Manager of Specialty Referrals

Marin Community Clinics • Novato, CA

12d

About The Position

Marin Community Clinics, founded in 1972, is today, a multi-clinic network with a wide array of integrated primary care, dental, behavioral, specialty and referral services. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), we provide vital health services to almost 40,000 individuals annually in Marin County. The Clinics regularly receive national awards from the Health Resources and Services Administrations (HRSA). Our Mission is to promote health and wellness through excellent, compassionate care for all.
The Manager of Specialty Referrals is responsible for leading centralized referral operations and optimizing access to specialty care across the organization. This role oversees referral workflows, in-house specialty clinic coordination, and external specialty partnerships to ensure timely, appropriate, and equitable access to care for patients. This position serves as both an operational leader and strategic project owner, driving referral optimization initiatives, improving care coordination, reducing leakage, and enhancing patient and provider experience. The Manager partners closely with clinical leadership, population health, and revenue cycle teams to ensure referrals are clinically appropriate, efficiently processed, and successfully completed.
Manager oversees the daily operations of the Referrals Department and is responsible for managing the Referral Navigators and Specialist Support Team’s hiring, attendance, performance, training for new and existing employees, and This position reports to the Director of Operations and works closely with the Chief Medical Officer to support specialty care resources.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED) required.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience required, preferably in healthcare administration, business, or related health field.
• Must have minimum of 5 years’ progressive leadership experience, preferably in healthcare or other non-profit.
• Knowledge of medical terminology is preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret medical records in English.
• Knowledge and experience using Electronic Health Records and Practice management software as well as other commonly used computer products (Microsoft Office).
• Must be Bi-lingual in English and Spanish.
• Must be able to work Saturdays if needed.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills.
• Ability to chart actions clearly.
• Ability to collaborate with patients and representatives of other organizations on the phone.
• Demonstrates professional judgment, initiative, and ability to function independently.
• Must be sensitive to multi-cultural, multi-ethnic issues.
• Must be able to work in centralized department and work in a team environment setting.
• Must be able to work in team environment setting.
• Must display excellent customer service ability and attention to details.
• Fulfill immunization and fit for duty regulatory requirements.
• Prolonged standing and walking
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift to 15 pounds at times.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of the Referral Department and in-house specialty services, ensuring operational excellence and consistent execution across sites
• Ensure timely processing, tracking, and closure of all referrals in alignment with organizational KPIs, including turnaround time and completion rates
• Develop, standardize, and continuously improve referral workflows, protocols, and job aids using process improvement methodologies
• Monitor referral lifecycle performance including volume, turnaround time, completion rates, and leakage, and take corrective action based on data analysis
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, payer guidelines, and FQHC standards
• Supervise Referral Navigators and Specialty Support staff, demonstrating strong leadership, coaching, and team development competencies
• Lead hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management, establishing clear expectations and accountability structures
• Conduct regular 1:1s, team meetings, and performance evaluations, using data to drive feedback and improvement
• Establish and monitor productivity, quality, and service benchmarks for the team
• Serve as primary liaison for internal and external specialty providers, demonstrating strong relationship management and communication skills
• Partner with CMO and clinical leadership to identify specialty care gaps and support recruitment efforts
• Optimize utilization of in-house specialty clinics and visiting specialists to improve access and reduce leakage
• Maintain strong relationships with community specialists, hospitals, and network partners to expand access opportunities
• Collaborate with Clinic Directors to align specialty services with patient demand and operational capacity
• Lead strategic initiatives to improve referral efficiency, access, and care coordination, demonstrating project management and change leadership capabilities
• Reduce referral leakage and improve closed-loop referral completion rates
• Partner with IT/EHR teams to enhance referral tools, templates, and reporting (e.g., Epic work queues, referral tracking)
• Implement data-driven process improvements using Lean or similar methodologies
• Develop and monitor dashboards and reports on referral metrics, including turnaround time, completion rates, leakage, and productivity
• Analyze trends and identify opportunities for operational and strategic improvement
• Present performance insights and recommendations to leadership and clinical stakeholders
• Ensure data integrity and accuracy within referral systems
• Partner with providers, medical assistants, care coordinators, and call center teams to improve referral workflows and patient access
• Collaborate with Revenue Cycle on authorization processes and payer requirements to minimize delays and denials
• Work with IT and facilities to resolve operational issues impacting referral processes
• Engage in external partnerships (e.g., health plan meetings, community collaboratives) to improve access and coordination
• Address escalated patient and provider concerns, demonstrating strong problem-solving and service recovery skills
• Ensure culturally competent, patient-centered communication through referral processes
• Improve patient navigation and reduce barriers to specialty care access, particularly for underserved populations
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Our benefits program is designed to protect your health, family and way of life. We offer a competitive Benefits Program that includes affordable health insurance and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA), Dental and Vision Insurance, Educational and Continuing Education Benefits, Student Loan Repayment and Loan Forgiveness, Retirement Plan, Group Life and AD&D Insurance, Short term and Long Term Disability benefits, Professional Fee Reimbursement, Mileage and Cell Phone Reimbursement, Scrubs Reimbursement, Loupes Reimbursement, Employee Assistance Programs, Paid Holidays, Personal Days of Celebration, Paid time off, and Extended Illness Benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees