Role: Intake & Authorizations LeadWe are hiring an Intake & Authorizations Lead to own the end-to-end intake function at Alpaca Health - from first family contact through confirmed start of care.
You will manage a team of 5-10 Care Navigators, drive operational excellence across the intake process, and serve as the internal expert on authorizations, documentation, and BCBA matching. This role is critical infrastructure: our commitment is that every family starts care in under 30 days, and you are responsible for making that happen.
🚧 What You'll DoLead and develop the Care Navigator team- Manage a team of 5-10 Care Navigators, owning their performance, development, and day-to-day prioritization
- Build a high-accountability culture where follow-through is the standard, not the exception
- Run team huddles, case reviews, and escalation support
- Identify gaps in process or performance and address them quickly
Own the intake process- Ensure every family moves from referral to start of care in under 30 days
- Maintain a clear picture of where every family stands and what's needed to move them forward
- Hold the team accountable to timelines and ensure no family falls through the cracks
- Serve as the escalation point for stuck or complex cases
Drive authorizations - especially TRICARE- Own the authorization process for complex cases, with deep expertise in TRICARE (including ECHO enrollment and prior auth workflows)
- Support the team in chasing down documentation, resolving auth rejections, and navigating payer requirements
- Partner with billing and insurance ops to resolve issues quickly and cleanly
Manage stakeholder communication- Ensure timely, clear communication across all parties: families, BCBAs, referring physicians, and internal teams
- Set and manage expectations with families around timelines, documentation requirements, and next steps
- Step in directly on high-stakes or escalated family situations
Lead BCBA matching- Oversee the matching process, ensuring every family is paired with the right BCBA based on availability, geography, caseload, and clinical fit
- Step in manually for complex or high-touch matching situations - particularly when families have specific preferences or needs
- Work closely with the clinical and provider teams to maintain a clear picture of BCBA capacity
Partner with operations to improve the process- Work with the operations team to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities across the intake workflow
- Own process improvements from identification through implementation
- Maintain accurate tracking and reporting across systems
Who You Are- 5+ years of experience in ABA intake, care coordination, or clinic operations - you know this world deeply
- Direct experience with TRICARE authorizations, including ECHO enrollment and prior auth workflows
- Proven track record managing a team in a healthcare or clinical operations setting
- You are highly organized and relentless about follow-through - nothing falls through the cracks on your watch
- You communicate clearly and confidently with everyone from frustrated parents to clinical staff to referring physicians
- You are a problem-solver who doesn't wait for permission - you identify the issue and fix it
- You are comfortable with ambiguity and can make good judgment calls in real time
- You hold your team to a high bar while remaining approachable and supportive
Why Join- Direct line to company leadership - you report to the Founding Growth Lead and have real influence on how intake scales
- Ownership of a critical function at an early-stage, fast-growing company
- The opportunity to materially impact how quickly families access care
- A role where operational excellence directly translates to patient outcomes
