Business Operations Analyst Behavioral Health

Senior Business Analyst - Behavioral Health

Location: Remote (Eastern Time Zone Preferred)
Company: Ascension Recovery Services (ARS)
Status: Full-Time | Exempt
Reports To: Director of Finance

Join a Team That's Changing Lives

Ascension Recovery Services (ARS) is the nation's first Substance Use Disorder Management Services Organization (SUD-MSO), providing operational, clinical, compliance, financial, and strategic consulting support to behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment organizations across the country.

Our mission is to help treatment centers deliver exceptional, person-centered care while building sustainable organizations that improve lives, strengthen communities, and expand access to treatment.

At ARS, we believe our people are our greatest asset. We are seeking a highly analytical, strategic, and results-oriented Senior Business Analyst to support enterprise growth, operational excellence, and performance improvement across our expanding national footprint.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy solving complex business challenges, and want to make a meaningful impact, we'd love to meet you.

About the Role

The Senior Business Analyst serves as a strategic partner to executive leadership and operational teams across multiple treatment centers and affiliated organizations.

This role is responsible for analyzing enterprise performance, identifying operational and financial improvement opportunities, supporting growth initiatives, evaluating acquisitions, developing business cases, and creating data-driven recommendations that improve outcomes and organizational performance.

This is not a traditional analyst role. The successful candidate will serve as a force multiplier for leadership by aligning stakeholders, driving accountability, supporting operational execution, and helping scale a rapidly growing behavioral healthcare organization.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Enterprise Performance Management

• Monitor and analyze key performance indicators across all facilities and business units.
• Track and report on:
  • Average Daily Census (ADC)
  • Admissions and conversion rates
  • Referral pipeline performance
  • Length of Stay (LOS)
  • AMA discharge rates
  • Completion rates
  • Labor efficiency
  • Revenue and profitability metrics
• Identify underperforming facilities and partner with leadership on corrective action plans.
• Develop and maintain enterprise dashboards and performance reporting tools.
• Support a culture of accountability through transparent reporting and operational review processes.

Financial & Operational Optimization

• Analyze operational and financial performance to identify opportunities for increased efficiency and profitability.
• Evaluate payer mix strategies and reimbursement opportunities.
• Support forecasting, budgeting, and financial modeling efforts.
• Analyze program profitability across detox, residential, PHP, IOP, outpatient, and ancillary services.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to improve EBITDA performance and operational scalability.
• Meet with facility and corporate leaders to discuss operational challenges, trends, and opportunities.

Admissions, Marketing & Growth Strategy

• Analyze admissions performance and referral source effectiveness across all locations.
• Evaluate:
  • Cost per admission
  • Referral source ROI
  • Conversion rates
  • CRM utilization
  • Outreach and business development effectiveness
• Identify opportunities to improve admissions workflows and increase conversion rates.
• Partner with Marketing, Admissions, and Business Development teams to scale successful growth strategies.

Clinical & Outcome Alignment

• Collaborate with clinical leadership to improve:
  • Retention rates
  • Completion rates
  • AMA discharge reduction
  • Continuity of care outcomes
• Translate outcome data into actionable operational recommendations.
• Support value-based care initiatives and payer partnership strategies.

Data, Systems & Infrastructure

• Develop and oversee executive dashboards and reporting infrastructure.
• Ensure alignment between:
  • EHR platforms
  • Billing systems
  • CRM platforms
  • Operational reporting tools
• Identify opportunities for automation and reporting efficiencies.
• Establish and maintain a single source of truth for enterprise performance metrics.
• Support implementation and optimization of operational systems and reporting processes.

Growth, Mergers & Acquisitions, and New Development

• Support strategic growth initiatives, including:
  • De novo facility launches
  • Acquisitions and integrations
  • New service line development
  • Market expansion opportunities
• Conduct market assessments, feasibility studies, and competitive analyses.
• Develop financial models, pro formas, and business cases.
• Support acquisition due diligence and integration activities.
• Monitor newly launched or acquired facilities to ensure achievement of operational and financial benchmarks.

Consulting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, facility leaders, and client organizations.
• Present findings and recommendations to leadership teams and stakeholders.
• Translate complex operational and financial data into actionable insights.
• Support strategic planning initiatives and special projects.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure successful execution of enterprise initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Economics, Data Analytics, or related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in business analysis, consulting, healthcare operations, strategic planning, finance, or related disciplines.
• Strong analytical, financial modeling, and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and business reporting tools.
• Experience supporting multi-site organizations or healthcare operations.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, mental health services, or healthcare operations.
• Experience in healthcare consulting, management consulting, private equity-backed healthcare organizations, or multi-site healthcare environments.
• Familiarity with EHR systems, healthcare billing systems, CRM platforms, and operational reporting tools.
• MBA, MHA, MPH, or related advanced degree.
• Experience supporting acquisitions, integrations, de novo development, or growth strategy initiatives.
• Experience implementing or optimizing business systems and operational workflows.
• Ability to research and interpret federal, state, accreditation, licensing, and regulatory requirements.
• Leadership experience with the ability to support future team growth and development.

Benefits & Support

• ICHRA Health Benefit with premium reimbursement
• Dental & Vision Insurance
• Employer-Paid Life Insurance
• Supplemental Insurance Options
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Career Growth & Advancement
• Collaborative Leadership Team
• Opportunity to Impact a Growing National Organization

Equal Employment Opportunity

Ascension Recovery Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees are valued and respected. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status,