Director of Care Management & Social Work

Director of Care Management & Social Work

Location:
Phoenix, AZ

POSITION SUMMARY We are seeking an experienced healthcare executive to provide strategic direction, overall leadership, and operational oversight for our enterprise-wide Care Coordination departments, including Inpatient Care Management, Utilization Management, and Social Work.

This role serves as a key operational pillar- ensuring close alignment between care coordination and nursing leadership, developing family-centered care management models, and implementing population health initiatives. The leader will oversee vendor relationships, drive transition-to-care navigation programs, improve clinical outcomes through clinical innovation, and manage utilization to support cost-effective, high-quality pediatric care.

• Strategic Leadership & Compliance:
  Partner with executive leadership to establish clinical and financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Direct day-to-day operations for Case Management, Utilization Management, and Social Work to ensure full compliance with EMTALA, legal standards, and evidence-based clinical practices.
• Operational Oversight & Quality:
  Evaluate operational efficiency, establishing robust control mechanisms for hospital scheduling, insurance verifications, and financial clearances. Lead continuous quality improvement initiatives across all assigned units.
• Financial & Resource Management:
  Formulate and manage departmental operating budgets. Analyze operational and financial metrics, evaluate emerging technologies to streamline care delivery, and manage external vendor partnerships.
• Interdisciplinary
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Maintain active collaboration with Nursing, Managed Care, Revenue Cycle, Health Information Management (HIM), and Medical Group leadership to streamline care transitions and resolve complex cross-departmental bottlenecks.
• Team Development & Mentorship:
  Build a high-performing team by fostering professional growth, establishing clear performance expectations, and facilitating targeted education and training opportunities.

• Required:
  Bachelor's degree in Nursing, Social Work, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Preferred:
  Master's degree in Nursing, Management, Organizational Development, Healthcare Administration, or Social Work.

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Case Management or Social Work.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in an acute care hospital environment.
• 5+ years leading cross-functional departments supporting patient/family resources, community alignment, and/or utilization management (e.g., Social Work, Financial Counseling, Case Management).
• Pediatric acute care experience is highly preferred.

• Required:
  Strong understanding of revenue cycle operations at the clinical/financial intersection; working knowledge of third-party reimbursement models, patient access, financial clearance, and ICD-9/ICD-10 coding; proficiency with MCG and Inter Qual criteria.
• Preferred:
  Deep familiarity with Milliman guidelines and Allscripts Care Management (ACM).
• Core Competencies:
  Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills; proven ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams; strong computer literacy.

• Required:
  Valid Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Fingerprint Clearance Card.
• Preferred:
  Active State of Arizona RN License (or compact state equivalent with multi‑state privileges).
• Preferred:
  National certification in Case Management (CCM), Social Work (LCSW), or equivalent credential.