Location: Main office in San Diego, CA, with quarterly travel required. Remote candidates will be considered.The Role:The Manager, Patient Access Operations is a hands-on people leader responsible for the day-to-day leadership, coaching, and performance of the Prior Authorization Specialist, Benefit Verification, and Intake Coordinator team, while remaining actively involved in patient access operations. This is a player/coach role: you will lead and develop the team and maintain direct responsibility for patient access activities and cases as needed, helping ensure patients move efficiently from initial intake through authorization with accuracy, urgency, and consistent follow-through.
Position Responsibilities: - Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and performance management for the patient access team
- Work closely with Case Managers and internal reimbursement and market access partners to provide operational leadership, prioritize workload, resolve barriers, and support complex cases
- Ensure consistent execution of established workflows and processes
- Serve as a subject-matter resource for payer requirements, prior authorization processes, and patient access operations
- Maintain direct responsibility for patient access activities and cases as needed
- Identify operational trends, improve efficiency, and reinforce accountability
- Help build scalable processes that reduce avoidable delays, preventable denials, and administrative burden on physician offices and field sales teams
Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of related experience, or an advanced degree with relevant experience, or equivalent work experience
- Experience in patient access, prior authorization, reimbursement, utilization review, or a related healthcare setting (medical office, hospital, or payer environment)
- Prior supervisory, team lead, coaching, training, or other people-leadership experience preferred
- Strong understanding of prior authorization requirements, payer processes, coverage criteria, documentation standards, and health insurance industry practices
- Experience with Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, Workers' Compensation, and Commercial Insurance
- Demonstrated ability to coach and develop others while balancing people leadership with hands-on case and workflow responsibilities
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify solutions to operational challenges and process impediments
- Ability to collaborate across functions and appropriately escalate complex issues
- Superior oral and written communication skills, excellent organizational skills, and attention to detail
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) and experience with platforms such as Salesforce, Availity, eFax systems, and basic database management programs
- Caring, empathetic, and patient-centric approach in all interactions
The salary range for this position is $90,000 to $115,000/year; however, base pay offered will take into account a range of factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package includes a range of medical, dental, vision, financial, and other benefits, as well as equity.
