Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships

Weekly outpatient therapy isn't always enough, and a trip to the ER isn't the only answer. Patients and their families rely on Compass Health Center when in crisis – every day, we help people overcome depression, anxiety, suicidality, obsessions/compulsions, trauma, chronic pain, and other obstacles in order for our patients to live freely.

About This Role

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. The DMV 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 – DMV is a clinically informed, relationship-driven business development leader responsible for driving referral growth, building durable partnerships, and expanding Compass’s footprint across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and 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.

The Associate Director will also play a key role in advancing virtual and hybrid programming, positioning Compass as a flexible, accessible partner for providers navigating capacity constraints, geographic barriers, and evolving patient needs.

Location: Hybrid - DC/MD/VA

What You'll Do:

Business Development & Account Management (DMV Focus)

• Own and grow a portfolio of High-Value Target (HVT) accounts across the DMV, 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 DC, Maryland, and 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 DMV 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

Virtual & Hybrid Programming Growth

• Position Compass’s virtual and hybrid PHP/IOP offerings as a strategic solution for:

• Referrers with long waitlists or geographic barriers

• Patients requiring continuity of care across state lines (where clinically appropriate)

• School-based and employer partners seeking flexible access models

• Educate referral partners on:

• Clinical appropriateness of virtual and hybrid care

• Admission criteria and patient selection

• Outcomes and engagement expectations

• Collaborate with clinical and operations leaders to identify:

• Opportunities to expand virtual programming reach in the DMV

• Referral workflows that integrate seamlessly with virtual care pathways

• Support virtual CE events, webinars, and digital partner education initiatives

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 DMV-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 the DMV 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 the DMV

• 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

We know job descriptions can be intimidating, so if this sounds like an opportunity for you, please don't hesitate to apply!

Who We Are

Compass Health Center is a recognized leader in crisis-level mental health, bringing passion, connection, and patient-centered care to the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient space (PHP/IOP). Based in Chicagoland, we serve hundreds of patients every day, ranging from ages 5 through adulthood, in our onsite facilities or through our flourishing virtual programming. Compass fills a critical gap between outpatient and inpatient care through an intermediate level of Behavioral Healthcare.

A few more things we want you to know: our values are super important to us, and hopefully will be to you, too. Cultural humility, teamwork, continuous improvement, connection, patient centered care, passion, innovation, and agility should be your power sources. Joining Compass is an opportunity to feel fulfilled through a joint mission towards healing our communities.

Benefits & Perks

We know that you will be dedicated to your purpose here. We look at that investment as a two-way street. We are proud to offer plenty of space for growth, and opportunities to pursue continuous development within our organization.

For eligible positions, our other benefits include: comprehensive medical/dental/vision plans, 401k program with company matching, generous PTO (including competitive parental leave after 1 year of employment), and continuous training through CEU seminars and volunteering opportunities.

What’s Next?

Compass is committed to cultivating diverse and dynamic teams who exude passion for their craft, so whether or not you check all the boxes, we encourage you to apply – we’d be grateful to hear from you!