Head of Field & Referral Operations

Mercato; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercato is seeking a Head of Field & Referral Operations to own end-to-end referral growth for its New York State Medicaid SCN business, driving the full member journey from outreach to referral generation. The role leads relationships with CBOs, navigators, and community orgs to fuel pipeline under the NY 1115 waiver.

Responsibilities include building partnerships, managing the referral funnel to meet targets, and translating data into actionable strategy.

Qualifications

• Grounded in on-the-ground community organizing/outreach, with track record of building presence at scale.
• Deep understanding of public-private partnerships, ideally in Medicaid or health-related social needs.
• Operational rigor and process discipline across a multi-stage referral funnel.
• Strong relationship-building instincts with grassroots partners and institutional stakeholders.
• Comfort working with direct contracts and subcontracted referral pathways.
• Based in New York State with frequent travel; NYC boroughs preferred.
• Familiarity with NY 1115 waiver programs, SCNs, or Medicaid managed care.
• Familiarity with referral CRM systems and pipeline reporting.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with SCNs, CBOs, navigators, and community partners across New York State, positioning Mercato as a trusted enhanced nutrition provider under the NY 1115 waiver
• Own the referral funnel from community outreach through referral generation, hitting monthly volume targets
• Translate field and pipeline data into insights that drive member acquisition, retention, and growth
• Lead and develop a team of full- and part-time community liaisons, students, and interns
• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Implementation, Product, and Operations to align outreach with program delivery
• Travel: Local travel across NYC (up to 80%).

Skills

Community outreach

Relationship building

Pipeline management

Data insights

Team leadership

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Mercato is a national leader in medically tailored groceries, meals, and nutrition benefit solutions for healthcare. Since 2015, we’ve empowered over 4,000 independent grocers with a best-in-class SaaS e-commerce marketplace, delivering healthy, culturally relevant food to members- seamlessly, affordably, and with dignity.

About Mercato

Mercato is a national leader in medically tailored groceries, meals, and nutrition benefit solutions for healthcare. Since 2015, we’ve empowered over 4,000 independent grocers with a best-in-class SaaS e-commerce marketplace, delivering healthy, culturally relevant food to members- seamlessly, affordably, and with dignity.

About the Role

Mercato is seeking a Head of Field & Referral Operations to own end-to-end referral growth for Mercato’s New York State Medicaid SCN business, driving the full member journey from community outreach through referral generation, with a deep understanding of the end-to-end process including intake conversion and retention. The role provides strategic leadership, setting the priorities to build and maintain partnerships with CBOs, navigators, and other community organizations to fuel our pipeline as an enhanced nutrition provider under the NY 1115 waiver.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with SCNs, CBOs, navigators, and community partners across New York State, positioning Mercato as a trusted enhanced nutrition provider under the NY 1115 waiver
• Own the referral funnel from community outreach through referral generation, hitting monthly volume targets
• Translate field and pipeline data into insights that drive member acquisition, retention, and growth
• Lead and develop a team of full- and part-time community liaisons, students, and interns
• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Implementation, Product, and Operations to align outreach with program delivery

First 30-60 Days

• 30 days: digest end-to-end referral and intake workflow; meetings with key SCN stakeholders; baseline weekly referral volume established, pipeline plan delivered
• 60 days: team structure recommendation and training plan to Client Success & Implementation

Qualifications

• On-the-ground community organizing or grassroots outreach experience, with a proven track record of building community presence at scale
• Deep understanding of public-private partnerships, ideally in Medicaid, managed care, or health-related social needs
• Operational rigor and process discipline across a multi-stage referral funnel
• Strong relationship-building instincts with both grassroots community partners and institutional stakeholders
• Comfort working across direct contracts and subcontracted referral pathways
• Based in New York State with frequent travel required; candidates living in one of the five NYC boroughs are preferred.
• Prior experience with NY 1115 waiver programs, SCNs, or Medicaid managed care
• Familiarity with referral CRM systems and pipeline reporting

Travel: Local travel across NYC (up to 80%).

Compensation: $110,000-$130,000 base salary, plus performance-based incentive tied to referral volume milestones.

Why Join Mercato

At Mercato, you’ll be part of a passionate team working to make healthy food accessible for everyone. Join us in building stronger communities- one delivery at a time.

Mercato is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants.