Engagement Center Operations Manager

This position reports to the Advocate Contact Center (ACC) director and is responsible for directly managing between 50 and 70 nonclinical contact center staff, including representatives, leads, and supervisors.  This role supports medical group practice operations in a centralized contact center environment; therefore, both ambulatory physician practice operations and contact center operations experience is preferred.  The nonclinical staff that report to the manager are primarily responsible for answering in-bound telephone calls, booking patient appointments, answering general questions, using the EMR to message providers or office staff, and fielding clinical inquiries to the appropriate clinical resource.  The manager is accountable for understanding and refining the work flows, policies, procedures, and technologies that are utilized by the nonclinical agents on a daily basis.  The manager will be held accountable for meeting contact center performance metrics, including service level, abandonment rate, and staff quality targets.

Major Responsibilities:

Managing Contact Center Operations

• Manages the daily activities of the assigned nonclinical operations area within the ACC, which operates on a 24 by 7 basis.

• Partners with practice operations leadership to ensure the assigned nonclinical area provides a quality service that meets the needs of patients, physicians, and the medical group.

• Becomes an expert in the practices within the geographic or functional region(s) assigned, and assists the contact center in realizing the “extension of the practice” service agreement.

• Assures that all calls are resolved utilizing the documented standards and protocols, and that any deviations from the standard are approved via the ACC Steering Committee.

• Ensures the nonclinical area meets or exceeds performance goals including service level, abandonment rate, and call quality goals.

Organizational Climate

• Fosters an atmosphere that encourages entrepreneurial thinking and promotes a high quality work environment.

• Provides a work environment that supports a robust and respectful dialogue.

• Creates an environment where all associates collaborate to utilize the talents and creativity of all involved.

• Participates in professional growth activities.

• Promotes recognition of staff and celebrations of team accomplishments.

• Holds staff accountable by communicating clear expectations and effectively supervising employee performance: Prepares written performance improvement plans, when necessary; Recommends promotions and terminations, when appropriate.

• Implements effective methods for ensuring continuous, frequent communication with associates.

Analytical Support and Issue Resolution

• Requests and interprets data/reports from the Resource Operations Command Center Manager to identify areas of opportunity.

• Resolves complex problems independently and proactively.

• Routinely provides analytical and technical guidance to staff.

• Monitors system effectiveness and performance, and identifies, communicates, and resolves operational and technical inefficiencies and problems. When applicable, works with other managers to ensure consistency and standardization among all nonclinical areas.

• Challenges current processes and looks to introduce new methods or processes.

• Identifies continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiatives and means for systems to help customers’ support CQI needs.

• Tracks and coordinates resolution of problems with contact center and practice staff.

Staff Development Responsibilities

• Manages assigned supervisors, leads, and staff to ensure all administrative and technical functions of the contact center are being handled efficiently and effectively.

• Routinely provides analytical and technical leadership.

• Participates in recruitment, conducts performance appraisals, and prepares staff development plans.

• Motivates staff and recognizes staff efforts on a regular basis.

• Shares new knowledge with staff.

• Oversees the training and development of all assigned staff, and when necessary, requests additional training from the ACC’s training department.

• Oversees the execution of staff development plans.

• Implements and enforces policy and procedure updates/changes.

• Manages staff tasks to achieve objectives and meet deadlines.

• Performs annual performance evaluations for supervisors; Reviews annual performance evaluations for leads and CCRs; Coordinates disciplinary procedures as necessary: Escalates staff performance issues to the contact center director when necessary.

Fiscal Responsibility

• Identifies and implements cost saving strategies.

• Monitors the use of temporary staff, overtime, and supplies.

• Participates in the planning and administration of the annual budget.

Cross-Organizational Relations

• Manages expectations and establishes positive working relationships with AMG operations leadership and management.

• Works closely with the ROCC Manager and Analyst to ensure quality customer service is being provided.

• Conducts and/or participates in site meetings with supervisors and leads in order to resolve any issues or clarifications.

Other Duties

• Oversees the completion of root cause analysis and reporting related to patient safety events.

• Assists with the implementation of system or operational changes when requested by the Manager of Design and Development.

• Partners with other contact center managers to ensure all operations and processes remain consistent.

Education/Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

• 6 to 8 years of supervisory experience in a call center or customer service related environment.

• PC Applications such as: Microsoft (Access, Excel, Project, Word, PowerPoint).

• Required prior experience with telephony technology: ACD administration, forecasting and scheduling tools, reporting packages, Voice Response Units, etc.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Excellent communication skills. Extensive customer service skills. Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite. Experience in implementing and utilizing new technologies. Ability to prioritize tasks in a high-volume, multiple task work environment with a high degree of interdependence. Strategic thinker with the ability to create vision, develop business plans and manage change throughout the organization. Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret call center data and information. The candidate should possess experience in the overall responsibility for structuring a project, performing the detailed planning, and managing project execution and completion of moderate or large projects.