Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Team Leader Case Management Services

🎯 Role Definition

The Team Leader Case Management Services leads a team of case managers and care coordinators to deliver person-centered case management across health, behavioral health, and social service programs. This role balances direct operational supervision, clinical oversight, performance management, process improvement, reporting and stakeholder engagement to ensure consistent, compliant, efficient, and measurable care coordination that improves outcomes and reduces readmissions or escalations.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Case Manager or Lead Case Manager with demonstrated supervisory experience
Licensed Social Worker (LCSW), Registered Nurse (RN), or Behavioral Health Clinician transitioning to team leadership
Clinical Supervisor or Care Coordination Specialist moving into ops leadership

Advancement To:

Case Management Program Manager
Director of Case Management or Care Coordination
Director of Patient/Client Experience
Operations Director for Community Services

Lateral Moves:

Quality Improvement Lead (Case Management)
Clinical Supervisor (Behavioral Health)
Care Transitions Coordinator Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead, develop and directly supervise a multidisciplinary team of case managers, care coordinators and support staff; set clear performance expectations, conduct regular 1:1 coaching, and complete timely performance evaluations to drive high-quality service delivery.
Oversee daily case load distribution, triage processes and coverage models to ensure equitable workload, prompt crisis response and adherence to service-level agreements.
Provide clinical and operational guidance on complex cases, including high-risk clients, frequent utilizers, discharge planning, community placements, and multi-agency care plans.
Design, implement and monitor care coordination protocols, documentation standards and workflows to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, and support compliance with regulatory and contractual requirements.
Ensure all team members maintain accurate, timely, and compliant records in the electronic case management system (EMR/CRM), including assessments, care plans, progress notes, authorizations and discharge summaries.
Drive continuous quality improvement by analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs) such as client outcomes, length of case involvement, readmissions, referral closure rates and client satisfaction; implement corrective action plans where needed.
Collaborate with clinical leadership to develop clinical supervision plans, case review rounds, and peer consultation to maintain clinical quality and adherence to evidence-based practices.
Lead onboarding, training and professional development programs for new and existing staff, including competency checks, shadowing and continuing education aligned with organizational goals.
Manage escalations and complaint resolution by investigating incidents, documenting findings, implementing remediation and communicating outcomes to stakeholders in a timely, transparent manner.
Coordinate interdisciplinary discharge planning and transition-of-care processes with hospitals, primary care, behavioral health providers, housing agencies and community partners to secure appropriate post-discharge supports.
Partner with utilization review, risk management and payer relations to ensure appropriate authorization, documentation for billing, and mitigation of clinical and financial risk.
Develop and maintain strong external partnerships with community-based organizations, social service agencies, legal supports and housing providers to expand referral networks and resource options for clients.
Participate in program design, pilots and service expansions by providing operational input, estimating staffing needs, creating SOPs and measuring impact metrics to support scalable improvements.
Lead monthly or quarterly operational reviews, compile program-level dashboards and prepare executive summaries for senior leadership and funders highlighting trends, outcomes and action plans.
Ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations, accrediting bodies and funder contracts (HIPAA, CMS, state Medicaid rules) through routine audits, staff training and policy updates.
Manage team schedules, time-off coverage, caseload thresholds and resource allocation to maintain continuity of care and operational resilience during staff turnover or demand spikes.
Support recruitment and selection activities by writing job descriptions, screening candidates, conducting interviews and recommending hires to build a competent, culturally responsive team.
Implement client engagement strategies that increase retention and positive outcomes—use motivational interviewing, culturally competent outreach and trauma-informed approaches to reduce no-shows and disengagement.
Oversee incident reporting and safety planning for clients at risk of harm, coordinating with clinical leads, emergency services and family/legal representatives as appropriate.
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with IT, data analytics and finance to define data needs, improve reporting accuracy and streamline administrative processes (e.g., authorizations, invoicing).
Champion equity, diversity and inclusion in client-facing services and workplace culture; monitor disparities in service access or outcomes and propose targeted interventions.
Monitor program budgets related to case management operations, track expenditures, provide input on resource allocation and recommend efficiencies to enhance sustainability.
Serve as primary point of contact for audits, site visits and external reviews; prepare documentation, present program performance and implement corrective actions as required.
Lead or participate in research, grant writing and program evaluation initiatives to expand funding opportunities and measure long-term impact on client populations.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and generate actionable reports and visualizations to inform operational decisions and leadership briefings.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by identifying key case management metrics for reporting automation and predictive risk modeling.
Collaborate with business units (clinical ops, IT, finance) to translate case management needs into technical requirements for EMR/CRM enhancements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies related to case management system improvements and workflow automation projects.
Assist in developing client-facing resources, toolkits and educational materials to streamline self-service options and reduce administrative burden.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency with electronic case management systems and EMRs (e.g., Epic, Cerner, Netsmart, Salesforce Health Cloud or similar).
Strong experience with documentation standards, clinical coding basics and compliance requirements (HIPAA, CMS guidance).
Data literacy: ability to extract, interpret and present program metrics from Excel, Power BI, Tableau or similar BI tools.
Demonstrated knowledge of care coordination practices, discharge planning, utilization management and community resource mapping.
Competence in risk assessment, safety planning and crisis intervention protocols.
Familiarity with payer systems, authorizations, Medicaid/Medicare regulations and funder compliance reporting.
Budget monitoring and resource planning skills, including forecasting staffing needs based on volume and acuity.
Experience developing SOPs, standard forms, clinical pathways and quality assurance tools.
Basic project management skills: ability to run small projects, define deliverables, timelines and measure outcomes.
Proficiency with standard office tools (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace), secure communication platforms and telehealth basics.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership with proven ability to coach, mentor and develop high-performing teams.
Excellent written and verbal communication; able to prepare clear reports and present to stakeholders.
Critical thinking and problem-solving orientation, comfortable making decisions with imperfect information.
Empathy, cultural humility and commitment to trauma-informed, person-centered care.
Conflict resolution and de-escalation skills when handling staff or client disputes.
Organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to manage competing priorities.
Adaptability and comfort working in fast-paced, change-driven environments.
Collaborative stakeholder management across clinical, operational and community partners.
Ethical judgement and professional integrity when handling sensitive client information.
Time management and delegation skills focused on outcomes and staff development.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Nursing, Psychology, Human Services, Public Health, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree (MSW, MPH, MSN, MPA) or relevant clinical licensure (LCSW, LPC, RN) preferred.
Formal leadership, supervision, or management training and certifications (e.g., Certified Case Manager (CCM), Lean/Six Sigma basics) are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Social Work (BSW/MSW)
Nursing (RN, MSN)
Psychology, Counseling, Behavioral Health
Public Health, Health Administration, Human Services

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

4–8 years of progressive experience in case management, care coordination, social services, or clinical operations.

Preferred:

At least 2 years in a supervisory or team lead role overseeing case management staff.
Experience working with Medicaid/Medicare populations, behavioral health, complex care or transitional care programs.
Demonstrated track record of using data to drive improvements, managing compliance audits, and building community partnerships.