Program Assistant

Operation Access; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Operation Access seeks a Program Assistant to be the first contact for patients referred for donated outpatient and diagnostic care. The role works remotely with occasional in-person activities across northern California, supporting intake and care coordination within the nonprofit’s volunteer-driven framework.

Responsibilities include bilingual intake, eligibility screening, volunteer engagement, and collaboration with clinics to gather patient data.

Qualifications

• Fluency in Spanish and English; able to learn medical terminology.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite / Office 365.
• Experience with databases (e.g., Salesforce) and/or data entry.
• Highly organized, reliable, and detail-oriented with strong prioritization.
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to work across cultures.
• Live in California and able to attend in-person meetings in northern CA.

Responsibilities

• Conduct patient intake and eligibility in Spanish and English.
• Assist with recruitment, training, and management of office volunteers.
• Develop knowledge of local safety net systems for the target population.

Skills

Bilingual Spanish/English

Relationship-building

Communication

Accountability

Education

Bachelor's degree or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Salesforce

Job description

JOB OVERVIEW: The Program Assistant is the first point of contact for patients referred to Operation Access for donated outpatient and diagnostic healthcare. They work as part of the intake team to determine patient eligibility, assist other program staff with patient care coordination, and communicate with referring clinics to gather required patient information. The job is remote except for occasional in-person activities.

THE ORGANIZATION: Operation Access is a nonprofit organization that partners with medical providers to donate surgical and specialty care to uninsured people. We advance health care equity for people facing barriers to care, including many immigrants. Active for 33 years, we serve patients throughout a wide service area in Northern California and the Central Valley. The organizational culture is rooted in collaboration, distributed leadership, and celebration.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Patient Eligibility and Intake

• Conduct patient intake and eligibility processes in Spanish and English, including entering incoming patient referrals, conducting screening for program eligibility by phone, obtaining additional information from medical records and clinics, and corresponding with patients.
• Assist with recruitment, training, and management of office volunteers.
• Develop and utilize knowledge of local safety net systems for the target population.

Program & Organizational Support

• Answer the main phone line and monitor incoming electronic faxes and messages.
• Send appointment reminders to patients to assist in navigation and ensure patient follow-through.
• Communicate with clinic contacts as needed to get pertinent patient information to determine patient eligibility and refer them to a volunteer specialist.
• Support sending of referral status reports to referring clinics.
• Attend, interpret, and assist with various tasks during Saturday surgery sessions - events where 10-100 volunteer medical professionals donate care to patients at partner medical centers to provide donated diagnostic and surgical care.
• Assist with patient care coordination, as needed.
• Participate actively in our internal meetings and organizational projects.
• Additional areas of leadership, depending on organizational needs and professional experience.
• Additional duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Fluency in Spanish and English: You can speak, read, and write in Spanish and English with minimal difficulty. You are a fluent Spanish speaker and can hold a conversation with a native or fluent speaker easily. You are willing to learn medical terminology.
• Proficiency with online tools (Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Office 365, or similar systems)
• Proficiency with databases (e.g., Salesforce) and/or data entry
• Highly organized, motivated, reliable, and detail-oriented to keep pace with demand for patient services: You are able to juggle competing demands, prioritize what’s most important, and meet deadlines. You have a track record of leaving things better than when you found them. You notice errors that others may overlook, and you are willing and able to take initiative and build systems.
• Demonstrated skills in the areas of relationship-building, communication/writing, and accountability: You empathize with the communities we serve and put people at ease, even with cultural or communication differences. You listen closely to understand people’s needs or concerns, and take pride in providing clear, helpful information. You welcome feedback and can adapt to new ideas and priorities. You follow through on commitments and hold yourself and your team accountable for the timely completion of work. You have strong writing skills and can find the right communication skills to use in different settings.
• Live in California with the ability to attend in-person meetings in northern California, as needed.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 1-3 years of work experience in healthcare or a related field.
• Bachelor's degree or experience in related field.
• Knowledge of local health care organizations.
• Experience with medical interpretation and knowledge of medical terminology.
• Experience or interest in IT or systems development and troubleshooting.
• Experience or interest in communications, design, or website development.
• Comfortable with public speaking.

AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, & other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.

As an equal opportunity employer, Operation Access is committed to building a diverse, inclusive culture with a commitment to our values and mission. We strongly encourage applications from people of color and other diverse backgrounds.