"Patient Navigator"

Job Details

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

• Continuing education and professional development for undergraduate and graduate tuition in addition to mandatory fees (except the transition student fee) for a maximum of six credits per semester;
• 28 University Leave Days, 11+ State Holidays, and 2 Enhanced Community Service Leave Days;
• Medical, Dental and Vision Health Benefits to meet the needs of employees and their eligible family members from the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as optional FSA;
• Participation in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and other retirement saving options;
• Parental and Caregiver Leave, Short Term Disability (STD), Disability Insurance, Voluntary Long Term Care Insurance, and Employee Assistance Program;
• Professional development opportunities encouraged and offered for employees as part of annual career development, e.g. certifications, seminars, courses, annual conferences, mentorship, etc.

Unit: Massey Comprehensive Cancer Ctr MBU

Department: Massey Other Programs

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

Mission: To reduce the state cancer burden for all Virginians by addressing the confluence between biological, social, and policy drivers through high-impact, cutting-edge research; person-centered care across the continuum, from prevention through survivorship; community integration; and training the next generation of community-centric researchers and healthcare professionals

Vision: To be a premier community-focused cancer center leading the nation in cancer health equity research and ensuring optimal health outcomes for all

The university and the region

VCU is a public research university unlike any other, dedicated to serving the needs of students and patients. Inclusion is our heartbeat and it drives us to tackle difficult challenges others can’t or won’t. We’re home to creativity, teaching, discovery and healing. Our location in the heart of downtown Richmond, Virginia, means the nonstop energy of our city ignites our innovation and provides unlimited opportunities for our students

About Virginia Commonwealth University

We are the university for Virginia. We know that the unique backgrounds and life experiences of the VCU community are what drive the university forward. Together, we’re forging a future that is built by us. Here, artists and engineers, doctors and designers come together to reimagine the human experience and tackle the problems of tomorrow.

VCU dates to 1838 with the formation of the Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College, whose mission was to educate physicians in central Virginia and which was later renamed Medical College of Virginia. In 1968, Richmond Professional Institute merged with the Medical College of Virginia to become what is now known as Virginia Commonwealth University.

Located in downtown Richmond, the state capital of Virginia, VCU enrolls more than 28,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate programs across its urban campuses: the downtown Monroe Park and MCV campuses in Richmond; the Rice Rivers Center in Charles City, Virginia; satellite locations in Fairfax, Virginia, and Abingdon, Virginia; and a campus in Doha, Qatar, for the School of the Arts.

Ignited by the energy of the city, we’re ready to lead industries — or disrupt them. We seek out the unexpected, the experimental, the never-been-tried. VCU is designated as a research university with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation, garnering more than $500 million in sponsored research from federal and other agencies in FY2024. The National Science Foundation ranked VCU among the top 50 public research universities in the country, and we are one of only 69 public universities nationwide to be designated by the Carnegie Foundation as “Community Engaged” with “Very High Research Activity.”

This research enterprise, and the influence of having one of the nation’s top-ranked public graduate arts schools, ensures students receive unique educational experiences that equip them with a creative mindset that sets them apart.

VCU’s contributions in talent, innovation and entrepreneurialism, regional stewardship and local culture shape the economic impact and overall quality of life in the region. VCU as a whole generates more than $9 billion in economic activity. It is the largest employer in Richmond with more than 26,000 employees at VCU and VCU Health, and it supports approximately 58,000 jobs in Virginia. In addition, Virginia classifies VCU with a Tier III status — the highest possible status for universities and colleges — allowing VCU more flexibility in managing its operations to implement best practices and streamline processes. To learn about VCU’s finances, visit about.finance.vcu.edu.

VCU’s mission, under the leadership of President Michael Rao, Ph.D., is to serve as one national urban public research institution dedicated to the success and well-being of our students, patients, faculty, staff and community through:

• Real-world learning that furthers civic engagement, inquiry, discovery and innovation.
• Research that expands the boundaries of new knowledge and creative expression and promotes translational applications to improve the quality of human life.
• Interdisciplinary collaborations and community partnerships that advance innovation, enhance cultural and economic vitality, and solve society’s most complex challenges.
• Health sciences that preserve and restore health for all people, seek the cause and cure of diseases through groundbreaking research and educate those who serve humanity.

Welcome to VCU. A world unlike any other.

Job Title: Patient Navigator

Core Responsibilities:

• Building relationships with patients seen in the Palliative Care and Survivorship clinics to encourage engagement and self-efficacy in cancer care and chronic pain management.
• Completing screening of patients prior to appointments.
• Assisting with the identification of critical resource needs and social drivers of health that impact continuity of care and patient outcomes.
• Working with the care team to connect patients with internal and external resources to address critical resource needs and facilitate care coordination.
• Providing patient education materials as appropriate.
• Engaging in care navigation as deemed appropriate under the guidance of the primary care team.
• Assisting with clinical research needs patient consent, survey distribution and collection, and data entry.

Qualifications

Minimum Hiring Standards:

• Must have prior experience working in a healthcare environment.
• Must have excellent oral and written communication in daily interactions with a proven ability to clearly articulate specific information to patients.
• Must be willing to engage in additional training as deemed necessary to fulfill duties and responsibilities including navigation training, training in basic research skills, data entry training, and cultural competence.
• Must have strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask and balance multiple priorities.
• Must work well in a team environment.
• Must have access to personal transportation and be able to travel independently.
• Minimum of associate degree.
• Must be willing to comply with health and safety standards for patient engagement as set forth by VCU Health.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU

Preferred Additional Qualifications:

• Prior experience with EPIC.
• Prior experience working in a research environment.
• Spanish speaking.

This is a restricted position and is fully grant funded until September 30, 2026

Please note VCU is not able to provide ongoing visa sponsorship for this position

Please let us know if you were referred by a current Massey employee to ensure we honor our commitment to the Employee Referral Program.

VCU is committed to hiring veterans! VCU will include a veteran’s period(s) of military service in the calculation of their annual leave accrual rate. This may provide veterans with an increased leave accrual!

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer

Salary Range: Starting at $42,000 commensurate with experience

FLSA Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Restricted Position: Yes

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

Contact Information:

Contact Name: Massey HR Contact Email: Masseyhr@vcu.edu