Chief Clinical Officer (BCBA)

Position Summary: The CCO provides oversight and leadership to an experienced staff of quality assurance and clinical development staff members. Responsible for providing clinical leadership, fostering superior quality learner experiences, standardizing clinical protocols and outcomes, developing clinical strategic goals and supporting program expansion. As CCO, this role promotes inter-departmental collaboration working closely with the operational leaders to deliver on the clinical quality, talent development, and learner objectives for the organization. Partners with the Vice President of External Affairs to understand and integrate any regulatory or industry changes that will require adjustments in clinical practice for any clinical based role.  Must be able to travel to corporate office in Mishawaka, IN as needed.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Clinical Standards

• Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to develop and implement clinical standards, policies, and goals that align with the organization’s mission and growth objectives.
• Oversee a comprehensive quality assurance and clinical improvement process to ensure outcomes are understood, supported with a culture of clinical excellence and development, and achieved.
• Design and uphold clinical standards across all centers, collaborating with Clinical and operational leaders to integrate best practices that enhances learner outcomes and supports the company’s reputation as a leader in ABA therapy.
• Develops and supports internal controls to ensure that policies and operating procedures are followed, necessary controls are effective and efficient.

Clinical Talent Development

• Oversee the Clinical Development Department, defining goals, strategies, and measurements to ensure training programs are robust and adaptive to the evolving needs of the organization.
• Drive initiatives to continually improve training content and methods, ensuring that all clinical staff are equipped with the skills and knowledge to deliver the highest standard of care.
• Lead the development and implementation of clinical career progression processes.
• Oversees the development, implementation, and monitoring of clinical standards for all clinical support employees, beginning within the hiring process and continuing through their entire employment to ensure clinical competency.

Quality Assurance and Audits

• Develop clinical standards and clinical quality KPIs and oversee regular quality audits to assess compliance with best practices, regulatory standards, and organizational policies.
• Identify areas for improvement in clinical operations and implement corrective actions to ensure consistent, high-quality care delivery.
• Works closely with the Director Compliance to assist with adherence to NCQA/ACQ standards, as applicable. 
• Maintains current knowledge of all standards.
• Ensures procedures support standards and revises procedures and workflows as standards change. 
• Promotes a positive learner experience within the realm of clinical practice. 
• Partners with compliance director to oversees the review, investigation and response to patient complaints.
• Conducts immediate/appropriate response to any serious occurrence/complaint.
• Monitors and takes subsequent actions to ensure learning, compliance, and documentation is completed.

Outcomes Initiatives

• Lead LAC’s Outcomes Project, developing tools, metrics, and processes to assess and enhance clinical outcomes for all learners.
• Collaborate with external agencies and experts to establish advanced outcome measurement strategies that keep the organization at the forefront of industry standards.
• Develop ongoing strategies to enhance outcome measurements, introduce new assessment tools, and adapt to emerging industry practices.

Cross-Functional Clinical Advisory

• Serve as the primary advisor on clinical quality, outcomes, and training to cross-functional teams, including insurance, operations, compliance, and payor relations.
• Provide insights and recommendations to ensure clinical practices are consistently aligned with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.
• Promotes the use and implementation of technology in the workplace in order to streamline operations, facilitate communications, and optimize work processes

Policy Development and Implementation

• Develop and oversee clinical policies and best practice guidelines, ensuring consistency and compliance with both state and federal regulations.
• Work closely with Clinical Operations to ensure the successful implementation of new policies across all centers, adapting policies as needed based on feedback and results.

Knowledge & Skills

• Proven leadership experience managing multi-disciplinary teams, with a focus on clinical excellence and staff development.
• Strong data analysis skills and an ability to develop actionable insights to drive improvements in clinical quality.
• Extensive knowledge of ABA practices, clinical standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices in the autism therapy field.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with a focus on detail orientation and the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the capacity to engage and influence at all levels within the organization.
• A demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, with a successful track record of building and leading high-performing teams.

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree in a related field required
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification required
• 9+ years of clinical management experience in an ABA setting, with a focus on training, quality control, and ASD.