Job Summary: Leads the development and operation of a behavioral health learning institute that supports internal workforce development and external professional education. Plans and oversees core training strategy, curriculum development, delivery, evaluation, and continuous improvement. Partners with organizational leaders and clinical experts to ensure training reflect evidence-informed practices, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and organizational priorities. Builds the infrastructure needed to offer select trainings externally and uses data and feedback to strengthen learning outcomes and institute effectiveness.
The Learning Institute Director: - Leads the development of a behavioral health learning institute that serves as the central structure for internal training strategy and external professional education offerings. Establishes institute goals, priorities, operating standards, and measures of success in alignment with organizational strategic priorities, clinical direction, workforce needs, and growth objectives.
- Plans, controls, and leads the organization-wide training function, including the development of annual training plans, core curriculum priorities, training calendars, resource allocation, delivery standards, and evaluation processes for both internal and external audiences.
- Identifies, develops, and maintains core training curriculum, including required and priority training in behavioral health, trauma-informed care, co-occurring disorders, clinical supervision, leadership development, compliance, safety, and workforce sustainability.
- Designs, coordinates, and implements training programs to deliver through multiple formats, including classroom, virtual, blended, e-learning, train-the-trainer, and customized partner training models that align with adult learning principles.
- Works in consultation with the Executive Management Team and other subject matter experts to ensure clinical and behavioral health curricula reflect current evidence-based practices, research-informed interventions, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and the organizations' treatment philosophy.
- Builds the infrastructure necessary to offer select training externally, including a preparatory training program that will be accredited by the Illinois Certification Board (ICB) to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge to take the required CADC examination.
- Develops course catalogs, facilitator standards, participant materials, registration processes, continuing education documentation, pricing or funding recommendations, partner communications, and quality assurance processes.
- Develops and monitors systems to evaluate training effectiveness, participant satisfaction, learning outcomes, facilitator performance, and business impact. Uses data, feedback, and performance trends to improve curriculum quality, delivery methods, and institute priorities.
- Manages implementation of training programs and institute operations, including vendor or instructor coordination, facilitator preparation, materials development, logistics, learning technology, documentation standards, and program follow-up. Establishes and maintains course development calendars, templates, workflows, and resource libraries.
- Chairs or co-chairs learning and curriculum development committees or councils that support training governance, curriculum review, facilitator development, training priorities, and stakeholder input. Partners with leaders, subject matter experts, and training ambassadors to identify needs and strengthen delivery capacity across the organization.
- Develops, recommends, and implements approved policies, procedures, standards, and operating guidelines related to training administration, curriculum development, facilitator expectations, continuing education processes, external training delivery, and learning institute operations.
- Plans and monitors training budgets, resource needs, external training revenue opportunities, grant-funded training initiatives, and resource requirements necessary to build and sustain the learning institute. Researches and supports training grants, sponsorships, partnerships, or other funding opportunities as appropriate.
- Maintains knowledge of emerging behavioral health practices, workforce development needs, instructional design trends, learning technologies, continuing education standards, and external market needs to ensure Gateway's learning institute remains relevant, high-quality, scalable, and responsive to the field.
Requirements: - Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, public health, education, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated ability to build, plan, lead, and evaluate a comprehensive training function and learning institute at a level normally acquired through five or more years of progressive responsibility.
- Experience working in clinical settings required, and certification or licensure as a counselor or social worker preferred.
- Ability to translate evidence-based practices, treatment standards, regulatory requirements, and clinical workflows into practical curriculum, facilitator guides, case scenarios, competencies, and learning objectives.
- Knowledge of evidence-based practices, such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral interventions, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, ASAM criteria, clinical documentation, ethics, and culturally responsive care to connect training to clinical quality, patient outcomes, and performance improvement.
- Operational knowledge in regulated or accredited behavioral health environments from licensing bodies, accreditation organizations, Medicaid/managed care expectations, correctional or residential treatment standards, or continuing education requirements.
- Advanced interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills necessary to collaborate with executives, clinical leaders, managers, subject matter experts, training facilitators, employees, external partners, and training participants; gather learning needs; and clearly communicate learning goals, expectations, and outcomes.
- Strong facilitation and presentation skills to engage participants, support adult learning, deliver effective training, and create interactive learning experiences for employees, clinical professionals, external partners, and other training audiences.
- Project management skills to assess organizational and external training needs, identify workforce and industry trends, evaluate curriculum effectiveness, manage multiple learning initiatives, and recommend training strategies that support quality care, operational consistency, and professional development.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office products, learning management systems, e-learning tools, webinar platforms, virtual facilitation technology, training evaluation methods, and systems used to support registration, tracking, reporting, and continuing education documentation.
Physical Requirements: - Ability to speak with others individually or groups to gather and present information.
- Ability to respond to telephone calls, questions from training participants.
- Ability to proofread and verify data and text.
- Ability to use a keyboard to enter, retrieve, and/or audit information and data.
- Ability to travel by car or airplane for up to 30% of worktime to facilitate training and gather information and feedback.
Benefits at Gateway Foundation:Health and Wellness:- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents
- Employee wellness program promoting health and fitness and offering cash-saving premiums
- Employee assistance programs focused on mental health
Financial wellbeing:- 403(b) Retirement Plan with 3% employer match
- Short-term and Long-term Disability and Life and AD&D Insurance paid for by Gateway
- Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
Flexibility and time off:- 18 paid time off days per year - accrual rates increase with years of service
- 9 paid company holidays
- Work-life-balance
Personal Development:- Training & Development Programs
- Tuition Reimbursement - up to $5,250 per calendar year
- eLearning access to online courses that provide CEU's and job-related training
- Clinical Supervision: Formal and informal guidance
