Behavioral Health Services Deputy Director

CAREER DESCRIPTION

Behavioral Health Services Deputy Director
(Health Services Deputy Director)

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate’s qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

This recruitment is open to the public for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open on a continuous basis until 11:59 p.m. (PST) on the day the County's needs are met. Qualified a pplicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

This recruitment will establish an Open eligible list and will be used to fill current and future vacancies within this specialty. This recruitment may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County.

First Round of Consideration will be Monday, October 27, 2025.

HEALTH CARE AGENCY
The County of Orange, Health Care Agency (HCA) is a dynamic organization dedicated to creating and supporting an environment that promotes the achievement of optimal individual, family and community health. Under the leadership of the Agency Director, a dynamic executive team with an organizational structure comprised of five (5) service areas - Administrative Services, Behavioral Health Services, Correctional Health Services, Specialized Medical Services and Public Health Services - is committed to meeting the health needs of the diverse Orange County community.

THE DEPARTMENT
The Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Division consists of the following areas: Adult and Older Adult, Children and Youth Services, Quality Management Services, Mental Health Services Act Office, Data Analytics and Evaluation, Crisis and Acute Care Services, Substance Use Services, and Forensics and Justice Involved . These divisions provide a culturally competent and client-centered system of behavioral health services for all eligible county residents in need of treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse and mental health care.

THE OPPORTUNITY
The BHS Deputy Director serves in a key leadership position with responsibilities that include strategic BHS program oversight, operational management, and performance optimization. This role requires a seasoned professional with deep expertise in BHS operations, project execution, and organizational leadership. The BHS Deputy Director will lead the development and implementation of BHS business strategies, oversee complex projects, and ensure regulatory compliance and fiscal accountability. This position plays a critical role in shaping the future of BHS in Orange County by driving innovation, ensuring service excellence, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Additionally, this position is responsible for administration and coordination of departmental service, administrative and performance improvement functions, including budget, business systems, state audits and reviews, and administrative policies and procedures. The BHS Deputy Director is responsible for making high-level administrative and operational decisions, coordinating activities including human resources and program support issues, collaborating with the Medical Director, and representing the Agency on BHS issues with State and local officials. In addition, the BHS Deputy Director will supervise other senior staff and act as the Director in their absence.

Additional duties include:

• Leads, plans, organizes, directs and evaluates the organization, management and coordination of a comprehensive county-wide, behavioral health service delivery system
• Oversees business operations, including budget development, financial forecasting, and contract management
• Directs the execution of high-impact projects and initiatives aligned with County and departmental goals
• Supervises senior-level staff and cultivating leadership capacity across the organization
• Represents the department in high-level meetings with County executives, elected officials, and external partners
• Ensures operational alignment with state and federal regulations, audits, and performance standards
• Establishes and maintains goals, objectives and plans for carrying out functions of the Department consistent with County goals and community needs
• Directs the development and maintenance of policies and procedures and ensures adequate controls and reporting systems are established and maintained for the effective administration and implementation of services
• Administers the department in the absence of the Director of BHS
• Ensures continuity of care across departmental operational units including program development and system planning
• Provides guidance and direction to improve the understanding of program and administrative policies and procedures by staff
• Develops and implements systems that promote an organizational culture of learning, quality improvement and accountability
• Assists in the determination of budgetary requirements to include forecasting the needs for staffing, equipment, materials and supplies and monitoring divisions to ensure the accomplishments of objectives within the established budget
• Researches, prepares and interprets administrative, clinical, financial and technical reports and prepares written responses as necessary
• Serves as a liaison with State and Federal agencies, County agencies, boards and commissions
• Assumes disaster service worker responsibility as assigned
• Performs other work as required

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND CORE COMPETENCIES
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing behavioral health programs for a public sector agency. The ideal candidate will also possess at least five (5) years of strategic, results-oriented leadership with extensive experience in behavioral health administration, public sector operations, and enterprise-level project management and have a broad and extensive management experience involving the planning, organization, management and coordination of behavioral health, mental health and/or substance use programs.

