CLIENT SERVICES FRONT DESK MANAGER

About Whitman-Walker Health

Whitman-Walker envisions a society where all people are seen for who they are, treated with dignity and respect, and afforded equal opportunity to health and wellbeing. Through care, advocacy, research, and education, we empower all people to live healthy, love openly, and achieve equality and inclusion. For over 50 years, we have been meeting the needs of our communities with the endless dedication of our diverse teams.

Core Whitman-Walker Primary Essential Duties

• Performs and behaves in accordance with Whitman-Walker’s mission, cultural norms and core values of dignity, respect, affirmation, and humility.
• Maintain a respectful, non-judgmental, and compassionate manner with patients/clients/staff.
• Demonstrate excellent customer service by identifying and exceeding customer requirements.
• Adhere to Whitman-Walker policies and procedures, with special attention given to HIPAA requirements.
• Maintain data integrity through conscientious use of relevant tools and employing a system of checks and balances.
• Demonstrate organizational skills necessary to multi-task, meet deadlines, and re-prioritize as needed.
• Participate in organizational quality and performance improvement activities.

Job Summary 

The Clinical Operations Department is Whitman-Walker Health's centralized medical, dental, and behavioral health support department. The Client Services Front Desk Manager (CSFM) provides day-to-day leadership and operational oversight of Client Services Representatives (CSRs) and front desk operations across all Whitman-Walker Health locations. This is an on-site, non-remote management position requiring regular in-person collaboration with staff, patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in a fast-paced clinical environment.

Reporting to the Client Services Manager, the Client Services Front Desk Manager oversees front-end administrative operations to ensure efficient patient access, exceptional customer service, regulatory compliance, and adherence to organizational and departmental standards. The position is responsible for managing patient registration, appointment scheduling for medical and behavioral health services, insurance verification and Real-Time Eligibility (RTE), benefits validation, referrals, payment collection, patient cost estimates, demographic and insurance updates, interpreter coordination, and other patient access and revenue cycle functions.

The Client Services Front Desk Manager partners closely with clinical leaders, the Call Center, Revenue Cycle, and other operational departments to optimize workflows, monitor quality and productivity metrics, develop and coach staff, implement process improvements, and foster a patient-centered environment that reflects Whitman-Walker Health's mission, values, and commitment.

Primary Essential Duties: 

• Performs and behaves in accordance with Whitman-Walker’s mission, cultural norms and core values of dignity, respect, affirmation, and humility. 
• Maintains a respectful, non-judgmental, and compassionate manner with patients/clients/staff. 
• Demonstrates excellent customer service by identifying and exceeding customer requirements. 
• Adheres to Whitman-Walker policies and procedures, with special attention given to HIPAA requirements. 
• Maintains data integrity through conscientious use of relevant tools and employing a system of checks and balances. 
• Demonstrates organizational skills necessary to multi-task, meet deadlines, and re-prioritize as needed. 
• Participates in organizational quality and performance improvement activities. 

Role Specific Primary Essential Duties:

• Directs and oversees the day-to-day operations of Client Services Representatives (CSRs), providing leadership, coaching, mentoring, and technical guidance while monitoring the timeliness, quality, and consistency of front desk services.
• Manages staff scheduling, administrative time, individual supervision, team meetings, departmental policies and procedures, training initiatives, and the efficient delivery of high-quality patient access services.
• Reviews and approves employee timesheets, monitors time and attendance records for accuracy and compliance, and addresses attendance patterns, including absences, tardiness, missed punches, and early departures, in accordance with organizational policy and the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Ensures payroll deadlines are met and required timekeeping corrections are completed in a timely manner.
• Recruits, interviews, onboards, and trains Client Services Representatives, ensuring staff are equipped with the customer service skills, system proficiency, and operational knowledge needed to perform front desk functions and meet departmental performance standards. Conducts routine quality assurance audits of opening and closing duties, check in/out workflow, patient registration, scheduling, and documentation to assess staff performance, ensure compliance with departmental and organizational standards, and provide coaching and corrective feedback as appropriate.
• Ensures front desk coverage is maintained during all operating hours and, on an intermittent and non-routine basis, provides direct operational support when staffing shortages or business needs require, including performing patient registration, scheduling, insurance verification, MSPQ, payment collection, and other patient access responsibilities in accordance with departmental standards. Such direct support is incidental to, and does not displace, the management responsibilities that constitute the position's primary duty.
• Serves as the first point of escalation for staff and patient concerns, collaborating with clinical departments and operational partners to resolve issues professionally and promptly.
• Models and reinforces timely, professional, and effective communication practices among Client Services Representatives, including but not limited to email, EMR messages, telephone encounters, faxes, referrals, and other correspondence, in accordance with established organizational and departmental communication standards.
• Oversees patient scheduling activities to ensure appointments are scheduled appropriately and in accordance with departmental workflows, including coordinating interpreter services in accordance with Whitman-Walker Health's Language Access Policy. Ensures staff accurately collect, document, and maintain patient demographic information, insurance information, and Language Access requirements within the EMR.
• Supports financial integrity by ensuring staff accurately complete real-time insurance eligibility verification, update insurance information in the EMR, process payments, collect balances, generate basic and/or itemized receipts, maintain receipt logs, and complete daily financial reconciliations. Oversees cash-handling procedures, including balancing cash, checks, and credit card receipts against EMR transactions and end-of-day cash drawer counts, and ensures cash drawers have adequate change, in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with Call Center, Revenue Cycle, and clinical departments to ensure timely communication and coordination of scheduling updates, workflow changes, staffing needs, and operational concerns, escalating issues to the Client Services Manager as appropriate.

