Director of Operational Effectiveness

Description

The Director, Operational Effectiveness is responsible for leading enterprise-wide initiatives that improve operational performance, drive process excellence, enhance productivity, and support strategic growth objectives. This role partners with operational, clinical, financial, and corporate leaders to identify opportunities, implement sustainable improvements, optimize workflows, and establish a culture of continuous improvement across the organization.

The Director serves as a strategic advisor and change leader, utilizing operational excellence methodologies, data analytics, project management, and change management principles to improve quality, efficiency, employee engagement, and business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the development and execution of the organization's operational effectiveness strategy.
• Identify, prioritize, and implement process improvement opportunities that drive measurable business results.
• Apply Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies to eliminate waste, reduce variation, and improve performance.
• Facilitate cross-functional improvement initiatives across clinical, operational, and administrative departments.
• Establish and maintain operational excellence standards, tools, and governance processes.

Performance Management

• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and operational dashboards.
• Analyze operational and financial data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Partner with leaders to establish performance targets and measure outcomes.
• Ensure accountability for initiative execution and realization of expected benefits.

Strategic Project Leadership

• Lead enterprise-wide transformation and business optimization projects.
• Develop project plans, resource requirements, timelines, and success metrics.
• Manage multiple high-impact initiatives simultaneously while ensuring alignment with organizational strategy.
• Provide executive-level reporting and recommendations regarding project progress and outcomes.

Organizational Effectiveness

• Drive standardization of processes, policies, and workflows across business units.
• Collaborate with HR and leadership teams to support organizational design and workforce optimization initiatives.
• Promote a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a change management leader for operational and organizational transformation efforts.

Stakeholder Partnership

• Build strong relationships with executive leaders, department leaders, and frontline teams.
• Facilitate workshops, process mapping sessions, and improvement events.
• Coach leaders and employees on operational excellence principles and methodologies.
• Act as a trusted advisor to leadership regarding operational performance and organizational effectiveness.

Requirements

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Healthcare Administration, Finance, or related field)
• Master’s degree preferred (MBA, MHA, or equivalent)

Experience

• 7–10+ years of experience in healthcare operations or management consulting
• Strong preference for experience in urgent care, ambulatory care, or multi-site healthcare operations
• Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional initiatives and delivering measurable results

Skills & Competencies

• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Advanced data analysis and financial modeling capabilities
• Excellent project management and execution discipline
• Ability to influence and lead without direct authority
• Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills
• Familiarity with healthcare metrics (e.g., patient volumes, throughput, payer mix, labor productivity, EBITDA)
• Experience with process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.) preferred