Executive Director

Executive Director Thrive Now Recovery Centers – Pleasant Hill

Des Moines / Pleasant Hill, Iowa

Full-Time | On-Site | Exempt

Thrive Now Recovery Centers, in partnership with Ascension Recovery Services (ARS), is seeking an experienced, mission-driven Executive Director to lead our established residential substance use disorder treatment facility in Pleasant Hill, Iowa.

This is an opportunity to step into a facility with a strong foundation, an established team, and meaningful momentum — and help take it to the next level.

The Executive Director will be responsible for the overall operational, financial, cultural, regulatory, and strategic performance of the facility while ensuring that every decision remains centered on providing safe, high-quality, person-centered care.

We are looking for a leader who understands that excellent behavioral healthcare requires both compassion and operational discipline.

This is not simply a facility administrator role. The Executive Director serves as the senior leader responsible for building the team, strengthening the culture, growing the program, and creating an environment where both patients and employees can thrive.

The Executive Director is the senior operational and administrative leader of Thrive Now Pleasant Hill and is accountable for:

• Overall facility operations and performance
• Patient census, growth, and market development
• Financial stewardship and labor management
• Regulatory compliance and accreditation readiness
• Clinical and quality oversight in partnership with clinical and medical leadership
• Team development, performance management, and culture
• Patient safety and quality outcomes
• Community and referral relationships
• Continuous improvement and organizational execution

The Executive Director works closely with Ascension Recovery Services' centralized leadership and support teams, including Operations, Human Resources, Compliance, Finance, Revenue Cycle, Marketing, Admissions, IT, and Business Development, while maintaining strong local ownership and accountability for facility performance.

• Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight of all facility operations.
• Establish clear expectations, accountability, communication rhythms, and performance standards across departments.
• Ensure operational processes support safe, efficient, patient-centered care.
• Monitor facility performance and proactively identify operational barriers, staffing needs, and opportunities for improvement.
• Lead implementation of organizational initiatives, policies, procedures, and performance improvement plans.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels and effective utilization of resources based on census and patient needs.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence throughout the facility and actively engage with employees and patients.

• Maintain accountability for facility financial performance, operating budget, labor management, and expense control.
• Monitor key performance indicators including census, admissions, discharges, length of stay, staffing productivity, overtime, payer mix, and operating performance.
• Partner with Admissions and Business Development leaders to strengthen referral relationships and increase appropriate admissions.
• Identify opportunities to improve access to treatment and expand Thrive Now's presence throughout the Des Moines market.
• Balance financial responsibility with patient safety, clinical quality, and employee sustainability.

• Partner closely with the Clinical Director, Medical Director, nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary treatment team to maintain high-quality patient care.
• Ensure treatment services remain person-centered, evidence-based, and aligned with appropriate levels of care.
• Promote strong clinical documentation, treatment planning, discharge planning, and continuity of care.
• Monitor patient outcomes, grievances, incidents, safety concerns, and quality indicators.
• Champion a treatment environment built on dignity, accountability, compassion, and respect.
• Ensure patients experience a facility where they feel safe, supported, valued, and capable of building a meaningful life in recovery.

• Maintain compliance with applicable Iowa behavioral health licensure requirements.
• Lead and support ongoing Joint Commission accreditation readiness.
• Ensure consistent…