Director, Inpatient Behavioral Health Southeast Market - Norfolk General, Virginia Beach and Obici Hospitals

City / State

Norfolk, VA

Work Shift

First (Days)

Overview :

The Director, Inpatient Behavioral Health provides executive leadership and operational oversight for three behavioral health units within the hospital system. This role is responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered mental health and substance use disorder services while driving performance in clinical outcomes, regulatory compliance, financial stewardship, and employee engagement. The Director partners with medical staff, nursing, ancillary departments, and community stakeholders to create an integrated continuum of care that supports whole-person wellness.

Key Responsibilities :

Strategic & Operational Leadership

Provide overall direction and leadership for three behavioral health units, including inpatient psychiatric, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs.

Develop and execute strategic initiatives aligned with hospital and health system goals for behavioral health.

Ensure efficient, effective operations that balance quality of care, regulatory compliance, and financial sustainability.

Clinical Quality & Patient Safety

Oversee clinical care standards, ensuring evidence-based practices are implemented across all behavioral health services.

Monitor key quality indicators (readmission rates, patient satisfaction, incident reports) and implement continuous improvement initiatives.

Ensure compliance with DNV, CMS, and state regulatory requirements.

Workforce & Team Development

Lead, mentor, and develop nurse managers, program managers, and clinical staff across the three units.

Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.

Partner with Human Resources to recruit, retain , and support a diverse, highly skilled workforce.

Financial & Business Management

Develop, manage, and monitor operating budgets for all units, ensuring fiscal responsibility.

Identify opportunities for growth, cost containment, and operational efficiencies .

Support new business development and program expansion aligned with community behavioral health needs.

Collaboration & Community Engagement

Partners with physicians, advanced practice providers, and interdisciplinary teams to coordinate integrated behavioral health care.

Collaborate with emergency departments , primary care, and specialty services to improve access and care transitions.

Build relationships with community agencies, schools, payers, and advocacy groups to strengthen the continuum of care.

Educational Requirements :

Master's level degree in Nursing, Social Work, Psychology, Healthcare Administration, or related field (required).

Benefits : Caring For Your Family and Your Career

• Medical, Dental, Vision plans
• Adoption, Fertility and Surrogacy Reimbursement up to $10,000
• Paid Time Off and Sick Leave
• Paid Parental & Family Caregiver Leave
• Emergency Backup Care
• Long-Term, Short-Term Disability, and Critical Illness plans
• Life Insurance
• 401k / 403B with Employer Match
• Tuition Assistance - $5,250 / year and discounted educational opportunities through Guild Education
• Student Debt Pay Down - $10,000
• Reimbursement for certifications and free access to complete CEUs and professional development
• Pet Insurance
• Legal Resources Plan
• Colleagues may have the opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus if established system and employee eligibility criteria is met

Here at Sentara, we are committed to consistently enhancing our training, advancement tracks, work-life benefits, and more. Our goal is to make you feel more excited to be here every day!

Sentara Norfolk General Hospital , located in Norfolk, VA, is a 525-bed tertiary care facility that is home to the only Level I Adult Trauma Center and burn trauma unit in Hampton Roads, and also serves as the primary teaching hospital for Eastern Virginia Medical School.

In addition to the high-quality heart program at Sentara Heart Hospital, our facility is home to Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance and several other dedicated facilities and specialized services. As a recognized accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center, and Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, our hospital specializes in heart and vascular, neurosciences, neurosurgery, urology, oncology, spine care, advanced imaging, behavioral health, maternity, and women's health, including a state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit.

Sentara Health is an equal opportunity employer and prides itself on the diversity and inclusiveness of its close to an almost 30,000-member workforce. Diversity, inclusion, and belonging is a guiding principle of the organization to ensure its workforce reflects the communities it serves.

In support of our mission "to improve health every day," this is a tobacco-free environment.

For positions that are available as remote work, Sentara Health employs associates in the following states :

Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.