OT Program Director
HealthcareYou lead an occupational therapy department or run your own OT practice. The clinical work that defined your career has given way to budgets, staffing, program development, and outcomes reporting. You're shaping the direction of OT services for your organization — deciding what programs to build, which populations to serve, and how to keep the department financially viable while maintaining quality.
Salary Range
Low
$100k
Median
$125k
High
$155k
10-Year Growth
12%
US Workers
8K
Education
Doctorate in OT + 10+ years clinical experience + management/leadership training
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Department budget management
- ▸Program development & evaluation
- ▸Regulatory compliance (CMS, state licensing)
- ▸Staff recruitment & management
- ▸Quality improvement methodologies
- ▸Reimbursement & coding oversight
- ▸Strategic planning
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Leadership
- ▸Strategic thinking
- ▸Communication
- ▸Change management
- ▸Advocacy
- ▸Mentoring
- ▸Problem-solving
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Department budget management
Staff recruitment & management
What you'll actually do
- 01Manage the OT department budget, staffing, and program development
- 02Hire and evaluate occupational therapists and OTAs
- 03Develop new therapy programs based on community needs and reimbursement trends
- 04Monitor clinical outcomes and implement quality improvement initiatives
- 05Navigate insurance and regulatory requirements — they change constantly
- 06Represent OT at interdisciplinary leadership meetings
- 07Try to maintain some clinical contact because you miss actually treating patients
Related Shifts
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