Summary
The Director of Central Intake is responsible for providing leadership, oversight, and operational management of the Central Intake Division across the organization. This position serves as a working leader who actively participates in referral management and admissions support while overseeing team performance, process improvement, occupancy growth initiatives, and referral management strategies. The Director of Central Intake collaborates with location leadership, clinical teams, business development, and referral partners to support census growth, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Lead and support the ongoing development and expansion of the Central Intake Division.
- Participate in referral review, intake coordination, escalation management, and admissions support activities.
- Oversee daily intake workflows to ensure timely processing and disposition of referrals.
- Develop and maintain standardized intake processes, workflows, and best practices.
- Ensure compliance with organizational, payer, state, and federal requirements.
Team Leadership and Development
- Directly supervise, mentor, and support Central Intake team members.
- Provide coaching, training, and professional development opportunities.
- Establish performance expectations and conduct performance evaluations.
- Address performance concerns through coaching and corrective action when appropriate.
- Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
Census Growth and Performance Management
- Monitor referral activity, conversion rates, occupancy trends, and census goals.
- Collaborate with location leadership and business development teams to identify growth opportunities.
- Analyze referral patterns, payer mix, decline reasons, and lost opportunities.
- Support new business follow-up initiatives through virtual outreach platforms.
Reporting and Analytics
- Monitor and analyze referral volume, conversion rates, occupancy trends, payer mix, referral source performance, and intake processing times.
- Prepare reports and presentations for executive leadership.
- Utilize data to identify opportunities for process improvement and operational efficiencies.
Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with referral partners, hospitals, managed care organizations, location leadership, and internal teams.
- Serve as a resource for complex admissions and referral concerns.
- Promote exceptional customer service throughout the intake process.
Strategic Planning and Process Improvement
- Participate in strategic planning initiatives related to centralized admissions and occupancy growth.
- Identify opportunities for workflow improvements and technology enhancements.
- Support operational improvement projects, system implementations, and change management initiatives.
This job description is not meant to be an exhaustive list of duties or responsibilities and may change over time based on the strategy and needs of the organization.
Experience & Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Nursing, or related field preferred.
- Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
- Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience in skilled nursing, post-acute care admissions, central intake, or healthcare operations leadership.
- Previous supervisory or management experience required.
- Experience with census development, referral management, and occupancy growth strategies preferred.
- Knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, Managed Care, and commercial payer processes preferred.
- Experience with referral management systems, electronic medical records, and customer relationship management software preferred.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office applications and reporting tools.
Skills & Characteristics
- Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
- Ability to analyze operational data and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with referral partners, location leadership, and internal stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to lead change and support process improvement initiatives.
- High level of professionalism, accountability, and attention to detail.
- Commitment to customer service excellence and continuous improvement.
- Ability to balance strategic planning with day-to-day operational responsibilities.
Work Environment
- Typical office environment, with minimal exposure to excessive noise or adverse environmental issues. Flexibility for remote work according to organizational policies
- Travel for meetings, industry conferences and partnerships, as needed
- Be able to meet the following physical requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation:
- Occasionally lift and move objects weighing up to 10 pounds.
BENEFITS
Health & Wellness
- Medical Insurance with free virtual doctor visits
- Vision & Dental Insurance
- Pet Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for personal and professional support
Financial Security
- 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match
- Paid Time Off (PTO) that accrues immediately from day one
- Paid Holidays for a healthy work-life balance
- Access to DailyPay, enabling you to access up to 100% of your earned wages on a daily basis
- Tuition Reimbursement up to $5,250 per year for ANY field of study
- Tuition Discounts through exclusive partnerships with the University of Cincinnati, University of Toledo, and Hondros College
- Employee-Sponsored Crisis Fund available for those facing unforeseen challenges
- Legal & Identity Theft Protection
Growth & Development
- University Partnerships with University of Cincinnati, University of Toledo, and Hondros College for exclusive tuition discounts
- Multiple Partner Discounts available for various products and services through Access Perks
- Access to 1,000s of hours of personal and professional development material through RightNow Media @ Work
*Some benefits, including PTO and tuition reimbursement, are based on hours worked.
Why work for Otterbein SeniorLife:
For more than 100 years, Otterbein has provided senior housing options rooted in respect and community. We’re a non-profit 501(c)(3) health and human service organization, so our values and initiatives are focused on serving our residents.
Otterbein SeniorLife consists of lifestyle communities, revolutionary small house neighborhoods, home health, and hospice care in Ohio and Indiana. We offer different lifestyle options for seniors through independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, rehab, memory support, respite care, in-home care, and hospice services.
Apply today and begin a meaningful career as a Direct of Central Intake at Otterbein!
