Chief Operating Officer (COO) – ECU Health Behavioral Health Hospital

ECU Health Behavioral Health Hospital is seeking an accomplished and strategic healthcare executive to serve as its next Chief Operating Officer (COO). Located in Greenville, North Carolina, ECU Health Behavioral Health Hospital is a state-of-the-art 144-bed behavioral health hospital developed through a joint venture between ECU Health, the region's leading academic healthcare system, and Acadia Healthcare, a national leader in behavioral health services.

The hospital provides comprehensive behavioral healthcare services for adults, seniors, adolescents, and children, delivering high-quality, patient-centered care across a broad continuum of psychiatric services. As a premier behavioral health destination for eastern North Carolina, the organization is dedicated to expanding access, improving outcomes, and meeting the growing behavioral health needs of the communities it serves.

About the Role

The Chief Operating Officer serves as a key member of the executive leadership team and partners closely with the CEO to oversee the hospital's daily operations, strategic growth initiatives, and performance improvement efforts.

This executive will provide leadership across clinical and non-clinical operations while fostering an environment of accountability, collaboration, patient-centered care, and operational excellence. The COO will play a critical role in advancing quality outcomes, supporting physician and clinical partnerships, enhancing employee engagement, and driving sustainable growth throughout the organization.

The successful candidate will bring a strong understanding of behavioral health hospital operations, regulatory compliance, financial management, workforce development, physician relations, and service line optimization.

• Oversee hospital operations to ensure the delivery of safe, quality-driven, and cost-effective patient care.
• Lead operational performance initiatives across clinical and support departments.
• Partner with the CEO and executive team to develop and execute strategic objectives.
• Drive patient satisfaction, quality outcomes, workforce engagement, and operational efficiency.
• Foster a culture focused on accountability, teamwork, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Support physician recruitment, physician engagement, and clinical collaboration efforts.
• Ensure compliance with Joint Commission, CMS, state, and organizational standards.
• Lead departmental leaders through recruitment, development, performance management, and succession planning.
• Assist in budget development, capital planning, and financial management activities.
• Analyze operational trends and implement initiatives to improve performance and growth.
• Serve as acting facility leader in the absence of the CEO.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education / Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Nursing, Behavioral Health, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive healthcare leadership experience required.
• Behavioral health hospital leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Experience leading inpatient psychiatric, acute care, or behavioral health service line operations preferred.
• Demonstrated success managing multidisciplinary teams, operational performance, regulatory compliance, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Previous P&L responsibility and budget management experience required.
• Experience driving growth, physician partnerships, and operational excellence within a healthcare environment.

Licenses / Certifications

• Relevant clinical licensure (RN, LCSW, LCMHC, LCAS, Psychologist, or related credential) preferred but not required.
• FACHE or other healthcare leadership certification preferred.

Be Part of Something Bigger

This is an opportunity to join a highly visible behavioral health organization at the intersection of academic medicine, community healthcare, and industry-leading behavioral health expertise. If you are an experienced healthcare operator who is passionate about improving access, quality, and outcomes in behavioral healthcare, we invite you to explore this exceptional leadership opportunity with ECU Health Behavioral Health Hospital.

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