Manager, Community Operations

firsthand supports individuals living with SMI (serious mental illness). Our holistic approach includes a team of peer recovery specialists, benefits specialists and clinicians, which focuses on meeting each individual where they are and walking with them side by side as a trusted guide, partner, and first call on their journey to wellness.

firsthand's team members use their lived experience to build trust with these individuals and support them in obtaining socio-economic assistance and in reconnecting to primary and behavioral care. Support like this creates substantial savings for managed care organizations (Medicaid providers) and taxpayers by decreasing inappropriate healthcare utilization. This enables us to build solutions that scale and, as a result, change the way our society supports those most impacted by SMI.

We are cultivating a team of deeply passionate problem-solvers to tackle significant and complex healthcare challenges with us. This is more than a job—it's a calling. Every day, you will engage in work that resonates with purpose, gain wisdom from motivated colleagues, and thrive in an environment that celebrates continuous learning, creativity, and fun.

The Manager of Community Operations (MCO) is responsible for the operation of firsthand’s market-level community-based staff, ensuring consistent, scalable, person-centric approaches by the community teams across the market. The Manager, Community Operations will ensure firsthand’s teams are effective in outreach, trust-building, engagement, benefits navigation, and clinical review for engaged individuals.

The MCO must be able to work in the community, meeting individuals where they are, and be comfortable working in non-traditional settings and unstructured environments. Experience supervising peer recovery specialists and/or community behavioral health staff is preferred.

As MCO, you will:

• Serve as a Care Team Leader and engage in the coordination activities of community-based team members - Includes direct supervision of community team members
• Ensure the seamless execution of firsthand’s operational and strategic plans, including adapting practices as the business evolves
• Lead, motivate, and inspire community teams of peers, social workers, and clinicians deeply dedicated to firsthand’s mission
• Work with Senior Director, Community Operations to expand firsthand’s local community presence and referral network with best-in-class CMHCs, FQHCs, health systems, and other local care providers
• Support the management of individual and team performance to OKRs, effectively coaching community-based staff
• Communicate key information, progress, and pain points to both internal staff and external partners
• Lead recruitment of community-based staff in collaboration with the People team Collaborate with the People Team and Learning and Development team to manage the development, coaching, training, and performance of community-based staff
• Collaborate with the People Team and Learning and Development team to manage the development, coaching, training, and performance of community-based staff

You will be a good fit if you have:

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, especially in working collaboratively with community-based staff and local providers
• Excellent organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills, with a team-focused and continuous improvement orientation
• Strong management and supervisory skills, including organizing and leading initiatives
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable to changing strategies and needs for firsthand, its staff, and its members
• Openness in sharing best practices and challenges with operational leadership team
• Direct community experience working with individuals living with SMI
• Proficiency with Google Office suite and Client Relationship Management (CRM) programs

The required experience you bring to this role includes:

• Minimum five years operational leadership experience in a healthcare-focused business (preferably leading community-based teams)
• Experience in an early-stage or growth company (preferred)
• Bachelor’s or Master degree in social work/human services field and/or business administration
• Ability to operate a vehicle (company vehicle may be provided), including a driver’s license that is active and in good standing; must be eligible to drive under Company insurance policy

Benefits 

For full-time employees, our compensation package includes base, equity (or special incentive program for clinical roles) and performance bonus potential. Our benefits include physical and mental health, dental, vision, 401(k) with a match, 16 weeks parental leave for either parent, flexible vacation, and a supportive and inclusive culture.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship at this time.

Vaccination Policy

Employment with firsthand is contingent upon attesting to medical clearance requirements, which include, but may not be limited to: evidence of vaccination for/immunity to COVID-19, Hepatitis B, Influenza, MMR, Chickenpox, Tetanus and Diphtheria. All employees of firsthand are required to receive these vaccinations on a cadence/frequency as advised by the CDC, whereas not otherwise prohibited by state law.

New hires may submit for consideration a request to be exempted from these requirements (based on a valid religious or medical reason) via forms provided by firsthand. Such requests will be subject to review and approval by the Company, and exemptions will be granted only if the Company can provide a reasonable accommodation in relation to the requested exemption. Note that approvals for reasonable accommodations are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis and availability of a reasonable accommodation is not guaranteed.