Assistant Director of Behavioral Health & Recovery Services (Open & Promotional)

Full Job Description

San Mateo County Health is seeking an accomplished executive leader to serve as the
Assistant Director of Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BRHS).

Please view our Online Brochure for detailed information about the position and instructions on how to apply.

Additional Information

Application/Examination

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply.

Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (Pass/Fail) based on the candidate’s application, cover letter, resume, and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to participate in a panel interview (weight: 100%).

Candidates invited to interview will also be required to submit a written work product in advance of the interview. The work product will be evaluated by the panel and may be incorporated into the interview through discussion, follow-up questions, or a brief presentation.

Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or additional evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification.

All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination.

All examinations will be given in the County of San Mateo, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button.

If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

To apply for this exciting career opportunity, the following materials must be submitted in addition to the standard Employment Application form:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Responses to the Supplemental Questions (attached to the application form)

Cover Letter Prompt:
Please submit a cover letter describing:

• Your understanding of San Mateo County’s behavioral health landscape and local community needs;
• How your leadership philosophy and experience align with the culture and strategic direction of BHRS; and
• How your skills prepare you to lead complex behavioral health operations, including fiscal stewardship, regulatory compliance, and system-wide accountability.

Tentative Recruitment Timeline
Final Filing Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026, by 11:59 PM PST
Application Screening: Week of March 30, 2026
In-Person Panel Interviews: April 15 and/or April 16, 2026

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to hire, support and retain employees who reflect our diverse community.
We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.