• Oversees and monitors assigned work queues (e.g. appt requests, referrals) to ensure timely processing and follow-up.
• Advocates for employees by providing coaching, professional development opportunities, performance recognition, and removing barriers to success while fostering a positive, inclusive, and collaborative work environment.
• Prepares operational reports and shares observations and recommendations with management.
• Uses EMR dashboards, reporting tools, and other available performance metrics to monitor staff productivity, patient access activities, scheduling performance, work queue activity, registration and insurance verification accuracy, and other departmental performance indicators; identifies trends and opportunities for improvement and provides coaching or escalates concerns as appropriate.
• Ensures staff have appropriate supplies, equipment, and operational resources necessary to perform their duties effectively.
• Ensures public-facing areas remain clean, organized, and professional.
• Supports processing of incoming mail.
• Participates in management meetings, operational planning sessions, and quality improvement initiatives while providing updates, recommendations, and reports as requested.
• Assists management with fact-finding related to employee relations matters, performance concerns, investigations, and grievance processes, as appropriate. 
• Reviews and makes recommendations for changes to collective bargaining agreements and the Employee Handbook to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Budget Responsibilities

No direct budget responsibilities

Management Responsibilities

Supervises, schedules, and monitors the performance of Client Services Representatives (CSRs), provides feedback, and initiates or effectively recommends corrective action, hiring, and other personnel decisions using independent judgment

Knowledge, Skills and Talents Required: 

• Knowledge of standard medical and/or behavioral health office operations to include patient scheduling, medical terminology, insurance verification, referral, billing, and software.

• Knowledge of health center front and back-office operations and ability to understand and become knowledgeable of PCMH, Ryan White and other grant requirements, and FQHC requirements as they relate to patient scheduling, registration, insurance verification, prior authorization, billing, payment collection, and payment posting.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing excellent customer service in telephone, face to face interpersonal and written correspondence - including the ability to assess customer need, meet quality service standards, and evaluate customer satisfaction, coach staff, and effectively de-escalate difficult customer encounters
• Ability to work independently and learn quickly. 
• Ability to effectively communicate with staff and patients in an affirming, respectful and efficient manner.
• Fluency in medical/behavioral health terminology.
• Fluency in HIPAA laws and regulations. 
• Knowledge of electronic medical record, EPIC Systems, and computer software programs used by Client Services.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office products. 
• Possess the ability to establish and maintain professional working relationships with all levels of staff, patients, and the public, and to work comfortably with people with HIV, and persons with different ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, color, religion, marital status, national origin, age, disability, and veteran status. 
• Flexibility to work alternative hours and shifts, and locations, as necessary, to ensure adequate coverage.
• Promotes effective, professional working relationships within and across departments.
• Communication: Direct and indirect communication.  Written and verbal competence.  

Education and Experience Required

• Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience
• Three years of experience in a medical or behavioral health setting, including experience with patient registration, insurance verification and benefits validation, scheduling, referrals, payment collection and posting, and front desk/patient access operations. 
• Two (2) years of experience in a lead, supervisory, or other staff oversight capacity, including experience providing coaching, training, performance feedback, workflow guidance, and day-to-day operational support.
• 2 years of experience working with a broadly diverse population and ability to work harmoniously with diverse groups of individuals required.

• 2 years of experience working with members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Gender Expansive, Queer, Asexual, Intersexed communities preferred.
• 2 years of experience working with people living with HIV or issues related to HIV care preferred.

Working Conditions:

• Working conditions are generally consistent with a professional office and healthcare environment. The position requires frequent interaction with patients, staff, providers, and other departments and may require periods of standing, walking, and working at a front desk or workstation. 
• The position may require evening and/or weekend work, extended hours, and participation in organizational events based on operational needs. 
• May be required to report to work or support operations during inclement weather and other emergency or operational events in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.

Physical Demands:

• Lifting: No more than 20 lbs. and infrequently.  
• Movement: Requires prolonged periods of sitting and standing, with frequent movement throughout the work area to support staff and front desk operations.  
• Visual: Long periods on computer.
• Concentration: Requires sustained attention to detail and concentration when using computer systems and entering, reviewing, and verifying patient, scheduling, insurance, financial, and other operational information. Requires intermittent use of telephone and communication systems to respond to patient, staff, and departmental inquiries while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.

The above job description is designed to indicate a general sense of the duties and expectations of this position. It is not to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities required. As the nature of our business demands changes, so too may the duties and responsibilities of this position. You may be required to perform other duties as requested, directed, or assigned.