Community Health Operations Lead & Partnerships

Essence community care; Illinois; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Essence Community Care is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead community-facing initiatives, operational projects, and complex social care programs in Chicago. The role emphasizes collaboration across community engagement, program operations, and project management to translate goals into organized operations.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with Social Determinants of Health, Medicaid/public benefits navigation, and cross-functional leadership to support

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (Social Work, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Human Services, or similar).
• 8+ years of progressive experience in healthcare, social care, or related field.
• Experience with complex case management and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH).
• Experience managing programs, projects, or cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience working with underserved or high-risk populations with complex medical and social needs.
• Strong knowledge of community resources, public benefits, and healthcare/social service systems.
• Working knowledge of Medicaid and other government benefit programs.
• Ability to travel locally throughout Chicago and Cook County for meetings and outreach.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain relationships with community organizations and healthcare partners.
• Lead community engagement initiatives and partnership development.
• Oversee operations of programs, projects, and community initiatives.
• Coordinate cross-functional activities and ensure timelines and deliverables.
• Identify barriers and implement solutions to improve efficiency and service delivery.
• Develop and improve SOPs, workflows, and program documentation.
• Monitor capacity, workflows, and performance; ensure timely completion of activities.
• Support scaling of new programs and partnerships; assist leadership with planning.

Skills

Communication

Facilitation

Interpersonal skills

Project management

Data-driven decision making

Leadership

CRM software familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

CRM software

Case management systems

Project management tools

Job description

Essence Community Care is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead community-facing initiatives, operational projects, and complex social care programs in Chicago. The role emphasizes collaboration across community engagement, program operations, and project management to translate goals into organized operations.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with Social Determinants of Health, Medicaid/public benefits navigation, and cross-functional leadership to support