Director of Behavioral Health (RN)

Heartline Staffing, Strategic Talent Partners with Purple Cow Recruiting, is seeking an experienced Director of Behavioral Health (RN) for a permanent leadership opportunity in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

This role is responsible for ensuring high-quality, patient-centered care through oversight of inpatient behavioral health operations. The Director of Behavioral Health provides leadership across staffing, clinical operations, budgeting, and strategic planning while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and compassionate care.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide operational and clinical leadership for the inpatient Behavioral Health Unit (BHU).

• Ensure appropriate staffing, scheduling, and resource utilization to support safe patient care.

• Lead forecasting, planning, and budget monitoring for the department.

• Develop, implement, and maintain policies, procedures, and workflows aligned with organizational objectives.

• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, and performance improvement.

• Monitor quality indicators, patient outcomes, and regulatory compliance.

• Support staff development, coaching, and performance management.

• Collaborate with interdisciplinary leadership to support facility-wide initiatives.

• Respond effectively to high-pressure situations while maintaining compassionate leadership.

Leadership Scope

• Oversees approximately 24 FTEs

• Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit (BHU)

• 48-bed unit with an average daily census of approximately 38 patients

Compensation

Annual Salary Range (Based on Experience)

• $110,000 (minimum)

• $120,000 (mid-range, approximately 10 years of experience)

• $130,000 (15+ years of experience)

Additional Information

• No sign-on bonus

• Relocation assistance available on a case-by-case basis

• Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license.

• Bachelor’s Degree required.

• Minimum of 5 years of recent (within the last year) inpatient behavioral health leadership experience in an acute care hospital setting (Manager or Assistant Nurse Manager level).

• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required within 30 days of employment start date.

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention certification required within 90 days of employment start date.

• Fingerprinting required.

• Strong leadership, communication, and crisis-management skills.

• Ability to manage high-acuity behavioral health environments with compassion and composure.

Heartline Staffing is a Strategic Talent Partner with Purple Cow Recruiting. Applications are securely processed through Purple Cow’s system.