Free Case Manager Job Description Templates
Free case manager job description templates: healthcare, social work, mental health, insurance, and legal. Download as DOCX and customize.
Case Manager Job Description Templates
6 free templates by setting. Download as DOCX or copy-paste.
A case manager assesses what a client needs, builds a plan, coordinates the services and resources to deliver it, and advocates for the client along the way. It is a role that shows up across very different organizations: home health agencies, nonprofits, behavioral health clinics, insurance offices, and law firms. The job description you write sets the setting, the credentials, and the expectations, and it is your first filter for the right case manager.
At FirstHR, we build for small organizations where a director or owner handles hiring directly. The six templates below cover the most common versions of the role: general, healthcare/RN, social work, mental/behavioral health, insurance/workers' comp, and legal. Each is ready to use. Fill in the bracketed fields, adjust to match your organization, and post. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description covers the basics.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template that matches your organization and setting. The core structure is the same across all six, but each one emphasizes the responsibilities, credentials, and language that fit a specific kind of case manager role. Use this guide to choose.
6 Free Case Manager Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each one follows the same structure: organization overview, job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications and credentials, compensation, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets before you post.
Template 1: General Case Manager
The universal, all-purpose version for any organization hiring a case manager. Assessment, care planning, coordination, advocacy, and documentation. Start here if the role is broad or you are not sure which setting fits.
Template 2: Healthcare / RN Case Manager
For home health, clinics, and hospice. Adds an active RN license, care plans, discharge planning, EHR, and CCM or ACM certification. Use this for a clinical care-coordination role.
Template 3: Social Work Case Manager
For nonprofits and social-services agencies. Adds BSW or MSW, community-resource linkage, crisis intervention, and government-program navigation. Use this for a community-focused role.
Template 4: Mental / Behavioral Health Case Manager
For behavioral health and outpatient centers. Adds psychosocial assessment, treatment-support planning, a defined caseload, HIPAA, and substance use support. Use this for a behavioral health role.
Template 5: Insurance / Workers' Comp Case Manager
For insurance offices and TPAs. Adds return-to-work coordination, adjuster and provider liaison, care guidelines, and claim cost control, with an RN background often preferred. Use this for a claims-side role.
Template 6: Legal Case Manager
For small law firms and personal injury practices. Adds client intake, docketing and deadlines, case files, legal research, and case software. Use this for a law-firm case management role.
What Does a Case Manager Do?
A case manager assesses client needs, coordinates services to meet them, advocates for the client, and tracks progress. The work centers on assessment, planning, coordination, advocacy, and documentation, connecting clients to the right care, resources, and support. Because case management spans many fields, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not list it as a single occupation; much of the work falls under social workers, who help people prevent and cope with problems in their lives.
The role varies sharply by setting. A healthcare RN case manager handles clinical care and discharge planning; a social work case manager links clients to community resources; an insurance case manager coordinates return-to-work. That is why the job description should describe the role for your specific organization. For related clinical roles, the nurse job description templates cover adjacent healthcare staff.
Case Manager Duties and Responsibilities
Case manager duties fall into four broad areas. A strong job description selects the specific responsibilities from each area that apply to your setting rather than listing every possible task. These are the responsibilities most often expected of the role.
For a healthcare role, the duties weight clinical assessment and discharge planning; for a social work role, community resources and crisis intervention. For help scoping the role before you write the posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through a simple process.
What to Include in a Case Manager Job Description
Every strong case manager job description includes the same core sections, with concrete duties rather than generic ones. The templates above are built around them, but it helps to see the difference between vague and specific wording.
| Weak bullet | Strong bullet |
|---|---|
| Help clients | Assess client needs and develop individualized plans |
| Coordinate care | Coordinate services, referrals, and resources |
| Track clients | Monitor client progress and adjust plans |
| Advocate | Advocate for clients and connect them to support |
| Keep records | Maintain accurate, timely case documentation |
Specific, concrete duties attract candidates who understand the work and signal a serious employer. Keep the language neutral and inclusive too, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics. For a fuller framework, the SHRM guide to writing a job description covers the standard sections.
Licenses and Certifications
Case management is often a licensed or credentialed role, so the qualifications section carries real weight. The right credentials depend entirely on the setting, so name them clearly for the role you are hiring for.
Beyond credentials, look for strong assessment, organization, communication, and documentation skills, plus comfort with the relevant software or EHR. Many case manager roles are salaried and exempt, so review the Department of Labor FLSA rules when you set pay and classify the role.
Case Manager by Setting
The case manager role changes meaningfully by setting. Picking the right template keeps your posting accurate and helps the right candidates recognize themselves in it.
| Setting | Focus | Typical credential |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare / RN | Clinical care, discharge planning | RN license, CCM or ACM |
| Social Work | Community resources, advocacy | BSW or MSW, state licensure |
| Behavioral Health | Mental health and substance use | Relevant degree, certification |
| Insurance / Workers' Comp | Return-to-work, claims | RN often preferred, CCM |
| Legal | Case files, deadlines, intake | Paralegal or legal experience |
A small organization usually hires for one setting at a time and may add specialized case managers as it grows. Match the template to your setting rather than to a larger structure you do not yet have.
