Job Title: Director of Health Center Operations

Classification: Full Time/ Exempt

Reports to: COO of Clinical Services

Salary range: $85,000-$100,000

Summary: The Director of Health Center Operations is responsible for the effective day-to-day operation, performance, and growth of the organization's health center. This position provides operational leadership across the clinic and its supporting functions, ensuring that patients receive timely, respectful, efficient, and high-quality service while providers and staff have the systems and support necessary to perform effectively. This position requires a highly energetic, analytical, solutions-oriented leader who can work effectively with physicians, advanced practice providers, clinical staff, administrative staff, finance, quality, compliance, and executive leadership.

Responsibilities:

Clinic Operations & Patient Flow

• Direct and oversee the daily operations of the health center to ensure efficient, productive, and patient-centered services.
• Monitor patient access, appointment availability, provider schedules, visit volume, productivity, wait times, no-shows, and other key operational measures.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase access, improve patient flow, reduce unnecessary delays, and maximize available clinical capacity

Productivity & Support

• Work directly with providers and support staff to identify and eliminate operational barriers affecting productivity.
• Address scheduling, staffing, workflow, and administrative issues that interfere with provider performance.
• Develop effective working relationships with providers while maintaining appropriate operational accountability.

Patient Experience & Customer Service

• Serve as the primary operational leader for patient experience.
• Monitor patient complaints, grievances, satisfaction measures, and service concerns.
• Ensure patient concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately.
• Identify recurring service problems and implement corrective action.
• Promote a professional, respectful, welcoming, and service-oriented culture. 

Financial & Revenue-Cycle Performance

• Monitor operational expenses, including staffing, supplies, equipment, inventory, and other clinic-related costs.
• Work with Finance and Revenue Cycle staff to identify opportunities to improve collections and reduce avoidable revenue loss.
• Understand the relationship between clinical productivity, patient access, reimbursement, staffing, and financial performance.

Sliding Fee & FQHC Compliance

• Ensure consistent and compliant administration of the organization's Sliding Fee Discount Program in accordance with HRSA requirements and board-approved policies.
• Ensure appropriate eligibility documentation, income verification, fee assignment, and documentation practices are followed.
• Monitor compliance and identify operational practices that may result in billing errors, lost revenue, or inconsistent patient treatment.
• Support organizational readiness for HRSA Operational Site Visits, and audits.

EMR & Operational Systems

• Ensure staff appropriately utilize eClinicalWorks and other operational systems. 
• Work to identify opportunities to improve scheduling, documentation, reporting, communication, and workflow.
• Identify system or workflow problems and coordinate solutions with appropriate departments.

Cross-Department Leadership

• Ensure departments understand how their work affects patient care, clinic operations, and organizational performance.
• Escalate issues appropriately while maintaining ownership of operational problems until resolution.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, and organizational, not departmental, thinking.

Performance improvement & Growth

• Use data to identify trends, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop corrective action plans when performance falls below expectations.
• Track results and adjust strategies based on measurable outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to expand services, improve utilization, increase patient access, and strengthen the financial performance of the health center.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, management, public health, or a related field.
• At least three years of progressive healthcare operations, practice management, ambulatory care management, or related healthcare management experience.
• Demonstrated experience supervising employees and holding staff accountable for performance.
• Demonstrated experience managing healthcare operations, productivity, staffing, scheduling, and patient access.

Preferred:

• Experience working in an FQHC or other community health center.
• Experience with healthcare revenue-cycle operations and payer reimbursement.
• Experience with HRSA requirements and FQHC compliance.
• Experience with eClinicalWorks or a comparable electronic health record.
• Master's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, public health, or related field.
• Five years’ direct experience managing a clinic.

Clinical licensure is not required. The position is an operational leadership position; candidates will be evaluated primarily on demonstrated healthcare operations, management, accountability, financial, and organizational leadership experience.

Physical Requirements:

• Typical work hours: Monday-Friday, 8:am-5pm.
• Able to lift up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to perform normal ambulatory duties associated with a clinic and office setting.