a leading provider of Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), delivering immediate access to evidence-based mental health care for children, adolescents, young adults, and adults. With established operations in Illinois and expanding programs across Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, Compass bridges the critical gap between outpatient and inpatient care—diverting patients from emergency departments and inpatient hospitalization while achieving measurable clinical outcomes.

As Compass expands in the Mid-Atlantic, we are building a high-performing Strategic Partnerships engine—one that is accountable, market-specific, data-driven, and deeply centered on the patient and referrer experience. Viriginia represents a priority growth region with dense provider networks, complex payer environments, and increasing demand for both in-person and virtual levels of care.

The Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships – Virginia is a clinically informed, relationship-driven business development leader responsible for driving referral growth, building durable partnerships, and expanding Compass’s footprint across Northern Virginia.

This role blends clinical fluency, consultative sales, and regional market strategy. It is not a traditional community liaison role—it is a performance-based partnership sales position, accountable for referral volume, admissions growth, partner satisfaction, and long-term referral behavior across a complex, multi-jurisdictional healthcare market.

Location: Onsite/Hybrid - Virginia market

What You'll Do:

Business Development & Account Management (Northern Virginia Focus)

Own and grow a portfolio of High-Value Target (HVT) accounts across Northern Virginia, including:

Hospital systems and EDs

Academic medical centers

Large outpatient and group practices

School districts and university counseling centers

Employer and EAP partners

Develop and execute territory-specific account plans informed by:

Local admissions trends

State-specific access and payer dynamics

Referral friction points unique to Virginia

Build trusted relationships with psychiatrists, therapists, case managers, discharge planners, school counselors, PCPs, and emergency department staff

Translate relationships into measurable qualified referrals, admissions, and pipeline growth

Partner closely with Admissions to ensure:

Warm handoffs

Clear admission criteria alignment

Rapid resolution of referral and access barriers

Regional Market Intelligence Strategy

Serve as the eyes and ears of the Virginia market, monitoring:

Competitive dynamics across in-person and virtual providers

State-specific regulatory and referral nuances

Capacity gaps and unmet clinical needs

Track referral behavior, volume, and feedback using HubSpot CRM and Sigmund Aura

Identify trends and translate insights into strategic recommendations for:

Program development

Access improvements

Market prioritization

Provide regular market intelligence to senior leadership to inform regional growth strategy

Clinically Informed Messaging & Credibility

Maintain a strong working knowledge of:

Compass treatment models (PHP, IOP, TMS, specialty programming)

Admission criteria and payer considerations

Clinical outcomes and differentiators

Confidently articulate Compass’s value proposition to:

Hospital leadership

Senior clinicians

Administrative and operational decision makers

Leverage clinical background to:

Build credibility and trust

Translate program offerings into real-world referral solutions

Ensure alignment between referring providers and Compass clinical teams

Growth Campaigns & Strategic Initiatives

Execute Virginia-specific growth campaigns tied to:

New program launches

Access expansion

Payer alignment

Seasonal surges (e.g., back-to-school, winter acuity increases)

Partner with Marketing on:

Co-branded outreach

CE programs and partner webinars

Digital and virtual engagement strategies

Support regional initiatives such as:

Concierge referral pathways

Expedited admissions processes

CompassForward discharge and step-down strategies

External Visibility & Community Presence

Represent Compass across Virginia at:

Professional associations

Behavioral health coalitions

Hospital and provider roundtables

Facilitate connections between Compass clinical leaders and:

Speaking engagements

Panel discussions

Educational sessions

Manage a strategic calendar of in-person and virtual engagements aligned with pipeline and growth goals

Who You Are:

Clinical license or license-eligible preferred

2+ years of clinical experience in mental health; PHP/IOP or higher levels of care strongly preferred

Demonstrated business development or partnership experience; healthcare sales or account management a plus

Strong understanding of multi-market or multi-state healthcare environments preferred

Proven ability to build trust with senior clinical and executive stakeholders

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Data-driven and tech-savvy; experience with CRM systems and performance dashboards

Entrepreneurial mindset with strong accountability and growth orientation

Success In This Role Means:

Driving consistent, qualified referral and admission growth across Northern Virginia

Building sticky, high-trust partnerships that sustain long-term funnel strength

Effectively integrating virtual and hybrid programming into referral strategies

Acting as a connector, strategist, and advocate—not just a representative

Helping Compass become the provider of choice for PHP/IOP care in the Mid-Atlantic

We are committed to a fair and equitable work environment. The expected compensation range for this role is below. This range includes multiple career path levels across the organization; where you fall in the range is dependent upon a number of factors including, but not limited to, your years of experience, type of experience, location, and education/certifications. Compass reserves the right to update these ranges.

This role may also be eligible for an annual bonus which is dependent upon individual and company performance.

Compensation

$95,000—$115,000 USD