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Position: Operations Manager
Employment Type: Contract-to-Hire
Reports To: VP of Operations
Location: Chicago, IL
Education: Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
Salary: Commensurate with experience

About Essence Community Care

Essence Community Care is a healthcare and social care organization dedicated to improving access to healthcare, public benefits, and community-based resources for individuals and families facing complex social and healthcare needs.

We work at the intersection of healthcare, social care, community engagement, and technology to address Social Determinants of Health (SDoH), reduce barriers to care, and improve outcomes for historically underserved communities. Our work requires strong collaboration among healthcare organizations, community-based organizations, government agencies, and other community partners.

About the Role

Essence Community Care is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead community-facing initiatives, operational projects, and complex social care programs.

This is a highly collaborative and hands-on role that combines community engagement, project management, program operations, and complex case management expertise. The ideal candidate understands how healthcare and social service systems intersect and can translate program goals into organized, measurable, and sustainable operations.

The Manager will oversee projects from planning through implementation, build and maintain strong community partnerships, support frontline teams managing complex cases, monitor program performance, and identify opportunities to strengthen workflows and patient/member outcomes.

This position requires significant experience working with individuals impacted by multiple Social Determinants of Health, including healthcare access, Medicaid and public benefits, housing instability, food insecurity, behavioral health needs, transportation barriers, financial hardship, and other complex social needs.

Key Responsibilities Community Engagement & Partnership Development

• Develop, strengthen, and maintain relationships with community-based organizations, healthcare providers, hospitals, health plans, government agencies, social service organizations, and other community partners.
• Represent Essence Community Care at community meetings, outreach events, partner meetings, health fairs, and collaborative initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to expand community partnerships, referral networks, outreach activities, and access to services.
• Coordinate community outreach initiatives designed to connect underserved populations with healthcare, public benefits, and social services.
• Establish effective referral pathways and communication processes between Essence Community Care and community partners.
• Maintain regular communication with partners to address service gaps, referral challenges, and opportunities for collaboration.
• Support the planning and execution of community events, enrollment activities, outreach campaigns, and special initiatives.
• Build trust and credibility with community stakeholders while representing Essence Community Care professionally and consistently.

Operations & Program Management

• Manage day-to-day operational activities associated with assigned programs, projects, and community initiatives.
• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, deliverables, workflows, and performance expectations.
• Coordinate cross-functional activities between operations, social care teams, leadership, external partners, and other stakeholders.
• Identify operational barriers and implement practical solutions to improve efficiency, quality, and service delivery.
• Develop and improve standard operating procedures, workflows, escalation processes, and program documentation.
• Monitor program capacity, workflow distribution, productivity, and service delivery requirements.
• Ensure operational activities are completed according to established timelines, contractual requirements, organizational standards, and program expectations.
• Support the implementation and scaling of new programs, partnerships, and service models.
• Assist leadership with operational planning and continuous improvement initiatives.

Project Management

• Lead projects from initial planning and implementation through monitoring, evaluation, and completion.
• Define project objectives, scope, milestones, responsibilities, dependencies, and deliverables.
• Facilitate project meetings and maintain clear documentation of decisions, action items, deadlines, and responsible parties.
• Monitor project progress and proactively identify risks, delays, resource needs, and operational barriers.
• Coordinate multiple projects and competing priorities while maintaining accountability for deadlines and outcomes.
• Communicate project status, risks, accomplishments, and recommendations to leadership and key stakeholders.
• Use data and program performance information to evaluate project effectiveness and recommend improvements.
• Ensure appropriate follow-through and accountability across internal and external project stakeholders.

Complex Case Management & SDoH Expertise

• Serve as an operational resource and subject matter expert for teams managing moderate to highly complex social care cases.
• Provide guidance on cases involving multiple and intersecting medical, behavioral health, financial, housing, benefits, and social service needs.
• Support staff in identifying barriers, establishing priorities, developing action plans, and coordinating services across multiple systems.
• Provide guidance regarding Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, public benefits, healthcare access, housing resources, food assistance, transportation, and other SDoH-related resources.
• Assist with complex escalations involving healthcare systems, government benefits, community organizations, or other service providers.
• Support effective transitions of care, particularly when patients or members have significant barriers affecting safe discharge or continuity of care.
• Promote person-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and strengths-based approaches to social care.
• Ensure case management activities support appropriate documentation, timely follow-up, escalation, and continuity of services.
• Identify recurring barriers across cases and work with leadership to develop program-level or operational solutions.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Provide operational guidance, coaching, and support to staff involved in community engagement and social care initiatives.
• Collaborate closely with Social Care Specialists, clinical staff, operations leadership, and other internal teams.
• Help establish clear expectations, workflows, priorities, and accountability across assigned projects.
• Support staff development through case consultation, problem-solving, resource education, and operational guidance.
• Facilitate effective communication between frontline teams and organizational leadership.
• Promote a collaborative culture focused on accountability, quality, patient/member experience, and measurable outcomes.
• Participate in staff meetings, case reviews, program reviews, and cross-functional planning sessions.

