VP Social Work and Behavioral Health Services

PURPOSE AND SCOPE:

The VP Social Work and Behavioral Health Services leads the organization and teams in shaping and executing the SW departmental vision, strategy, goals, and priorities for Fresenius Kidney Care. The position is responsible for designing strategies that support the organization’s broader objectives/business goals. This leader will be a key connector fostering collaboration across cross-functional teams to create a unified/standardized approach to support patient advocacy, drive program growth and serve as the organization’s primary liaison for the behavioral health and clinical social work care of patients. This position will represent Nursing and Clinical Services on global initiatives and projects that impact the behavioral health and/or psychosocial needs of our patient population. 

This role involves collaborating closely with senior executives to develop and refine strategies that address the behavioral/mental health of our patients. A deep understanding of clinical, scientific, service and technology landscapes is essential to drive innovation and strengthen the company’s competitive edge to improve the care available to patients. A strong emphasis on value-based care models and alignment with ESRD quality metrics is critical. 

With a focus on quality, clinical excellence and strategic foresight, this role is key in identifying new strategies and services that address and improve patient quality of life, transplant referrals, and treatment adherence. This role will be enterprise designation as the subject matter expert for complex psychosocial and behavioral health issues. 

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy, Innovation, and Quality of Care 

• Responsible for the strategic departmental plan that supports the business goals and objectives including improving behavioral health and clinical social work practices, transplant referrals, and improvement in treatment adherence. 

• Develop innovative strategies/techniques leading to differentiated services that improve patient quality of life. 

• Integrate behavioral health into ESRD care delivery models, including development of a behavioral health quality framework that includes safety, effectiveness, efficiency, equity, timeliness, and patient centered care. 

• Create system wide quality improvement methodology, including training and prioritization processes. 

• Establish governance structures such as advisory boards/committees to drive execution and engagement. 

• Create a comprehensive workforce strategy including organizational design, succession planning, and retention. 

• Efficiently evaluate potential partnership opportunities to identify high impact growth initiatives and potential new market opportunities. 

• Develop enterprise wide KPIs, dashboards and data driven performance monitoring frameworks. Monitor service delivery, evaluate program effectiveness and pivot strategies based on data analytics and quality control metrics. 

• Evaluate performance metrics, drive professional development initiatives, and foster a supportive environment for staff. 

• Represent the organization’s social work initiative on multidisciplinary committees.

• Sets direction, concepts, technology frameworks to develop significant advances to processes and services delivered to patients. 

• Manages activities of the Social Services Department programs in accordance with policies and accepted social work practice.

• Leads delivery of innovative solutions to processes and services which may require interpretation outside of established protocols.

• Problems and challenges faced are extraordinarily complex, requiring broad-based solutions to innovate in the direction of operational, financial, or human dimensions of the business. 

Leadership 

• Oversee social work departmental staff, providing support, guidance, and encouragement to promote professional growth amongst team as well as facility social workers within organization. 

• Ensure all staff adhere to the highest ethical and clinical standards set by licensing boards and professional organizations. 

• Evaluate performance metrics, drive professional development initiatives, and foster a supportive environment for staff. 

• Ensure department staff adhere to CMS Conditions for Coverage, all policies, including adherence to federal and state requirements, compliance, and audit readiness. 

• Ensures that budgets and schedules are within company requirements with significant organizational responsibility for the overall control of planning, staffing, budgeting, expense priority management, and the recommendation and implementation of current practices. 

• Responsible for the direct supervision of various levels of the Social Work Services organization.

Experience and Professional Qualifications 

• The successful candidate for this position will be an experienced and respected healthcare executive with a proven record of conceptualizing, developing, and executing strategic initiatives. 
• Leadership: exceptional team building, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills 

• Compliance Knowledge: deep, practical knowledge of social work ethics, healthcare laws, and patient privacy/confidentiality standards. 

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to present effectively to boards, stakeholders, and executive leadership. 

• Extensive understanding of the intersection of a patient’s medical, behavioral health and psychosocial needs.

Skills/Competencies/Supervision/Travel 

• Ability and willingness to make impact by bringing innovative ideas, energy, and strategies together in a thoughtful and comprehensive approach, taking initiative, tackling new opportunities and challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm. Strong business acumen and intuition; ability to quickly ascertain the value proposition and lead due diligence efforts around partnerships and projected ROIs. 

• Knowledge of current and future behavioral health and social work practices that result in superior patient care. 

• Passion, humility, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, self-directed 

• Establishes goals, priorities and focus of the facility social work teams. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Travel up to 25% of time, including attendance at leadership meetings and other key organizational meetings as needed. 

SUPERVISION:

• May be responsible for the direct supervision of various levels of the Social Work Services organizational structure.

EDUCATION AND REQUIRED CREDENTIALS:

• Master’s degree in social work (MSW) from an accredited program 

• Licensure: Active, unrestricted clinical licensure (LCSW, LICSW) is highly preferred 

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:   

• 7+ years of progressive executive leadership or senior management experience in social services, or behavioral health 
• Demonstrated experience managing one or more departments.
• Strong management skills with the ability to lead cohesive and productive teams.
• Strong people skills with the ability to communicate with all levels of management through diplomacy and tact.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Benefit Overview: This position offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) with company match, paid time off, parental leave and potential for performance-based bonuses depending on company and individual performance.

If your location allows for pay/benefit transparency, please click the link below to request further information on this position. 
Pay Transparency Request Form

Fresenius Medical Care maintains a drug-free workplace in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.