DSHS Deputy Assistant Secretary, Behavioral Health Habilitation Administration

Salary: $138,778.00 - $173,472.00 Annually
Location : Thurston County - Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number:
Department: Dept. of Social and Health Services
Division: BHHA
Opening Date: 10/06/2026
Closing Date: Continuous

Description
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Behavioral Health & Habilitation Administration

Working in partnership with the Assistant Secretary, you'll serve as BHHA's primary internal leader, providing executive leadership for approximately 1,633 employees and seven direct reports, including hospital chief executive officers and senior headquarters leaders.

You'll provide operational leadership across six behavioral health facilities, forensic mental health services, and other statewide behavioral health programs, with responsibility for policy implementation, risk management, major strategic initiatives, and significant budget resources while partnering with executive leaders to strengthen organizational performance across one of Washington's most complex behavioral healthcare systems.

Every operational decision has a financial impact-and every decision ultimately affects the people we serve. Effective leadership in this role requires balancing fiscal stewardship, patient and staff safety, operational excellence, and humanity.
What Success Looks Like

Within your first year, you'll:

• Strengthen consistency across BHHA facilities and headquarters.
• Improve executive decision-making by ensuring policy and business decisions are supported by sound financial stewardship and well-developed business cases.
• Build trusted partnerships with hospital CEOs, headquarters leaders, and executive leadership.
• Advance patient and staff safety through proactive leadership and thoughtful decision-making.
• Strengthen the organization's infrastructure while helping advance the Assistant Secretary's vision for BHHA.

The Type of Leadership BHHA Needs

You are a leader who:

• Builds trust through collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
• Exercises sound judgment and understands the financial impact of executive decisions.
• Remains calm, decisive, and solutions-focused during complex challenges and crisis situations.
• Balances organizational excellence with compassion and humanity.
• Develops people, strengthens teams, and inspires confidence across the behavioral health system.

Key Priorities

• Strengthen Organizational Performance
• Provide executive leadership across BHHA facilities and headquarters while fostering consistency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Advance Financial Stewardship
• Guide thoughtful decision-making by ensuring policies and initiatives are supported by sound financial analysis, strong business cases, and responsible stewardship of public resources.
• Support Patient and Staff Safety
• Lead the response to complex issues, emergency events, and high-risk situations while maintaining an unwavering commitment to patient and staff safety.
• Strengthen Systemwide Collaboration
• Partner with hospital CEOs and headquarters leaders to improve coordination, strengthen executive decision-making, and promote the sharing of best practices across BHHA.
• Partner in Executive Leadership
• Serve as the Assistant Secretary's trusted partner, helping advance strategic priorities while strengthening the administration's leadership, infrastructure, and long-term success.

Experience & Leadership

We're looking for an accomplished executive leader who brings a combination of education, executive leadership experience, and demonstrated success leading complex organizations, including:

• A bachelor's degree in human services, healthcare administration, business administration, or a closely related field. An advanced degree is preferred. Relevant experience will substitute year for year for education
• Demonstrated senior-level healthcare administration experience in a complex healthcare environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing significant operational and/or capital budgets.
• Experience working in a matrix management environment with demonstrated success in working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• A commitment to advancing equity, access, and belonging.
• Government leadership experience, behavioral healthcare experience, and experience developing legislative requests or budget decision packages are highly desirable.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills

Why Apply?

This is more than an executive leadership opportunity-it's an opportunity to strengthen one of Washington's most complex behavioral healthcare systems while improving the lives of the people we serve.

You'll join an executive leadership team committed to thoughtful leadership, continuous improvement, and meaningful public service. Together, you'll strengthen statewide behavioral health services, support dedicated employees, and help build a future grounded in accountability, compassion, and humanity.

This is your opportunity to leave a lasting impact by strengthening systems, supporting people, and helping shape the future of behavioral health services across Washington State.
Application Process

We anticipate appointing the Assistant Secretary as early as December 2026.

Applications received by October 20th will receive priority consideration.

Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until an appointment is made.

Please submit a resume and letter of interest to: Tracie.Kidd@dshs.wa.gov

Your letter of interest should highlight how your experience aligns with leadership competencies and capabilities outlined in this profile.

To learn more about DSHS and BHHA, review the

The Department of Social and Health Services' (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency's vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.
Supplemental Information
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that