Manager of Operations Efficiency - Medical Associates Health Plans

Medical-Associates-Clinic-; Dubuque (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401k with matching

Flexible PTO

FSAs

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Job summary

Medical Associates Health Plans in Dubuque, IA is seeking a Manager of Operations Efficiency to lead cross‑department improvement initiatives, stabilize operations, and drive performance results in a fast-paced health plan environment.

The role is onsite and requires strong leadership, business acumen, and change management skills to advance efficiency, collaboration, and accountability across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, business, nursing, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience, including managing teams, budgets, and performance improvement.
• Experience with employer group implementations or health plan operations preferred.
• Training or certification in Lean, Six Sigma, or process improvement methodologies preferred. MBA/MHA preferable.

Responsibilities

• Lead initiatives to address performance gaps and stabilize operations.
• Coordinate employer group implementations from sales handoff through go-live and initial support.
• Oversee system and process implementations, testing, readiness, and handoff to responsible departments.
• Measure improvements in turnaround time, accuracy, workload, costs, and customer service.

Skills

Strategic Thinking

Adaptability

Emotional Intelligence

Problem Solving

Collaboration

Execution Focus

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA or MHA preferred

Job description

Medical Associates Health Plans is hiring a Manager of Operations Efficiency.

Where You Will Be Working:

Medical Associates Health Plans offers highly rated commercial and Medicare insurance solutions deeply integrated with the clinic's healthcare network.

What You Will Be Doing:

The Manager of Operations Efficiency position is a leadership role created to address operational challenges and performance gaps. This is an onsite flexible leadership position with responsibilities that may move among departments, operational areas, and varying/changing work assignments as organizational needs evolve. Assignments may include stabilizing operations, improving performance, supporting leadership transitions, and implementing special projects. The Manager of Operations Efficiency leads focused initiatives, identifies and addresses underlying issues, implements sustainable solutions, and develops team members to support long-term success. Manage larger implementations and remain responsible through completion and handoff. Certain responsibilities or projects may remain with the position, while others may transition to the appropriate department once they are established and operating effectively.

This position requires a unique blend of strong leadership skills, business acumen, process improvement expertise, and high emotional intelligence. The ideal candidate will be comfortable navigating ambiguity, quickly establishing credibility, and driving results by fostering collaboration, promoting accountability, and leading through influence.

• Project management: Develop project plans and timelines, identify who is responsible for each task, and track dependencies, risks, and open issues. They would follow up with vendors and internal teams, keep leadership informed, and bring forward delays or decisions that need our attention.
• New employer group implementation: Manage the process from the Sales and Account Management handoff through the effective date and initial support period. This includes making sure the necessary decisions and information are complete and coordinating benefit configuration, eligibility, ID cards, billing, communications, and testing with the departments doing the work.
• System and process implementation: Coordinate requirements, testing, resolution of problems found during testing, training, and procedures. They would also confirm readiness before launch, coordinate support afterward, and make sure ongoing responsibilities are handed off to the appropriate department.
• Measuring improvements: Review how the work is currently done, make changes, and measure whether those changes improved turnaround time, accuracy, workload, costs, or service.

Skills You Bring:

• Strategic Thinking – Ability to assess situations holistically and align interventions with organizational goals.
• Adaptability – Comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change; able to pivot quickly across diverse environments.
• Emotional Intelligence – Self-aware, empathetic, and skilled in managing interpersonal dynamics.
• Problem Solving – Analytical thinker able to identify root causes and implement practical, scalable solutions.
• Collaboration – Builds trust and credibility across teams; encourages shared ownership of results.
• Execution Focus – Delivers high-quality outcomes under tight timelines and evolving conditions.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

Interim Leadership

• Serve as an interim department leader or project lead in high-need areas ensuring continuity of operations while identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Maintain flexibility to move between departments and facilities as organizational priorities evolve.
• Ensure compliance with organization policies, procedures, and regulatory standards.
• Expected to deliver on all responsibilities of relevant leadership job description.

Operations Improvement

• Conduct rapid assessments of workflows, organizational design/staffing, service delivery, financial performance, and team dynamics to diagnose key issues and barriers.
• Develop and collaborate to implement action plans that address performance gaps, streamline processes, and improve outcomes.
• Lead or support change management efforts and special project(s), ensuring effective communication and team engagement throughout transitions.
• Collaborate with department leadership and executive sponsors to align operational improvements with strategic objectives.
• Coach and mentor emerging leaders and/or supervisors to strengthen department leadership capacity and ensure long-term stability post-assignment.

Complete all other projects and duties as assigned.

Expectations:

1. Strategic Planning and Goal Setting: Proactively manage projects and long-term goals, establish timelines and action owners, ensure commitments are met.
2. Decision Making and Resource Management: Gather information, evaluate impacts and risks, make timely decisions, manage resources responsibly.
3. Leadership and Team Building: Set an example, model respectful and cooperative relationships, ensure team understanding and collaboration, motivate employees, address morale issues.
4. Communication and Relationship Building: Communicate openly and effectively, build commitment and loyalty, manage difficult issues with empathy and clarity, promote a non-threatening environment for expressing opinions. Interact professionally, build rapport, treat everyone with respect.
5. Innovation and Change Management: Implement new ideas and technologies, support change, remove obstacles, ensure resources are available.
6. Performance Management and Development: Set performance and behavioral standards, promote personal accountability, encourage skill development and goal attainment, provide feedback and evaluations, support employee development and succession planning. Remain current with skills and industry knowledge and seek feedback for continual personal development.
7. Customer Focus and Commitment to Excellence: Anticipate internal and external customer needs, respond proactively and ensure satisfaction. Demonstrate commitment to excellence, deliver quality work.
8. Policy Compliance and Ethical Behavior: Comply with Medical Associates policies and behave in an ethical manner at all times.

Benefits Package Includes:

• Single or Family Health Insurance with discounted premium rates for wellness program participation.
• 401k with immediate matching (50% on the dollar up to 7% of pay) + additional annual Profit Sharing
• Flexible Paid Time Off Program (29 days off/year)
• Medical and Dependent Care Flex Spending Accounts
• Life insurance, Long Term Disability Coverage, Short Term Disability Coverage, Dental Insurance, etc.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, business, nursing, or a related field required; MBA or MHA preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience, including experience managing teams, budgets, and performance improvement efforts.
• Healthcare experience preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated success in leading change, driving results, and building effective teams in a complex, fast-paced environment. Experience with managing implementations involving multiple departments and outside vendors. Experience with employer group implementations or health plan operations would be preferred. I would also list project management training or certification as preferred, along with the process improvement qualifications already included.
• Excellent communication, conflict resolution, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Proven ability to lead through influence without formal authority.
• Experience managing implementations across departments and vendors as required, with employer group or health plan experience.
• Training and/or certification in Lean, Six Sigma, or process improvement methodologies preferred. Project management training or certification as preferred.