Director Clinical Services (5963)

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) envisions a world where children are safe, families are strong, and communities are vibrant. We are looking for a talented Director of Clinical Services to make an impact in the lives of youth, families, and vulnerable populations.

About the Role

The Director of Clinical Services provides centralized clinical, operational, and quality leadership for LSF programs serving youth, families, and vulnerable populations across CINS/FINS shelters, group homes, emergency shelters, SNAP programs, Community Counseling, and Unaccompanied Children (UAC) refugee programs. This position ensures consistent, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and clinically sound service delivery while maintaining contract compliance. The director leads clinical practice standards, program performance, continuous quality improvement, staff development, risk mitigation, and cross-program integration to promote service excellence, regulatory readiness, and positive client outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive supervision of assigned staff, including performance management (e.g., annual evaluations), payroll and personnel transactions, timekeeping, and adherence to organizational policies and procedures. Directly supervise the Quality Assurance Support Coordinator.
• Serve as the senior leader responsible for clinical quality, program compliance, regulatory readiness, and continuous quality improvement across assigned Family Focus service lines. Ensure alignment between organizational strategy, quality standards, contractual obligations, licensing requirements, and accreditation standards.
• Collaborate with program staff on Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) meetings, utilizing the Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) Manual and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology.
• Ensure regular review and analysis of data, including psychotropic medication utilization, incident reports, file review results, client and stakeholder feedback, incident trends, corrective action plans, and other critical information.
• Implement and operationalize LSF quality standards, performance measures, monitoring protocols, and continuous improvement expectations to improve community access, client engagement, service coordination, safety, clinical outcomes, and contract performance.
• Develop, monitor, and report enterprise-wide key performance indicators (KPIs), outcome measures, compliance metrics, utilization data, and client performance trends. Use data to identify opportunities for quality improvement and operational excellence.
• Oversee clinical review and trending of critical incidents, grievances, safety events, and risk indicators. Collaborate with Legal, Human Resources, Risk Management, and executive leadership to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and reduce organizational risk.
• Direct internal clinical case file reviews and peer review processes to ensure compliance, quality, and service effectiveness.
• Partner with program leadership to maintain readiness for audits, monitoring reviews, licensing visits, funder reviews, and internal quality reviews. Co-lead accreditation readiness activities and ensure ongoing compliance with accreditation standards.
• Support residential and shelter operations by providing clinical guidance on youth and family engagement, behavior management, safety planning, crisis stabilization, trauma-informed care, and coordination with community providers.
• Establish and maintain consistent clinical practice expectations, service delivery standards, and documentation standards across assigned programs, including intake, assessment, service planning, treatment planning, crisis response, discharge planning, aftercare planning, and referral activities.
• Monitor emerging regulations, contract requirements, evidence-based practices, funding opportunities, and industry trends affecting residential, shelter, counseling, and youth services. Recommend operational changes as appropriate.
• Develop and support implementation of procedures, tools, templates, workflows, and training resources that promote consistent clinical and operational practice.
• Participate in the development, review, implementation, and evaluation of policies and procedures to ensure regulatory compliance, operational consistency, and clinical best practices.
• Provide technical assistance, coaching, mentoring, and performance support to program directors, managers, supervisors, clinical staff, and quality staff.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to support and maintain enterprise-wide electronic health records, automation of manual processes, and adherence to LSF policy for use of AI.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, professional development, supervision structure, and retention strategies for clinical leadership roles.
• Participate in strategic planning, program development, new program implementation, contract transition planning, and service expansion initiatives.
• Prepare clear, timely, and accurate reports, presentations, summaries, corrective action updates, and recommendations for leadership review.
• Represent LSF in meetings, workgroups, community forums, funder engagements, and statewide or regional initiatives as requested.
• Travel to program sites, shelters, group homes, community locations, partner meetings, trainings, and monitoring activities across assigned regions (40% travel, 60% remote).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, Human Services, Public Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related field.
• Active clinical licensure in the State of Florida as an LCSW, LMHC, LMFT, Psychologist, Registered Nurse, or other applicable clinical license, with licensure specific to contract, program, or regulatory requirements.
• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in clinical, behavioral health, child and family, residential, shelter, refugee, community-based, or human services programs.
• Minimum of five years of leadership, supervisory, program management, or multi-site operational experience.
• Experience with quality assurance, continuous quality improvement, monitoring, corrective action planning, contract compliance, and performance reporting.
• Experience with youth and family services, residential care, emergency shelter operations, community counseling, refugee/immigrant services, or federally funded programs strongly preferred.
• Experience working with funders, licensing bodies, regulatory agencies, accreditation standards, subcontractors, and community stakeholders preferred.

Skills

• Strong clinical leadership and judgment, including the ability to support trauma-informed, culturally responsive, evidence-informed, and family-centered services.
• Ability to lead complex programs, provide direction to leaders, manage competing priorities, and drive accountability across multiple service lines.
• Knowledge of federal and state regulations, child and family service systems, behavioral health systems, residential/shelter standards, confidentiality expectations, and quality improvement principles.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, assess risk, and recommend practical improvement strategies.
• Excellent verbal communication, facilitation, training, presentation, and business writing skills.
• Ability to build constructive relationships with staff, providers, funders, regulators, community partners, clients, and families while maintaining high standards of professionalism and confidentiality.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to use data, electronic records, and reporting systems to support program oversight.
• Ability to travel statewide; must have a valid driver’s license and insurance.

Work Environment

• Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer, with frequent use of hands and fingers to operate office equipment.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through electronic communication, with sufficient visual acuity to read, analyze, and prepare clinical, operational, and administrative records.
• Ability to move throughout office and clinical environments and travel periodically to program sites, meetings, trainings, or other locations.
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting or carrying items weighing up to 15 pounds.
• Primarily performed in an office and clinical service environment with normal lighting, ventilation, and moderate noise levels.
• May periodically work in residential, community-based, or other service settings and encounter individuals experiencing emotional distress or challenging behaviors.
• Exposure to confidential and sensitive information requiring discretion, sound judgment, and professionalism.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions and changing operational or clinical needs.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made for otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Telehealth (24/7 online access to doctors)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employer-paid life insurance (1X salary)
• 13 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday
• Generous PTO policy (starting at 16 working days a year)
• 403(b) Retirement plan with 3% discretionary employer match or 3% student loan repayment reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement