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The Behavioral Health Strategy Lead Behavioral Health Executive Leader (known to Humana as a Behavioral Health Strategy Lead role) is responsible for defining, implementing, and advancing the strategic vision of behavioral health initiatives across Humana’s Illinois health plan. This executive role collaborates with senior leadership to shape segment and enterprise-wide policies, guides innovation, and oversees the integration of behavioral and physical health services. This role will influence enterprise outcomes, develops new approaches to care delivery, and serves as the senior advisor on complex behavioral health matters impacting the organization’s transformation agenda.

Key Responsibilities:

• Directs the development of multi-year behavioral health strategy, working closely with senior executives and advising functional areas on high-impact initiatives, including Medicaid innovation, 1115 Waiver integration, and CCBHC expansion.
• Makes recommendations of strategic significance to executive leadership by analyzing complex trends, devising new methods, and influencing decisions with broad organizational impact.
• Advises and guides multiple internal teams, providing advanced subject matter expertise and leading the implementation of innovative models for integrated and trauma-informed care.
• Serves as the principal behavioral health representative for Humana Illinois, routinely engaging with executive sponsors, state agencies, CCBHCs, and community leaders to drive collaborative, sustainable change.
• Oversees design and execution of programs to improve access, quality, and coordination of behavioral health services, utilizing strong analytic thinking to develop and refine new procedures and interventions.
• Provides strategic leadership in the operationalization of Illinois’ 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterprise goals in care integration and health equity.
• Exercises executive oversight of Mobile Crisis Response and vendor management, developing novel solutions and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Ensures that all behavioral health operations not only meet, but exceed, regulatory, contractual, and accreditation requirements, supporting a culture of continuous improvement and compliance across the organization.
• Champions cross-functional and enterprise collaboration, influencing key outcomes in quality, provider relations, population health, and community engagement.
• Guides associates from foundational to complex project work, fostering knowledge growth and supporting high-performing, interdepartmental teams.
• Contributes to the development of organizational principles and objectives, utilizing unique expertise and inductive reasoning to achieve goals creatively and efficiently.
• Monitors, analyzes, and interprets emerging behavioral health and health equity trends, providing strategic advice to senior executives and recommending transformative opportunities across the enterprise.
• Leads performance measurement and quality improvement efforts, sponsoring data-driven decision-making around network adequacy, utilization, member outcomes, and health equity objectives.
• Facilitates strategic advisory councils, learning collaboratives, and community forums, establishing Humana as a trusted partner in behavioral health innovation.

Use your skills to make an impact
 

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in: Social work, Counseling, Psychology, Public Health, Health Administration, Nursing or a related field.
• Active Illinois licensure as RN, LCSW, LCPC, LMFT, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, or equivalent.
• 7+ years of leadership experience leading teams in operations within behavioral health, healthcare transformation, integrated care, or related disciplines.
• Experience working in a Managed Care Organization
• Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale, multi-stakeholder initiatives and influence senior executives, with comprehensive expertise across multiple functional areas.
• Deep knowledge of Illinois’ behavioral health landscape, Medicaid managed care, CCBHC models, 1115 Waiver programs, and Mobile Crisis Response.
• Proven ability in strategic planning, analytic thinking, performance management, and regulatory compliance.
• Outstanding communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with proven effectiveness at the executive level.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook).
• Must reside and perform work in the state of Illinois and report to the Market office as needed for training/meetings
• Must possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and willingness to travel statewide up to 35%.