Job Details

Job Location: General and Administrative - San Diego, CA

Salary Range: $140000.00 - $150000.00

Type: Full-Time

Compensation: $140,000-$150,000 base salary, with a total target compensation of up to $200,000.

ACES History

Founded 30 years ago by ACES Chairwoman Kristin Farmer, ACES has grown into a leading autism services platform, serving 5,000+ clients in 90+ markets across 8 states, supported by growth equity firm General Atlantic since 2020. With a differentiated clinical model that delivers twice the outcomes per hour of any other industry provider, ACES is focused on making step-change improvements as the provider, employer, and partner of choice and growing with excellence toward our vision to be the best in ABA in America.

Role Context

ACES is continuing to expand its national footprint through a combination of de novo site launches and acquisitions. Market Expansion sits at the center of this growth strategy, helping determine where ACES should grow, how we should enter new markets, and how we can consistently launch and scale locations successfully. The Director, Market Expansion will help shape and execute ACES' expansion strategy by evaluating market opportunities, developing recommendations for new sites and acquisitions, leading cross-functional launch and integration efforts, and using post-launch performance to continuously improve how ACES expands.

Job Summary

The Director, Market Expansion will be responsible for leading the evaluation, planning, and execution of ACES' de novo and acquisition expansion strategy. This individual will assess market and site opportunities, develop investment recommendations, lead cross-functional launch and integration planning, monitor post-launch performance, and build the processes, tools, and playbooks that enable ACES to expand more consistently and effectively.

Job Responsibilities

Market Strategy & Evaluation

• Drive market expansion planning by evaluating opportunities across demand, payor, competitive, labor, operational, real estate, and financial factors.
• Develop clear points of view and recommendations on market entry, new sites, acquisitions, and other expansion opportunities, including key tradeoffs, risks, and assumptions.
• Develop and maintain a prioritized de novo target list based on defined market and site criteria.
• Leverage learnings from existing markets and site performance to strengthen future expansion decisions.
• Partner with Growth and Real Estate to identify and develop potential de novo opportunities.
• Proactively source and cultivate relationships with acquisition targets, brokers, real estate partners, and other relevant stakeholders to build a pipeline of expansion opportunities.
• Prepare clear analyses and recommendations for senior leadership to support expansion decisions.

Market Launches & Integrations

• Lead cross-functional planning and execution for de novo launches and integration of acquired locations from approval through opening and transition into the ACES operating model.
• Develop integrated launch and integration plans with clear milestones, dependencies, decision points, and functional accountabilities.
• Coordinate readiness across Growth, Operations, Talent, Clinical, Finance, Real Estate, and other functions.
• Identify launch and integration risks early and drive cross-functional resolution of issues that could impact timing, investment assumptions, or site performance.
• Own the formal handoff of newly launched sites to Clinical Operations, using defined transition criteria to confirm clinical staffing, credentialing, and operational readiness.
• Establish clear accountability and visibility across teams to ensure launches remain on track.

Expansion Infrastructure

• Develop and continuously improve market evaluation, launch, integration, and post-launch playbooks.
• Build repeatable processes, analytical tools, and frameworks that improve expansion decision-making and execution.
• Establish consistent methodologies for market prioritization, site evaluation, launch readiness, and performance tracking.
• Provide senior leadership with clear visibility into expansion performance, risks, opportunities, and key decisions.
• Continuously improve the expansion operating model based on data, experience, and market feedback.

List of responsibilities is not meant to be exhaustive. ACES can modify this job description/responsibilities at any time and in its sole discretion.

ACES Leadership Behaviors

The person in this role models ACES' values and Leadership Behaviors:

• Solve for "We v. Me"
• Continuously Improve
• Act with Accountability
• Lead with Purpose
• Expect Excellence
• Stay Humble and Empathetic

Qualifications

Leadership Profile

• Demonstrated experience evaluating and executing complex market expansion, de novo, M&A, or multi-site growth initiatives.
• Strong track record of turning market, financial, operational, and competitive data into clear business recommendations.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives from strategy through execution.
• Demonstrated ability to develop a point of view, influence senior stakeholders, and drive decisions in ambiguous environments.
• Experience building or improving processes, frameworks, and tools that enable scalable execution.
• Strong business development orientation, including experience sourcing opportunities and cultivating relationships with acquisition targets, brokers, sellers, landlords, or other external partners.
• Ability to connect market strategy, site-level economics, operational execution, and long-term growth objectives.
• Highly analytical and financially oriented, with the ability to understand investment assumptions, business cases, and performance against plan.
• Hands-on operator who can move between strategic thinking and detailed execution.
• Strong cross-functional collaborator who quickly builds trust and rapport across diverse teams.
• High learning agility with a natural orientation toward continuous improvement.
• Owner mentality with the ability to make progress independently and create structure in ambiguous situations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree or MBA a plus.
• 6+ years of experience in strategy, consulting, healthcare operations, market expansion, corporate development, investment banking, or a related field.
• Experience in multi-site healthcare, de novo expansion, M&A, or a similarly complex growth environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders, dependencies, and deadlines.
• Strong analytical, financial modeling, and problem-solving skills.
• Distinguished interpersonal, communication (oral and written), and executive presentation skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Metrics-driven, with a high degree of accountability for timelines, deliverables, and outcomes.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Ability to travel as required.

Physical Requirements

Ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force and lift/move up to 15 pounds. May include, without limitation, physical demands such as sitting, typing, and screen viewing for extended periods.