Director of Patient Outreach

Director of Patient Outreach

Position Overview:

Shields is searching for an exceptional, hands-on operations leader to support a key growth driver enrolling new patients to the care model. This role is ideal for candidates with a background in healthcare or pharmacy operations and experience managing and scaling large, fast-paced, high functioning business units.

As the Director of Patient Outreach, you will be responsible for leading a team of managers and supervisors focused on educating and enrolling new patients onto the Shields care model. You will drive operational efficiency, best practice adoption, and process improvement initiatives while fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and professional development.

Success in this role requires a problem-solver who can drive innovation and implement scalable solutions that enhance Shields' partnerships with hospital systems. You will work cross-functionally with regional leaders, clinical teams, and senior executives to continuously improve operations and optimize patient experiences.

If you thrive in high-growth, people and patient-focused environment, excel at leading large teams, and are passionate about developing people while driving operational success, we invite you to be a key part of Shields' mission to drive differentiated patient outcomes in specialty pharmacy management.

 Position Highlights:

• Lead & Inspire High-Performing Teams – Provide strategic leadership to a growing leadership team, fostering a culture of excellence, engagement, and accountability. 
• Develop & Elevate Talent – Invest in the growth and career development of employees, empowering them through coaching, mentorship, and performance-driven leadership.
• Drive Operational Excellence at Scale – Oversee large-scale healthcare operations, implementing best practices and innovative solutions to enhance efficiency and patient outcomes.
• Thrive in a High-Growth, Fast-Paced Environment – Play a key role in scaling operations within a rapidly expanding organization that is transforming specialty pharmacy management.
• Make a Meaningful Impact – Directly contribute to improving the patient experience by ensuring we are educating patients effectively and providing seamless, high-quality, and patient-centered care

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership & Strategy

• Oversee daily operations of outreach teams and ensure alignment to strategic initatives
• Other expanded responsibilities could include benefits investigations, and patient financial assistance, ensuring efficiency and compliance with industry best practices.
• Develop and implement scalable operational strategies that enhance and align to continued growth
• Lead and facilitate strategic discussions with regional and senior leadership teams to identify challenges, develop solutions, and drive continuous operational improvements.
• Monitor and manage budgets, ensuring operational performance targets are met while maintaining a patient-centered approach.
• Drive continuous process improvement initiatives by assessing workflows, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing best practices across the broader team.
• Provide visibility and career advancement opportunities through leadership training, succession planning, and mentorship programs.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Build, inspire, and develop a high performing, engaged team by providing clear direction, motivation, and professional growth opportunities.
• Provide coaching, feedback, and development to direct reports, including CO Managers, Supervisors, Senior/Team Leads, and Patient Outreach Team members to ensure alignment with performance expectations.
• Create individualized development plans for team members, leveraging the Leadership Development Model (LDM) to help them reach their full potential.
• Lead the identification and development of future leaders within the Outreach team, ensuring a strong leadership pipeline for continued growth.
• Ability to lead teams through operational challenges and unexpected disruptions as well as manage conflict resolution using de-escalating techniques to support team as well as client expectations.

Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with Regional Vice Presidents (RVPs) and their regional leadership teams to ensure health system and clinic satisfaction.
• Serve as a trusted partner and subject matter expert to hospital and clinic leadership, helping resolve operational challenges and drive service excellence.
• Partner with data analytics and other functional teams to evaluate performance metrics, execute improvement initiatives, and support data-driven decision-making.
• Stakeholder influence in a matrixed organization will be necessary to influence people without direct authority (particularly true when working with client partners and regional facing support teams)

Performance Management & Compliance

• Ensure consistent adoption of best practices across all CO  operations, driving alignment with Shields Health Solutions' mission and values.
• Create and track key performance indicators (KPIs) using data analytics to measure success, identify opportunities, and drive performance enhancements. 
• Maintain high accountability in balancing patient care, productivity, and operational targets.
• Lead projects and sponsor initiatives that leverage technology and automation to optimize patient support operations.
• Ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations and uphold ethical standards in handling patient information and company proprietary data.

Other Responsibilities

• Travel as necessary to support business operations and health system partner needs (estimated 15%-20%).
• Other duties as assigned.

Education / Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related field required.
• Advanced degrees (e.g., MBA, MHA, or equivalent) preferred but not required.
• PharmD or BS in Pharmacy is a plus but not required (state certification not necessary).

Experience:

• 7+ years of leadership experience in healthcare operations and/or pharmacy operations, with a track record of driving efficiency and performance.
• 5+ years of experience leading large-scale operations teams (50+ team members) highly preferred, with a demonstrated ability to build and develop high-performing teams.
• Expertise in process development, process mapping, and process improvement, with a strong focus on optimizing pharmacy operations and enhancing patient outcomes.
• Self-directed and highly capable of managing complex operations with limited direct oversight, while driving strategic initiatives.
• Experience in specialty pharmacy operations is highly preferred, with a strong understanding of specialty refill management, benefits investigations, and patient financial assistance.
• Prior contact center operations experience or similar type experience would be helpful (but not required)

Skills:

• Executive Presence & Influence – Ability to influence without direct authority, collaborating effectively with regional leaders, on-site clinical staff, and business partners to drive alignment and achieve strategic goals.
• Decision-Making & Negotiation – Skilled in making high-impact decisions and negotiating with senior leaders to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes while maintaining organizational priorities.
• Leadership & Team Development – Ambitious leader with a proven ability to inspire, mentor, and develop team leaders, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Operational & Strategic Management – Strong operational acumen with the ability to evaluate trends, assess key performance metrics, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement
• Performance Management – Experienced in managing and coaching teams to meet and exceed quantitative metrics while ensuring clinical quality and patient-centered outcomes.
• Patient-Centered & Quality-Focused – Committed to delivering exceptional patient care, ensuring operational excellence, and maintaining high integrity, attention to detail, and accountability.
• Effective Communication & Emotional Intelligence – Strong listening, teaching, and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships, foster collaboration, and resolve challenges with empathy and professionalism.
• Change Management & Problem-Solving – Open-minded and adaptable change agent with a creative, solutions-oriented mindset, willing to take initiative and drive process improvements in a fast-paced environment.
• Confidentiality & Professionalism – Highly discreet and trustworthy, handling sensitive health information with the utmost confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA regulations.