Utilization Management and Clinical Coordination Section Manager (SPM II)
1 day ago
Seattle
Salary $129,968.18 - $164,742.03 Annually Location Chinook Building, 401 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA Job Type Career Service (Exec) Job Number 2026GM27072 Department DCHS - Community & Human Srvcs Division Behavioral Health and Recovery Opening Date 05/15/2026 Closing Date 5/30/2026 11:59 PM Pacific FLSA Exempt Bargaining Unit Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines Full- or Part-Time Full Time Hours/Week 40 hours/week The Department of Community and Human Services values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences. King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community. At King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), we believe in working as one team that solves problems-striving to be customer-focused and drive for the best results. We envision a welcoming community that is racially just. We believe the field of human services exists to undo and mitigate unfair structures. We seek to lead the way by working as respectful and responsible stewards for our community. The Special Projects Manager II of the Utilization Management and Clinical Coordination section is responsible for leading the King County Behavioral Health and Recovery Division's (BHRD) activity in behavioral health utilization management and care coordination. The position reports to BHRD's Chief Medical Officer and is responsible for managing a team of care authorizer supervisors and care authorizers/care coordinators, the client services line and various projects related to coordinating care for individuals across the behavioral health system. Care coordination, connecting individuals with the most appropriate level of behavioral healthcare, and effective utilization of available behavioral health resources are integral to behavioral health system improvement in King County and require a visionary leader. The core duties of this position include management and oversight of behavioral health initiatives that impact care coordination and utilization management for behavioral health outpatient, SUD residential treatment, Partial Hospitalization Programs, Crisis Stabilization Units, and specialty eating disorder treatment. This care impacts over 40,000 individuals per year and requires coordination and integration across multiple agencies. The Manager will be a primary contact on care coordination and utilization management concerns and a collaborator with key behavioral health system partners, such as Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCO's), residential and outpatient treatment providers, inpatient providers, and emergency/crisis care providers. They will be responsible for managing Medicaid and non-Medicaid authorizations of over $181M annually, client services, and adverse benefit determination. They will have responsibility for overseeing and implementing innovations in effective sharing of information, easing transitions from different levels of care, expansion of technology tools, and ensuring the right level of care and support for King County residents needing behavioral health treatment. The Manager of the Utilization Management and Clinical Coordination section will also be a critical member of the BHRD management team. WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified candidates who meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around 6/19/2026. APPLICATION PROCESS If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement. The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy: • NeoGov Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process), • Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process) Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted. This selection process may also be used to create a pool of candidates for current and future career service, term-limited temporary, and special duty opportunities. The pool will be active for 6 months. WORK SCHEDULE/CONDITIONS: This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and is not eligible for overtime. Typical hours are Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm. MISSION CRITICAL POSITION STATUS: This position has been designated Mission Critical. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency . TELEWORKING REQUIREMENT: DCHS works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is the Chinook Building at 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. RECRUITER: Greg Mallory, • Manage and oversee all section staff, including employee development, performance management, team development, and facilitation of staff meetings, • Determine charter and scope of section projects, assuring projects are aligned with County/Department strategies, initiatives and business needs or values. This position also holds responsibility for ensuring day-to-day project activities are met and developing recommendations to ensure compliance with state and federal laws, • Manage and oversee section and initiative budgets, in collaboration with the finance team, • Manage and oversee authorization and review processes for non-Medicaid benefits, SUD Residential services, Partial Hospitalization Programs, Crisis Stabilization Units, and Eating Disorder services, • Manage and oversee care coordination services for individuals without insurance and collaborate with Medicaid MCO's and behavioral health treatment providers on care coordination activities for King County residents, • Manage the BHRD client services phone line, • Facilitate and manage a King County Integrated Care Network (KCICN) Clinical Providers meeting, • Manage daily operations to include overseeing project activities, assessing issues and risk, scheduling and allocating resources, budgeting, and ensuring timely and accurate completion of project assignments, • Oversee and develop care coordination activities, supports, and technology tools or platforms, including design, implementation, and continuous quality improvement, • Responsible for adherence to National Quality Assurance Commission (NCQA), Centers for Medicaid/Medicare (CMS), Health Care Authority (HCA), and Managed Care Organization (MCO) utilization management requirements, including the development of policies and procedures, data and reporting systems, and job aides to conduct utilization management & medical necessity reviews in compliance with State Medicaid requirements, • Prepare/coordinate the development of reports, Requests for Proposals (RFP's), Requests for Information (RFI's), as needed, • Oversee all contract deliverables in local, state, and federal grants and oversight of contracts or legislatively directed policy changes that relate to the delivery of care coordination services or execution of medical necessity requirements, • Participate in statewide and local advocacy for policies and initiatives that further effective behavioral health care coordination and treatment utilization, • Engage and collaborate with key system partners on care coordination and utilization management efforts, including Medicaid MCO's and treatment providers across the behavioral health continuum, • Implement data-driven Continuous Quality Improvement practices to drive further improvements in utilization management and care coordination within the King County behavioral health system, • Lead efforts to adopt evidence-based practices and effective technology solutions to improve care coordination and utilization management, • Track budget, site visits, evaluations/performance measures, and use of evaluation to make midstream updates and redirections, • Respond to requests from and represent the county in meetings with King County Executive's Office and Council, state staff, and other elected officials on issues affecting BHRD programs and services, • Coordinate and collaborate with BHRD sections and external partners to optimize section activities, • Perform other related duties as assigned., • Bachelor's degree in human services or related field. Qualifying experience may substitute one year for one year of education., • Two years of recent experience working as a manager or supervisor in behavioral health., • A minimum of 5 or more years of professional experience in Behavioral Health., • Knowledge of principles of equity and social justice, and demonstrated ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds., • Strong interpersonal skills, including a collaborative approach and good listening skills., • Advanced knowledge of and recent experience in care coordination services., • Demonstrated experience in utilization management to determine medical necessity and appropriate provision of needed behavioral health services., • Leadership in the delivery of recovery-oriented care that is built on the strengths and resilience of individuals, families, and communities who are actively engaged in their health, wellness, and recovery., • Knowledge and experience with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rules and regulations related to behavioral health., • Demonstrated ability to manage projects using effective project management principles, methodologies, and processes., • Skill in organizing, planning, and executing large-scale, complex multiphase projects requiring multiple organization integration from vision through implementation., • Advanced skill in effectively communicating orally and in writing, including making formal presentations to groups and committees, influencing decision makers in a political environment, and working with the media., • Skill in gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing data; writing papers and reports, including the ability to present statistical and narrative information to non-technical stakeholders., • Skill in problem-solving, conflict resolution, and decision-making; handling multiple competing priorities. Desired Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, • Master's degree in human services or related field and/or equivalent education and work experience., • Knowledge of King County's behavioral health service system, social service network, and evidence-based and promising practices., • Licensed as a mental health professional and/ or substance use disorder professional., • In recovery or have lived experiences in behavioral health. Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers. Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play. Guided by our "True North" , we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans. King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation. To Apply If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement. King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs: • Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents, • Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents, • Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan, • Transportation program and ORCA transit pass, • 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays, • Generous vacation and paid sick leave, • Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves, • Flexible Spending Account, • Wellness programs, • Onsite activity centers, • Employee Giving Program, • Employee assistance programs, • Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position, • Training and career development programsFor additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page . This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass. For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting. recblid cusfo88q3o9xlkdjmpjkgrsmppoql2