Clinical Director

Acorn Health · Gaylord, Michigan, United States

directorfull timeunknown
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Role at a Glance

A director-level ABA leadership role for credentialed BCBAs ready to step into clinic management. You'll lead a team of BCBAs, BCaBAs, and RBTs at Acorn Health's Gaylord, Michigan location, oversee day-to-day operations, and maintain a reduced client caseload. Salary range: $85,000–$114,000 (base + performance bonus). Requires active BCBA certification and at least 3 years of clinical practice.

About This Role

This Clinical Director position at Acorn Health sits at the intersection of clinical practice and operational leadership. Based in Gaylord, Michigan, the person in this role oversees all clinic-level operations — from staff scheduling and treatment plan oversight to cross-functional coordination with billing, HR, and admissions teams. Unlike a purely administrative director role, this position retains a reduced direct-service caseload, keeping the Clinical Director grounded in hands-on behavior analytic work while running the team. It is a dual-track role designed for a BCBA who is ready to lead without fully stepping away from clients.

About Acorn Health

Acorn Health is an ABA treatment organization serving children, adolescents, and young adults with autism across Michigan and beyond. The company emphasizes individualized, evidence-based care and maintains a Clinical Advisory Board that practicing clinicians can access for professional guidance. Acorn's internal culture is organized around five operational values — showing up authentically, honoring commitments to children and families, collaborating with genuine enthusiasm, adapting to each client's evolving needs, and acting with urgency when outcomes are on the line. For clinicians pursuing a leadership track, Acorn runs a formal Leadership Development Institute and actively promotes career growth within its provider network.

What You'll Do

  • Drive execution of service quality and growth initiatives across the clinic
  • Oversee daily clinical operations including staff scheduling and client appointment management
  • Implement and uphold clinical policies and standard operating procedures
  • Foster a client-centered therapeutic environment where individual input shapes treatment planning
  • Supervise and mentor a multi-credential clinical team including BCBAs, BCaBAs, and RBTs
  • Analyze behavioral data to identify stalled client progress and collaborate with supervisees to course-correct
  • Design and deliver training sessions for clinical staff and client caregivers
  • Stay current with behavior analytic research through literature review and professional conference attendance
  • Conduct yearly performance reviews for supervised clinicians, focused on growth potential and treatment fidelity
  • Identify specific behavioral targets and performance skills that enable supervisees to produce measurable client outcomes
  • Carry a reduced direct-service caseload, conducting hands-on client assessments and treatment delivery
  • Take an active role in recruiting and hiring behavior technicians, BCBAs, BCaBAs, and ABA Supervisors
  • Address employee relations matters with discretion, coordinating with HR where appropriate
  • Coordinate with Admissions, Payroll, Finance, Billing, and HR on records management and payer-related matters
  • Participate in meetings and reporting as directed by the Regional Clinical Director

Must-Have Qualifications

  • Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis or a closely related behavioral science field
  • Active Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification from the BACB — no exceptions due to payer requirements
  • Minimum 3 years of hands-on BCBA clinical practice experience
  • Demonstrated leadership or management experience at an ABA treatment organization
  • Track record managing teams, clinical projects, and multi-stakeholder meetings
  • Proficiency with ABA data collection and practice management systems (e.g., CentralReach)
  • Strong written and verbal English communication skills
  • Valid driver's license, reliable personal vehicle, and a clean driving record
  • Physical capability to meet role demands, including lifting and accessing non-barrier-free environments
  • Ability to pass a background check

Preferred Qualifications

  • Direct experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults in ABA settings
  • Familiarity with current best-practice literature and BACB guidelines specific to autism treatment
  • Background collaborating on interdisciplinary treatment teams
  • Strong documentation and reporting skills with high attention to detail

Skills Breakdown: Must-Have vs. Nice-to-Have

At the core, this role demands an active BCBA credential plus demonstrated leadership over a multi-credential ABA team — someone who can interpret behavioral data, coach supervisees through performance gaps, and know when to escalate. Practice management fluency (CentralReach or an equivalent platform) is a stated requirement, not a preference. Organizational capacity also matters: scheduling, record maintenance, and cross-departmental communication are baked into daily work. On the nice-to-have side, direct experience with pediatric and adolescent ABA populations strengthens candidacy, as does a background in interdisciplinary collaboration. Clinicians who actively consume behavior analytic literature will stand out as genuine supervisory resources to their team, not just evaluators.

Salary and Compensation

Acorn Health has posted a compensation range of $85,000 to $114,000 per year. The company has explicitly stated that this figure reflects a base salary combined with a performance-linked bonus tied to clinical impact hours delivered — meaning the top of the range is achievable but not guaranteed at the point of hire. Actual total compensation will depend on direct service output alongside leadership responsibilities. Beyond base pay, the role includes a retirement plan, life insurance, and both short- and long-term disability coverage. CEU reimbursement and professional development funding add further annual value for BCBAs who carry ongoing certification maintenance costs.

Benefits

  • Incentive bonus tied to clinical impact hours
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Paid time off and paid holidays
  • Retirement plan
  • Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
  • CEU reimbursement opportunities
  • Professional development funding
  • Access to Acorn's Leadership Development Institute
  • Collaboration opportunities with the Clinical Advisory Board
  • Balanced caseloads and flexible scheduling
  • Supportive administrative back-office infrastructure

Location and Work Model

This is an on-site position based at Acorn Health's Gaylord, Michigan clinic. The role involves clinic-based sessions and may include visits to client homes or community settings, making reliable personal transportation a hard requirement. No remote or hybrid arrangement is indicated in the posting. The listing does not mention relocation assistance or visa sponsorship; candidates with those needs should confirm availability directly with Acorn Health's hiring team before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Is BCBA certification strictly required, or will related credentials be considered?

Active BCBA certification from the BACB is a non-negotiable requirement for this role. Acorn Health's listing explicitly states that data and business analyst candidates cannot be considered due to payer restrictions — the credential must be current at the time of application.

How does the $85,000–$114,000 compensation range work?

Acorn has clarified that the posted range includes a base salary plus a performance-linked bonus tied to clinical impact hours delivered. The top of the range reflects bonus achievement, not a flat salary guarantee. Expect to discuss the specific structure during the interview process.

Will I still work directly with clients in this Clinical Director role?

Yes, but at a reduced level compared to a standard BCBA caseload. The role deliberately includes a smaller direct-service commitment alongside leadership and operational duties, keeping the Clinical Director actively engaged in hands-on assessment and treatment.

Which clinical staff will I be responsible for supervising?

You will provide clinical oversight to BCBAs, BCaBAs, and RBTs. You will also conduct annual performance reviews for ABA Supervisors and play an active role in the hiring process for behavior technicians, BCaBAs, BCBAs, and ABA Supervisors.

Does this position require travel beyond the Gaylord clinic?

The listing requires reliable personal transportation and a valid driver's license, which indicates travel to client homes or community settings is part of the role in addition to the primary clinic location. The specific extent of off-site travel is not detailed in the posting.

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