Chief Medical Officer

Job Posting Title:

Chief Medical Officer

Department:

Behavioral Health

Location:

5901 ZUNI RD SE

Pay:

$206,612 - $250,000

Close Date:

November 14, 2025

Employees at Bernalillo County enjoy the ability to team up with each other to build a high quality of life for our county residents, communities, and businesses. In addition to being an organization with a strong focus on work-life balance, building a culture of flexibility, learning, and belonging the County offers many benefits. Employees of Bernalillo County enjoy many thoughtful rewards such as, but not limited to generous leave accruals; career development opportunities; remote & flex-work options as appropriate; longevity pay; education assistance program; health benefits; lucrative retirement; and so much more.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) functions as a key member of the BernCo Executive Team, reporting directly to the County Manager, providing input into policy decisions and medical leadership to all relevant divisions, departments, and offices, with the goal of promoting the delivery of high-quality health and behavioral health services within a sustainable budget. The CMO will interact on a regular basis with clinical and non-clinical staff and others as needed. Other key responsibilities include analysis of proposed policy and testimony before policy-making bodies, leadership on the social determinants of health, and serving as a liaison to the health and behavioral health care provider community.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead, direct and/or give implementation support to programs that improve the health or quality of care for the populations served.

• Lead, orchestrate, implement and/or sponsor programs to evaluate the quality of care. This evaluation enables the leveraging of new or existing purchasing and payment strategies.

• Support the negotiation and monitoring of health-related contracts.  Negotiations can include deliberations on scopes of work, payment rates and structures, and terms and conditions.

• Lead efforts in better addressing the social determinants of health.

• Develop, lead and/or participate in quality oversight for significant aspects of leveraging Medicaid for both county provided and contracted services.

• Provide medical leadership and consultation for employee benefit design, for correctional health and behavioral health at both the Metropolitan Detention Center and the Adolescent Services Center, for the Medical Directors of Fire/EMS, and for the 911 Emergency Contact Center (ECC).

• In accordance with Ordinance No. 2024-15, provide Medical Director services to the Behavioral Health Authority Division.

• Provide leadership on assuring greater integration of health and behavioral health care for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and those with traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

• Provide direct medical consultation for policy development, case reviews, and appeals.

• Serve as liaison with health and behavioral health care providers, the NM Medicaid Medical Director, Medicaid managed care medical directors, University of New Mexico Hospital Medical Directors, and other clinical partners to achieve program goals. 

• Provide leadership to assure that BernCo maintains its various national health and behavioral health accreditations.

• Identify operational problems and formulate appropriate solutions.

• Prepare executive-level reports and correspondence.

• Act as liaison and exchange information with a variety of outside organizations.

• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

• Establish effective working relationships with management, employees, employee representatives and the public representing diverse cultures and backgrounds.

• Communicate effectively with a variety of individuals representing diverse cultures and backgrounds and function calmly in situations which require a high degree of sensitivity, tact and diplomacy.

• Work with the NM Health Care Workforce Committee overseen by the UNM Health Sciences Center, and other allies, to seek solutions to better address health and behavioral health workforce shortages statewide.

*The above information is intended to outline the general nature and scope of the duties required for this position. It is not an exhaustive list and may vary depending on specific job assignments and responsibilities. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Licensed to practice medicine in the state of NM or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire, under the medical licensure compact.