Mendota Mental Health Institute (MMHI) within the Department of Health Services (DHS) is recruiting to fill the Institution Director position in Madison.

MMHI is a part of the Division of Care and Treatment Services (DCTS) and is a psychiatric hospital providing quality mental health services to juvenile, adult, and geriatric patients at the hospital and oversees the Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT), which serves individuals in the community. MMHI is located on the north side of Madison and offers a beautiful campus environment, convenient free parking and an onsite workout facility.

As an employee of the state of Wisconsin, you'll have access to an amazing benefits package, including:

• 3.5 weeks of vacation, 9 paid holidays and ample sick time; limitations may apply for leave time usage in the first six months.
• Top rated health plan options starting at $45/month for single plans and $111/month for family plans, after 2 months of state service. 
• Exceptional pension plan with a 7.2% employer match in 2026 with lifetime retirement payment. Plus, a tax advantaged supplemental retirement savings plan which allows you to save money directly from your paycheck for retirement. Use this Total Rewards Calculator to see the total value of our competitive benefits package!  
• Several flex spending accounts: medical, dependent care, commuter, parking and High Deductible Health Savings.
• Well Wisconsin Wellness Program
• A free and confidential employee assistance program that offers employees and their immediate family dependents a variety of tools, resources, and professional consultation services to support their health, goals, and overall well-being.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program employer.

As the MMHI Director, you will serve as the chief administrative officer of the facility and ensure the delivery of competent and compassionate mental health services to patients served. The facility is a highly specialized mental health inpatient facility that provides care, custody, treatment and education to forensic patients. The facility also works with civilly committed geriatric patients. In this role, you’ll work collaboratively with community partners to support the continuum of care for patients prior to admission and after discharge from the hospital.  Responsibilities include:

• Overseeing the development, administration, and quality of programs for patients.
• Developing and managing a biennial budget.
• Overseeing security and providing a secure, therapeutic environment for patients and staff
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with the community and local government. 
• Providing supervision to staff.
• Maintaining accreditation and certification standards.
• Managing capital construction projects.

The starting salary is between $65.00-$68.79 per hour (approximately $135,000-$143,000 per year), plus excellent benefits. A 24-month career executive trial period is required.

This position is classified as an Institution Superintendent and is in pay schedule/range 81/01. Pay for current or former state employees will be set based on the rules that apply to compensation for the applicable transaction. 

• All applicants who may be appointed will be required to allow DHS to conduct a background check to determine whether the circumstances of any conviction may be related to the job being filled.
• All appointees will be required to complete a pre-employment health assessment including a TB screen prior to their start date which will be administered by MMHI or medical personnel approved by the facility.
• DHS does not sponsor work visas for this position, thus, in compliance with federal law, selected candidates will be required to verify eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required I-9 form upon hire.

Minimally qualified applicants will have all of the following:

• Experience in a senior leadership role within an accredited behavioral health or other healthcare facility performing tasks related to long-term program planning; evaluating programs; coordinating admissions, treatment, and discharges; or addressing patient rights concerns.
• Experience leading the operations of a large (i.e., 200+ employees), multi-layered behavioral health or healthcare setting or experience leading a 24/7 correctional environment that also provides behavioral health services.
• Experience facilitating or leading quality improvement projects or quality assurance practices, and strategic planning efforts.
• Experience preparing a facility for a survey or evaluation by a regulatory or accrediting body (e.g., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), The Joint Commission, Division of Quality Assurance (DQA), etc.).

Well-qualified applicants will also have one or more of the following:

• Experience supervising subordinate supervisors or managers (e.g., monitoring and directing staff, coaching, conducting performance evaluations, addressing performance concerns, etc.).
• Experience with the statutes and legal processes involved in the evaluation, commitment, and treatment of forensic and civil populations. 
• Experience developing or overseeing operational or capital budgets (e.g., developing biennial budget requests, ensuring budget compliance, implementing cost-effective budget alternatives, prioritizing expenditures, etc.).
• Bachelor’s degree or above in mental health, healthcare, public or business administration, or related field.

Your letter of qualifications is limited to 2 pages and your resume is limited to 3 pages. For a guide on developing your resume and letter of qualifications and what should be included in these materials, click here.

Applying is easy! Click “Apply for Job” to start the application process.  Sign into your account or create an account before applying for the job. Follow the steps outlined in the application process to submit your application. 

Helpful Information: 

• Once an application is submitted, no changes are allowed. Click “Save” to allow changes to your application as needed before submitting by the deadline. 
• You may want to save a copy of the job posting for referencing after the deadline.
• Submitted materials will be evaluated by a panel of job experts according to the qualifications above. 
• Please monitor your email for communications related this position. 
• Current or former permanent, classified, state employees must complete the online application process to be considered. 
• If viewing through an external site, please apply directly at Wisc.Jobs.
• For technical assistance and general information, please see Frequently Asked Questions. For questions about the position, to request a copy of the full position description, or for other employment inquiries, please contact Shannon Kavorik in Human Resources at Shannon.kavorik@dhs.wi.gov. 

DHS is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.

Veterans are encouraged to apply. For complete information on Veterans’ hiring programs with the WI Department of Veteran’s Affairs, click here.

The deadline to apply is May 4th at 11:59PM. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to allow ample time to finalize their applications keeping in mind that technical assistance is not available after 4:30 PM on the deadline date. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.