Job Description

The Chief Strategy Officer serves as a key member of Merakey USA’s executive leadership team and is responsible for shaping, advancing, and sustaining the organization’s long term strategic direction. This role leads enterprise-wide strategy development, translating the organization’s mission into clear priorities that drive growth, quality, innovation, and financial sustainability across its diverse, multi state, regionally affiliated service portfolio.

As a trusted advisor to the CEO, the Chief Strategy Officer brings a deep understanding of behavioral healthcare, children’s services, and intellectual and developmental disability landscape, coupled with an innate ability to anticipate industry trends, policy shifts, and market opportunities. The role builds and maintains strong external relationships, represents the organization at industry forums and conferences, and ensures that the Merakey USA story, impact, and vision are clearly and consistently communicated.

This position also oversees Government Relations, Marketing, Brand, Communications, and Foundation expansion functions, ensuring that Merakey USA and its regional affiliates are recognized as a national leader, trusted partner, and innovator in health, human services, and specialized education

Benefits

Merakey offers generous benefits that promote well-being, financial security, and work-life balance, including:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus access to healthcare advocacy support.
• Retirement plan -- both pre-tax and Roth (after-tax) options available for employee contributions.
• DailyPay -- access your pay when you need it!
• On the Goga well-being platform, featuring self-care tools and resources.
• Access Care.com for backup childcare, elder care, and household services.
• Confidential counseling, legal, and financial services through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Tuition reimbursement and educational partnerships.
• Employee discounts and savings programs on entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
• Access to Pryor Online Learning for free online personal development classes.

Learn more about our full benefits package - https://www.merakey.org/careers/benefits

About Merakey

Merakey is a non-profit provider of developmental, behavioral health, and education services. More than 8,000 employees provide support to nearly 40,000 individuals and families throughout 12 states across the country each year. Click here to watch a video about Merakey. Merakey strictly follows a zero-tolerance policy for abuse.

Merakey is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer! We deeply value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ethnic background, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, or disability status. Moreover, we are committed to creating teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Merakey welcomes all Veterans to apply!

Qualifications

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in business, public health, public administration, or a related field required Advanced degree preferred.

• Minimum of fifteen years of progressive executive leadership experience in healthcare, behavioral health, human services, or a related field.

• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide strategy in complex, multi-state, and multi-site organizations.

• Deep knowledge of behavioral health, children’s services, and intellectual and developmental disability systems strongly preferred.

• Proven ability to represent an organization externally with credibility, clarity, and influence.

• Experience overseeing marketing, brand, or communications functions at an organizational or enterprise level.

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Leadership Competencies

• Analytical thinker with the ability to connect vision to execution.

• Strong communicator who can tell a clear, compelling story to diverse audiences.

• Relationship builder who earns trust across internal teams and external stakeholders.

• Mission driven leader who balances growth, quality, and sustainability.

• Adaptive and resilient in complex, evolving environments.