Case Manager Salary
Case manager pay varies widely by setting, credentials, location, and experience. Because there is no single government figure for the title, use the closest benchmarks and adjust.
Adjust for the setting and credentials: a licensed RN case manager commands more than an entry-level social-services case manager, and pay rises with certification such as the CCM. Always publish a salary range, since it attracts more qualified candidates and is required in a growing number of states.
How to Write a Case Manager Job Description
A strong case manager job description takes about 20 minutes to write if you follow a clear structure. Here is the process the templates are built around. If you are building out your team, the small business hiring guide covers the steps around the posting itself.
Hiring a Case Manager for a Small Organization
A large hospital or agency hires case managers through a recruiting team with defined processes. A small nonprofit, clinic, or agency does not. A program director or owner writes the posting, screens applicants, verifies licenses, and onboards the new hire, often while carrying their own caseload. As you grow your team, clinical and support roles follow the same pattern, which is why hiring a medical assistant shares the same approach. Here is how to write the posting for that reality.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding. Because a case manager works with vulnerable clients and sensitive information from day one, verifying credentials and running a thorough onboarding matters more than for most roles.
A thorough onboarding gets a new case manager confident with your systems, privacy procedures, and caseload quickly, which matters because they work with vulnerable clients and sensitive information from the first day. Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, and onboarding workflow in one place so a small organization can manage the full process from one system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a case manager do?
A case manager assesses a client's needs, develops a plan, coordinates services and resources, advocates for the client, and documents progress. Day to day, that means evaluating needs, building individualized care or service plans, connecting clients to providers and community resources, monitoring progress and adjusting plans, and keeping accurate case records. The specific work varies by setting. A healthcare or RN case manager focuses on clinical care and discharge planning, a social work case manager links clients to community programs, a behavioral health case manager manages a caseload of mental health clients, and a legal case manager tracks case files and deadlines.
What should a case manager job description include?
A strong case manager job description includes a job summary, key responsibilities, required qualifications, licenses and certifications, skills, compensation, and the reporting structure, plus how to apply. Because case management is often a licensed or credentialed role, the qualifications section matters: state the required degree, license, and certification for your setting, whether that is an RN license, a BSW or MSW, or a CCM. Responsibilities should match the setting, from clinical discharge planning to community-resource linkage or return-to-work coordination. Include a salary range and note any travel or fieldwork. The templates in this article give you a ready structure to customize.
What are the duties and responsibilities of a case manager?
A case manager's duties fall into four areas. Assessment and planning: evaluating client needs, developing individualized plans, and monitoring progress. Coordination and advocacy: coordinating services and referrals, connecting clients to resources, and advocating on their behalf. Documentation: maintaining accurate case records and meeting reporting requirements. Collaboration: working with providers, families, agencies, and care teams. The exact mix depends on the setting. A healthcare case manager weights clinical assessment and discharge planning, a social work case manager weights community resources and crisis intervention, and an insurance case manager weights return-to-work and care coordination.
What licenses and certifications does a case manager need?
It depends on the setting. A healthcare or RN case manager needs an active registered nurse license, often with CCM (Certified Case Manager) or ACM (Accredited Case Manager) certification. A social work case manager typically needs a BSW or MSW and may need state social work licensure. A behavioral health case manager usually needs a relevant degree and may need state certification. An insurance or workers' comp case manager often prefers an RN background plus CCM. A legal case manager usually needs paralegal or legal experience rather than a clinical license. State the specific requirements for your setting clearly in the job description so candidates know what they need.
What is the difference between a healthcare and a social work case manager?
A healthcare or RN case manager focuses on clinical care: assessing medical needs, developing care plans, managing discharge planning and transitions of care, and coordinating with physicians, usually requiring an RN license. A social work case manager focuses on social and community needs: linking clients to resources and government programs, providing crisis intervention, and advocating for clients and families, usually requiring a BSW or MSW. Both assess needs, coordinate services, and document progress, but the clinical depth, credentials, and resources differ. When you write the job description, use the healthcare or social work template that matches the role so you screen for the right background.
How much does a case manager make?
Case manager is not a single standardized occupation in U.S. government data, so pay depends heavily on the setting and credentials. As a benchmark, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $61,330 for social workers in May 2024, while social and human service assistants earned a median of $45,120. RN case managers, who hold a nursing license, typically earn more, while entry-level social-services case managers earn toward the lower end. Pay also varies by region, employer type, and certification such as the CCM. Always include a salary range in your posting, since transparent pay attracts more qualified candidates.
How do I hire a case manager after writing the job description?
Once your job description is ready, post it, screen for the right license and setting experience, and interview your shortlist for both skills and client-care fit. When you choose someone, the job description becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding. Send an offer letter, collect signed paperwork, and verify licenses and certifications such as the RN license, social work licensure, or CCM. Then run a structured onboarding covering your documentation systems, HIPAA and privacy procedures, caseload expectations, and team. Because a case manager works with vulnerable clients and sensitive information from day one, a thorough onboarding matters. FirstHR handles the offer letter, e-signatures, document collection, and onboarding workflow in one place.