Evernorth Behavioral Health is seeking a strategic clinical leader to direct the Clinical Program department and advance behavioral health programs that improve outcomes for members, customers, providers, and the business. 

This role combines clinical expertise, people leadership, program governance, quality oversight, research, and enterprise influence. The Clinical Program Director leads department leaders and teams, establishes priorities and accountability, and partners across Product, Network, Clinical Operations, Medical, Quality, Analytics, and other functions to translate evidence and strategy into scalable, measurable programs. 

Key Responsibilities:

Department and Strategic Leadership 

• Set the strategic direction for behavioral health clinical programs and align leaders and teams around clear priorities, decision rights, performance expectations, and accountability. 

• Build leadership capability, develop talent, and foster an integrated, high-performing department that advances clinical excellence, innovation, affordability, member experience, and market differentiation. 

• Serve as a trusted clinical advisor and represent the department with senior leaders, customers, partners, and industry audiences. 

Program Development, Governance, and Execution 

• Oversee the full program lifecycle—from opportunity assessment and evidence-based design through implementation, evaluation, optimization, scaling, and transition to sustainable operations. 

• Establish clinical standards, governance, measures, documentation, and operating models that support consistent execution and informed decisions about program continuation, expansion, redesign, or discontinuation. 

Clinical Excellence, Quality, and Risk 

• Advance evidence-based frameworks, guidelines, curricula, and measurement-informed care approaches that promote quality and consistency across programs and services. 

• Provide strategic oversight of quality reviews, external audits, complaints, escalations, and clinical risks; ensure findings and corrective actions are addressed and translated into systemic improvements. 

Research, Analytics, and Thought Leadership 

• Use research, analytics, and clinical evidence to identify opportunities, define meaningful clinical and business measures, evaluate performance, and guide strategic decisions. 

• Translate complex evidence and program results into clear recommendations, executive briefings, publications, presentations, and thought leadership for internal and external audiences. 

Cross-Functional Partnership 

Partner across the enterprise to align clinical strategy, program design, implementation, measurement, risk management, and market needs. 

• Collaborate with Product, Network, Clinical Operations, Medical, Quality, Compliance, Legal, and Analytics to develop clinically sound, operationally scalable solutions. 

• Support Sales, Account Management, customers, and external partners with clinical expertise, program insights, and clear written and verbal communication. 

Qualifications 

Required Qualifications:

• Active, unrestricted behavioral health clinical license, such as LPC, LCSW, LMFT, psychologist, or equivalent credential. 

• Five or more years leading complex clinical programs, strategic initiatives, leaders, or multidisciplinary teams in a matrixed environment. 

• Strong knowledge of evidence-based behavioral health practices, clinical guidelines, quality standards, program evaluation, and measurement-informed care. 

• Demonstrated ability to use research and analytics to shape strategy, evaluate performance, and translate complex information into practical programs and executive recommendations. 

• Executive-level communication, influence, talent development, and accountability skills. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with clinical research, publications, thought leadership, curricula, guidelines, or professional education. 

• Experience representing clinical programs with customers, partners, professional organizations, or industry audiences. 

What You'll Bring 

• Strategic, enterprise-minded clinical leader who can unify teams, influence across functions, and convert complex clinical and business information into clear decisions and action. 

• Disciplined program executive committed to evidence-based innovation, measurable outcomes, continuous improvement, and member-centered care. 

If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10Mbps download/5Mbps upload.

For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary of 152,900 - 254,900 USD / yearly, depending on relevant factors, including experience and geographic location.

This role is also anticipated to be eligible to participate in an annual bonus and long term incentive plan.

At The Cigna Group, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, with a focus on supporting your whole health. Starting on day one of your employment, you’ll be offered several health-related benefits including medical, vision, dental, and well-being and behavioral health programs. We also offer 401(k), company paid life insurance, tuition reimbursement, a minimum of 18 days of paid time off per year, paid holidays, and leaves of absence. For more details on our employee benefits programs, click here.

About Evernorth Health Services

Evernorth Health Services, a division of The Cigna Group, creates pharmacy, care and benefit solutions to improve health and increase vitality. We relentlessly innovate to make the prediction, prevention and treatment of illness and disease more accessible to millions of people. Join us in driving growth and improving lives.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the online application process, please email [email protected] for assistance.  Please note that this email inbox is dedicated to accommodation requests only and cannot provide application updates or accept resumes.

Cigna has a tobacco-free policy and reserves the right not to hire tobacco/nicotine users in states where that is legally permissible. Candidates in such states who use tobacco/nicotine will not be considered for employment unless they enter a qualifying smoking cessation program prior to the start of their employment. These states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.