Business Development Specialist

Position Summary

The Community Relations Specialist supports the execution of outreach and community engagement initiatives to increase awareness of behavioral health services, including mental health, eating disorders, substance use treatment and more. This role is responsible for actively generating referrals, developing new business opportunities, and building strong relationships with community partners. The ideal candidate is hardworking, self-motivated, and able to work independently while representing the organization with professionalism and compassion.

Key Responsibilities

Proactively build and maintain relationships with referral sources including hospitals, doctors, EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs), social workers, case managers, therapists, schools, courts, first responders, community organizations, etc.

Generate referrals and drive new business by identifying and developing new accounts and partnership opportunities

Take initiative and think creatively to identify new avenues for generating referrals and developing new accounts, with expectations to consistently add new contacts and accounts to the outreach pipeline

Conduct consistent outreach visits, presentations, and facility tours to promote behavioral health services

Represent the organization at community events, networking opportunities, and professional meetings

Maintain and grow a pipeline of referral sources through regular follow-up and relationship management

Collaborate with admissions and clinical teams to ensure a seamless and supportive referral process

Track outreach activity, referral trends, and new business development efforts in CRM systems

Assist in coordinating events and educational initiatives focused on mental health and substance use awareness

Maintain a strong understanding of programs, levels of care, and appropriate patient placement

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in social work, healthcare administration, business, psychology, or a related field preferred

0–2 years of experience in sales, outreach, behavioral health, or community engagement (internships count)

Hardworking, self-motivated, and able to work independently

Demonstrated ability or strong interest in generating referrals, building new accounts, and driving growth

Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills

Ability to engage with diverse populations in a compassionate and professional manner

Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities

Comfortable with regional travel and in-person outreach

Core Competencies

Business Development & Relationship Management

Initiative & Accountability

Communication & Presentation Skills

Empathy & Emotional Intelligence

Organization & Time Management

Team Collaboration

Success in This Role Looks Like

Consistently generating new referrals and contributing to census growth

Adding new accounts and contacts to the pipeline on a regular (weekly) basis

Maintaining a high level of outreach activity (visits, meetings, and follow-ups)

Building strong, lasting relationships with a wide range of referral sources across healthcare, community, and public sectors

Demonstrating independence, initiative, creativity, and a strong work ethic in daily outreach efforts

Accurately tracking and continuously improving outreach and business development activities