Chief Executive Officer (Behavioral Health Hospital)

 

This is a full-authority CEO role at an inpatient behavioral health hospital in the Greater Tampa Bay Area. You will carry end-to-end operational, financial, clinical, and regulatory responsibility — and you will have the leadership latitude to build the culture, grow the census, and extend the facility's reach into outpatient and community-based services.

Base compensation is $200,000–$220,000, with bonus eligibility and full benefits. Relocation assistance is available for the right candidate.

This is a highly visible executive seat. The person who fits it has already run an acute psychiatric or behavioral health hospital at the CEO, COO, or Hospital Administrator level — and has the results to show for it.

 

You will serve as the facility's senior executive, accountable to the governing body for every dimension of hospital performance. Day-to-day, that means managing operations, leading the executive team, driving census and revenue growth, and maintaining full regulatory and accreditation compliance.

Beyond operations, this role carries a genuine external-facing mandate: building relationships with government agencies, community organizations, affiliate providers, and the payer community — and translating those relationships into sustainable growth.

Key areas of responsibility include strategic business planning, P&L management, Joint Commission survey readiness, QAPI and patient safety oversight, medical staff recruitment, payer contract negotiations, and leadership team development.

 

- Minimum 3–5 years of senior leadership or CEO experience in a behavioral health, acute psychiatric, or managed care hospital environment
- Demonstrated ability to lead Joint Commission surveys as the point person — this is a hard requirement
- Full P&L responsibility for a hospital with an operating budget of at least $20 million
- Experience leading QAPI, patient safety initiatives, or regulatory corrective action plans
- Proven track record hiring, developing, and retaining clinical and medical staff — psychiatrists, nursing leaders, therapists
- Strong working knowledge of payer contracting, financial management, and business development
- BA required (Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, or related field); MBA or MHA preferred
- Experience with behavioral health hospital start-ups or expansion environments is a meaningful differentiator

 

- Base salary: $200,000–$220,000 (Negotiable)
- Bonus eligibility
- Full benefits package
- Relocation assistance available
- Interview travel reimbursed

 

The Greater Tampa Bay region has become one of the most dynamic healthcare markets in the Southeast — anchored by major medical systems, a growing population, and sustained investment in behavioral health infrastructure. The area north of Tampa combines genuine suburban livability with easy access to the Gulf Coast, major league sports, international airports, and one of Florida's more temperate climates relative to the rest of the state. Outdoor options are legitimate — from freshwater springs to Gulf beaches within an hour. The cost of living remains meaningfully lower than comparable metro markets on the East and West coasts, and Florida's tax environment is a straightforward financial win for executives relocating from higher-tax states.

 

This is an inpatient behavioral health hospital offering acute psychiatric services to patients across the lifespan, with program scope extending to children, adolescents, and families. The hospital operates within a larger behavioral health platform and carries full licensure and accreditation obligations under Joint Commission standards. The CEO reports directly to the governing body and functions as the facility's highest on-site executive authority.