Job Description

Location: Fort Walton Beach, FL
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Schedule: Days
Salary Range: $110,000–$130,000/year (experience-based)
Relocation Assistance: Case-by-case
Sign-On Bonus: Not offered

A 48-bed Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit located within a Level II Trauma Center is seeking an experienced Director of Behavioral Health to lead all inpatient behavioral health operations.

The unit maintains an average daily census of ~38 and requires a leader with strong clinical, operational, and regulatory expertise. This role has full accountability for service line performance and reports directly to senior nursing leadership.

This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned behavioral health leader to advance program quality, staff engagement, patient safety, and strategic growth within a high-demand mental health service line.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide operational and clinical leadership for inpatient behavioral health services, ensuring safe, evidence-based, patient-centered care.

• Implement and sustain quality, safety, and regulatory compliance initiatives across the service line.

• Manage staffing, scheduling, competencies, and labor utilization for approximately 24 FTEs

• Lead efforts to improve patient experience, satisfaction scores, and care coordination.

• Oversee admissions, discharges, and patient flow to support efficient throughput.

• Monitor budgets, resource utilization, staffing ratios, and financial performance; implement corrective actions as needed.

• Foster collaboration with nursing, physicians, social workers, therapists, and support teams.

• Develop and update behavioral health policies, procedures, and clinical standards.

• Promote employee engagement, retention strategies, professional development, and recognition.

• Identify and support opportunities for program expansion and strategic service-line growth.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of recent inpatient Behavioral Health leadership (Manager or Assistant Nurse Manager level) in an acute-care setting.

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Active Florida RN license or Compact RN license.

• BLS within 30 days of hire.

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (or equivalent) within 90 days.

• Successful completion of background and fingerprinting requirements.

Preferred

• Experience leading behavioral health operations in trauma-center environments

• Strong communication, crisis-management, and team-building skillsets.

• National behavioral health or leadership certifications.

Compensation & Benefits

• $110,000–$130,000/year, depending on experience.

• Relocation assistance evaluated individually.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits.

• 401(k) with 100% match on 3–9%, based on years of service.

• Employee stock purchase plan (10% discount).

• Tuition reimbursement, certification support, and dependent scholarship programs.

• PTO, paid family leave, and disability benefits.

• Emotional wellness resources, EAP, legal/financial counseling, identity protection, flexible spending accounts, and pet insurance.

Ideal For

• Behavioral health leaders seeking advancement into a Director-level role.

• Nursing professionals experienced in behavioral health operations, regulatory compliance, and workforce development.

• Leaders dedicated to improving patient experience, safety outcomes, quality metrics, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Keywords / Hashtags

Behavioral Health Director, Psych Director, Inpatient Behavioral Health RN Leadership, Mental Health Services Manager, RN Behavioral Health Administration, Florida Nursing Leadership, Fort Walton Beach RN Jobs
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