GENERAL SUMMARY:
The Optical Manager provides leadership and oversight for all optical operations, ensuring exceptional patient care, operational excellence, and financial performance. This position is responsible for developing and leading a high-performing team, driving sales growth, managing inventory and workflow, and ensuring compliance with organizational policies and industry standards. The Optical Manager partners with clinical and operational leaders to achieve strategic objectives while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Operations & Patient Care
- Deliver exceptional patient service that reflects MEC's mission, values, and service standards.
- Direct the day-to-day operations of the optical department, including service quality, sales performance, inventory management, cash handling, regulatory compliance, patient issue resolution, and expense management.
- Monitor the quality of products dispensed to patients in accordance with ANSI Z80 standards and organizational quality expectations.
- Develop and maintain profitable inventory strategies, including frame selection, purchasing, merchandising, inventory controls, and frame board management.
- Maintain expert knowledge of vision insurance plans, billing requirements, and reimbursement processes for eyewear and contact lenses.
- Collaborate regularly with providers, clinic managers, and organizational leadership to align departmental goals, policies, and operational priorities.
- Serve as MEC's primary liaison with optical vendors, manufacturers, laboratories, and industry representatives.
Leadership & Team Development
- Recruit, hire, onboard, coach, develop, and retain a high-performing team of Opticians and Optical Associates.
- Conduct performance evaluations, provide ongoing coaching, establish performance expectations, and develop employee growth plans.
- Develop and implement onboarding, continuing education, certification, and technical training programs that support professional development and consistent work standards.
- Partner with MEC leadership to establish and achieve departmental goals, performance metrics, and strategic initiatives.
- Develop staffing schedules that ensure appropriate coverage while maximizing patient experience, productivity, and operational efficiency.
- Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, teamwork, recognition, and continuous improvement.
- Delegate responsibilities effectively while holding team members accountable for quality, accuracy, productivity, and timely completion of work.
Business Development & Strategic Planning
- Analyze operational and financial metrics, including sales, capture rate, key performance indicators (KPIs), inventory performance, and profitability, to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Monitor industry trends, competitor activity, emerging technologies, and product offerings, recommending strategies that improve patient care, operational performance, and financial results.
- Collaborate with the Clinical Services Director and Chief Operating Officer to develop educational programs that keep providers and staff informed of new products, technology, services, and promotions.
- Lead or participate in cross-functional committees, organizational initiatives, and special projects that support MEC's strategic goals.
- Prepare and present departmental performance updates, recommendations, and business plans for leadership as requested.
- Monitor departmental financial performance and implement strategies to achieve revenue, expense, and profitability goals.
CULTURE
- Contributes to creating an environment oriented to trust, openness, creative thinking, accountability, and cohesive team effort. This includes modeling vulnerable openness vs. withholding or watering down with managers and employees.
- Cultivate self-awareness through encouraging self-reflection and continuous personal development, providing opportunities and resources to do so.
- Develops and maintains professional, support-oriented working relationships with patients, employees, team members, and community partners.
- Lead by example (role model) – behavior consistent with words. Demonstrate a commitment to trust, openness, accountability, and self-awareness in your own actions and decisions.
- Embraces belief that “We are all responsible, and no one is to blame”. Address conflicts promptly and constructively, promoting resolutions that reinforce trust and accountability.
- Model and Support iCare standards:
- Integrity: I am honest and strive to conduct myself ethically in all endeavors.
- Commitment: I am committed to excellence; I seek out the best resources and technology to deliver my very best for the benefit of others.
-* A*wareness: I am aware of my physical appearance, the appearance of the office, my emotional state, and my interactions with co-workers and patients.
- Relationships: I am non-defensive, open, and aware. I ask for and seek feedback to maintain my relationships. I recognize issues with patients or staff, then facilitate resolution.
- Empathy: I listen without judgment, find common ground, and offer help. I validate others’ perspectives and connect with them.
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:
- Active American Board of Opticianry (ABO) certification preferred.
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in a retail or private practice optical environment, including inventory management.
- Minimum of 3 years of leadership experience, including supervising, developing, and motivating a team.
- Demonstrated knowledge of optical and laboratory operations, industry trends, and emerging technologies.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive performance toward operational and growth goals.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams).
- Experience in using Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems required, with the ability to quickly learn and adapt to new software applications.
- Experience analyzing business metrics, including sales, productivity, capture rate, and inventory performance, and using data to improve operational results.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Excellent communication skills; handles challenging situations with diplomacy without compromising clarity.
- Highly organized, skilled at prioritizing work demands.
- Accuracy and attention to detail.
- Demonstrates ability to evaluate suggestions and criticism objectively and non-defensively and undertakes measures to change behavior or seek guidance.
Demonstrates flexibility in work assignments, hours, and process changes that improve care, service, and operations.
- Leads by example and provides support, coaching, and resources to ensure team and departmental goals are achieved.
- Ability to work with confidential information and handle protected health information in a manner consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
OFFICE EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS:
- Knowledge of payroll and human resources information software.
- Telephone, able to hear and communicate.
- Fax / Copier / Scanner.
LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Must have the ability to communicate with clarity, verbally and in writing; read and interpret complex documents, regulations, policies, and procedure manuals; and create professional business documents.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:
Must have the ability to add; subtract; multiply; use percentages, fractions, decimals; interpret numeric graphs.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable those with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Ability to sit for long periods of time.
- Occasional bending, stooping and reaching required.
- Manual dexterity required to operate modern office business machinery (phone, fax, PC, projector, etc.)
While performing the duties, the following will be required:
- Walk 10%
- Sitting 75%
- Standing 15%
- Computer usage 90%
- Use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear
- Frequently is required to stand, reach with hands and arms, and twist
- Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
- Must occasionally lift, and/or move light material (<30 lbs)
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable those with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- This is an onsite leadership position and is not eligible for routine remote or hybrid work arrangements.
- Noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
- Located in a comfortable indoor area, though not necessarily a private office.
HAZARDS:
A hazard is the potential for harm. An individual in this role must follow safety guidelines such as hand washing, assigned employee OSHA category, and department’s job hazard safety programs. Health care setting hazards for this position include the following:
- Ergonomic hazards from lifting and repetitive tasks
- Duties may involve exposure to blood, body fluids, tissues, or other potentially infectious materials.
OTHER DUTIES:
- Medical Eye Center reserves the right to modify this description at their discretion. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.
Pay: $62,400.00 - $78,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Bereavement leave
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Family leave
- Flexible schedule
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
