DSHS Deputy Assistant Secretary, Behavioral Health Habilitation Administration

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Behavioral Health & Habilitation Administration

Lead with Humanity. Strengthen Operations. Shape the Future of Behavioral Health.

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is seeking an experienced executive leader to serve as the next Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Behavioral Health & Habilitation Administration (BHHA).

This is an opportunity to help shape the future of behavioral health services in Washington by strengthening one of the state's most complex healthcare systems, supporting statewide behavioral health facilities, and ensuring every decision reflects sound fiscal stewardship and a commitment to the people we serve.

If you're energized by solving complex challenges, strengthening organizations, and leading people through collaboration, this role offers the opportunity to make a lasting statewide impact.

About the Role

Working in partnership with the Assistant Secretary, you'll serve as BHHA's primary internal leader, providing executive leadership for approximately 1,633 employees and seven direct reports, including hospital chief executive officers and senior headquarters leaders.

You’ll provide operational leadership across six behavioral health facilities, forensic mental health services, and other statewide behavioral health programs, with responsibility for policy implementation, risk management, major strategic initiatives, and significant budget resources while partnering with executive leaders to strengthen organizational performance across one of Washington's most complex behavioral healthcare systems.

Every operational decision has a financial impact—and every decision ultimately affects the people we serve. Effective leadership in this role requires balancing fiscal stewardship, patient and staff safety, operational excellence, and humanity.

Within your first year, you'll

• Strengthen consistency across BHHA facilities and headquarters.
• Improve executive decision-making by ensuring policy and business decisions are supported by sound financial stewardship and well-developed business cases.
• Build trusted partnerships with hospital CEOs, headquarters leaders, and executive leadership.
• Advance patient and staff safety through proactive leadership and thoughtful decision-making.
• Strengthen the organization's infrastructure while helping advance the Assistant Secretary's vision for BHHA.

The Type of Leadership BHHA Needs

You are a leader who

• Builds trust through collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
• Exercises sound judgment and understands the financial impact of executive decisions.
• Remains calm, decisive, and solutions-focused during complex challenges and crisis situations.
• Balances organizational excellence with compassion and humanity.
• Develops people, strengthens teams, and inspires confidence across the behavioral health system.

Key Priorities

• Strengthen Organizational Performance
• Provide executive leadership across BHHA facilities and headquarters while fostering consistency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Advance Financial Stewardship
• Guide thoughtful decision-making by ensuring policies and initiatives are supported by sound financial analysis, strong business cases, and responsible stewardship of public resources.
• Support Patient and Staff Safety
• Lead the response to complex issues, emergency events, and high-risk situations while maintaining an unwavering commitment to patient and staff safety.
• Strengthen Systemwide Collaboration
• Partner with hospital CEOs and headquarters leaders to improve coordination, strengthen executive decision-making, and promote the sharing of best practices across BHHA.
• Partner in Executive Leadership
• Serve as the Assistant Secretary's trusted partner, helping advance strategic priorities while strengthening the administration's leadership, infrastructure, and long-term success.

Experience & Leadership

We're looking for an accomplished executive leader who brings a combination of education, executive leadership experience, and demonstrated success leading complex organizations, including:

• A bachelor’s degree in human services, healthcare administration, business administration, or a closely related field. An advanced degree is preferred. Relevant experience will substitute year for year for education
• Demonstrated senior-level healthcare administration experience in a complex healthcare environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing significant operational and/or capital budgets.
• Experience working in a matrix management environment with demonstrated success in working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• A commitment to advancing equity, access, and belonging.
• Government leadership experience, behavioral healthcare experience, and experience developing legislative requests or budget decision packages are highly desirable.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills

Why Apply?

This is more than an executive leadership opportunity—it's an opportunity to strengthen one of Washington's most complex behavioral healthcare systems while improving the lives of the people we serve.

You'll join an executive leadership team committed to thoughtful leadership, continuous improvement, and meaningful public service. Together, you'll strengthen statewide behavioral health services, support dedicated employees, and help build a future grounded in accountability, compassion, and humanity.

This is your opportunity to leave a lasting impact by strengthening systems, supporting people, and helping shape the future of behavioral health services across Washington State.

Application Process

We anticipate appointing the Assistant Secretary as early as December 2026.:

Applications received by October 20th will receive priority consideration.

Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until an appointment is made.

Your letter of interest should highlight how your experience aligns with leadership competencies and capabilities outlined in this profile.

To learn more about DSHS and BHHA, review the Executive Brochure

The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or.

Relationship and Reporting Structure (Nepotism) Disclosure: If you are selected for hire, you must disclose whether you have a relative, household member, close friend, or romantic partner within your potential supervisory chain of command. DSHS has a Relationships and the Reporting Structure policy that prohibits nepotism and can be reviewed here. Applicants whose appointment would result in a prohibited reporting relationship are not eligible for appointment to that position