In addition, the ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge and experience in the following core competencies:

Professional & Technical Expertise

• Principles and practices of administration and management necessary to plan, organize, direct, manage and evaluate administrative policies
• Principles and practices of program development and evaluation, including research methodologies and performance improvement approaches, in a comprehensive behavioral health services delivery system
• Current developments in behavioral health services, including emerging practices, best practices and evidence-based practices
• Federal, State and local laws, regulations, codes and policies governing behavioral health care delivery organizations
• Federal and state audits and annual reviews for behavioral health care delivery organizations
• Principles of governmental organization, administration, public financing and budgeting
• Principles and practices of personnel management, training and supervision
• Principles of community organization and consultation
• Proven ability to manage large-scale operations, including budget oversight, contract oversight, and regulatory compliance
• Expertise in aligning business strategies with organizational goals to drive measurable outcomes
• Strong understanding of public sector, behavioral health services funding, regulatory performance metrics, and operational controls

Leading the Organizational Culture | Managing & Facilitating Change

• Using appropriate judgment, data, and risk management skills in making business decisions and formulating policy recommendations for achieving positive business outcomes
• Collaborating with executive colleagues in the establishment and execution of the department’s goals and objectives, including budget, strategies, policies, and procedures
• Maintaining a high level of communication and engagement about the reasons, benefits, opportunities and difficulties of change
• Identifying department needs, and the development, design and implementation of program objectives, and policies and procedures
• Actively seeking and encouraging identified stakeholders to contribute their points of view, ideas and suggestions
• Formulating objectives and priorities, and implementing plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization
• Assisting in the planning, organization, coordination of comprehensive behavioral health services
• Evaluating, developing, implementing, interpreting and ensuring compliance with objectives, goals, policies, and procedures to meet quality standards for services and to satisfy all applicable laws, codes and regulations
• Analyzing, organizing and utilizing data for decision-making, system design and program development, design and evaluation
• Success in leading complex, multi-stakeholder projects from concept to completion
• Adept in project planning, risk mitigation, and resource coordination
• Implementing systems and processes that enhance efficiency and service delivery

Visionary Leadership | Valuing Diversity

• Ensuring that the importance and benefits of goals and methods are understood and accepted by those who will carry them out
• Sharing knowledge and expertise willingly and supporting others’ career and development plans
• Valuing differing backgrounds and points of view in the workplace and leveraging those differences in group process and decision making
• Effectively representing the Director of Behavioral Health Services with the CEO, Board of Supervisors, other County agencies, contract community-based organizations and other community partners
• To further develop and enhance the Behavioral Health Medi-Cal managed care plan as part of CalAIM Payment Reform and to further improve access to and quality of behavioral health services delivered to Medi-Cal beneficiaries as well as uninsured residents in Orange County
• Selecting and supervising professional, technical and support staff and evaluating their performance in meeting program and individual goals and objectives

Building and Maintaining Relationships | Handling and Resolving Conflict

• Creating rapport and trust with parties having divergent interests or goals
• Dealing with interpersonally or politically challenging situations calmly and diplomatically, while diffusing tension
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff, other Agencies/Departments, stakeholders, diverse community members, including mental health and substance use clients/consumers, families, contracted community-based organizations, and other community partners

Communication

• Writing succinct, informative, and clear communication
• Communicating on sensitive issues, excellent judgment and diplomacy, leading to successful outcomes
• Providing persuasive, confidence-inducing and well-organized oral presentations
• Effectively communicating orally and in writing with diverse audiences, including departmental staff, Health and Hospital System partners, County agencies, community partners, stakeholder groups, local and state officials, and the public

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click here to learn more about the minimum qualifications for the Health Services Deputy Directorclassification as well as the Physical, Mental, and Environmental Conditions.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all application materials to identify qualified applicants. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified via email of their status in the process.

Veterans Employment Preference
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here to review the policy.

Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Application Appraisal | HR Review Rating (Weighted 100%)
An Application Appraisal conducted by HRS will thoroughly screen and evaluate all application materials for job knowledge, competencies, and related experience described above. Only the most qualified applicants will be placed on the eligible list.

Please note: The information you provide on your application and/or response to the supplemental questions may be used as a scoring device, so please be thorough and complete in your response. "See Resume" is not a qualifying response and will not be scored in lieu of the required information.

Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Email Notification
Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com .

Frequently Asked Questions

Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Linny Pham at (714) 834-7324 or LiPham@ochca.com .

EEO INFORMATION

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer,
encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Administrative Management *
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits -- such as a variety of health plan options, sick and vacation time and paid holidays -- we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as:

• Retirement: Benefits are provided through the Orange County Employees' Retirement System (OCERS). Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
  http://www.ocers.org/active-member-information.
• Paid Leave: Twelve holidays per year plus sick and vacation time
• Health & Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts
• Dental Insurance: County pays 100% of employee and dependent premiums
• Paid Life Insurance: $100,000 life insurance policy
• Paid Accidental & Death and Dismemberment Insurance: $100,000 AD&D insurance policy
• Paid Short & Long Term Disability insurance programs
• 457 Defined Contribution Program

*Effective 07/01/20, management employees who are sworn Public Safety Managers receive health insurance benefits through the AOCDS Medical Benefit Plans.

Click here for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

• 

• County of Orange

• 714.834.5315

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