Data, Reporting & Performance Improvement

• Monitor key program metrics, outreach activities, referral outcomes, case management performance, project milestones, and other established KOMs/KPIs.
• Review operational and case management data to identify trends, gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare regular reports and updates for organizational leadership.
• Track community partnerships, referrals, engagement activities, project deliverables, and program outcomes.
• Support quality improvement initiatives using data and frontline feedback.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation within applicable CRM, case management, project management, and reporting systems.
• Assist with program audits, reporting requirements, and documentation needed for organizational or contractual compliance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Human Services, Community Health, Business/Operations, Project Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8+ years of progressively responsible professional experience in healthcare, social care, case management, community health, human services, healthcare operations, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience with complex case management and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH).
• Demonstrated experience managing programs, projects, operational initiatives, or cross-functional workstreams.
• Experience working with underserved or high-risk populations with complex medical and social needs.
• Strong knowledge of community resources, public benefits, and healthcare/social service systems.
• Working knowledge of Medicaid and other government benefit programs.
• Experience building relationships with community organizations, healthcare partners, or other external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, stakeholders, and priorities simultaneously.
• Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to independently identify problems, develop solutions, and drive work through completion.
• Experience working with CRM, case management, project management, or similar technology platforms.
• Ability to travel locally throughout Chicago and Cook County for community meetings, partner engagement, and outreach activities as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW), Public Health (MPH), Healthcare Administration (MHA), Business Administration (MBA), or a related field.
• Minimum of 5+ years of progressively responsible professional experience in healthcare, social care, community health, or human services.
• Previous supervisory, team lead, program management, or project management experience.
• Experience working within Medicaid populations, managed care, hospitals, health systems, care management organizations, or community-based organizations.
• Experience supporting hospital discharge planning, care transitions, behavioral health, housing instability, or other high-acuity social care needs.
• Experience developing SOPs, workflows, implementation plans, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Familiarity with Illinois Medicaid, IDHS programs, public benefits systems, and Chicago/Cook County community resources.
• Project management training or certification such as PMP, CAPM, Lean, or Six Sigma is a plus but not required.

Core Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Community Engagement: Builds trusted, sustainable relationships across diverse communities and organizations.
• Complex Case Management: Understands how multiple clinical, social, financial, and environmental barriers interact and affect outcomes.
• Operational Leadership: Translates program objectives into clear, efficient, and accountable workflows.
• Project Management: Effectively manages timelines, stakeholders, deliverables, risks, and competing priorities.
• SDoH Expertise: Demonstrates strong knowledge of healthcare access, benefits, housing, food insecurity, transportation, behavioral health, and other social needs.
• Critical Thinking: Identifies root causes and develops practical solutions rather than addressing problems only at the surface level.
• Communication: Communicates effectively with frontline employees, organizational leadership, healthcare professionals, community partners, and patients/members.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Uses program and operational data to identify trends, measure outcomes, and improve performance.
• Adaptability: Performs effectively in a growing organization where programs, partnerships, and operational needs may evolve quickly.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of projects and follows through on commitments, deadlines, and outcomes.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means creating strong connections between community needs, frontline case management, organizational operations, and measurable program outcomes.

The Community Engagement, Operations & Project Manager will be expected to strengthen community partnerships, improve referral and service coordination, ensure projects move forward on schedule, support staff handling complex cases, identify operational gaps, and develop sustainable solutions that improve access to care and social services.

Most importantly, this role will help ensure that individuals with complex needs do not fall through gaps between healthcare, public benefits, and community-based systems.

Work Environment & Expectations

• Hybrid position with a combination of office-based, remote, and community-based work.
• Regular local travel throughout Chicago and Cook County may be required.
• Some community events or program activities may occur outside standard business hours.
• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving healthcare and social care environment.
• Must maintain appropriate confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, organizational privacy requirements, and applicable policies and procedures.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Essence Community Care is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and providing equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local la