Director of Project Management & Operational Excellence - Administration

Cook County Health

Full-time - Senior

Hospitals

About the position

The Director of Project Management & Operational Excellence (PMOE) is a pivotal role within Cook County Health (CCH), tasked with leading the Project Management Office (PMO) to drive system transformation and operational excellence. This position is responsible for overseeing and coordinating initiative teams across CCH, ensuring that project teams are supported through all phases of project management, including initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, and completion. The Director of PMOE plays a crucial role in facilitating effective communication among initiative teams and functions, working closely with Initiative Sponsors to establish metrics and targets, and tracking the progress of all initiatives. In addition to project oversight, the Director of PMOE is responsible for managing, developing, and coaching Project Managers assigned to various initiative teams. This role requires cultivating and deploying project management skills necessary to implement the Chief Executive Officer's (CEO) vision and to build essential business capabilities for CCH. The Director will also evaluate internal processes within CCH, continuously identifying opportunities for improvement and structuring these into new projects. The position encompasses general administrative responsibilities, including participation in collective bargaining negotiations, documentation and execution of disciplinary actions, and contributing to the management of CCH staff and systemic development. The Director will serve as the primary communication link between the PMO and the senior leadership team, ensuring that operational objectives are met by contributing to strategic plans, preparing action plans, and leading the implementation of standards related to production, productivity, quality, and patient service. The Director will chair weekly program office meetings, manage the governance and tracking processes for initiative projects, and coordinate the implementation of multiple change programs while prioritizing projects based on resource availability. This role is essential for enhancing the department's and organization's reputation by accepting ownership of new requests and exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Project Management Office (PMO) to oversee and coordinate initiative teams across Cook County Health (CCH).
• Support project teams through all phases: initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, and completion.
• Ensure timely and effective communications across initiative teams and functions.
• Work with Initiative Sponsors to set metrics and targets and track the progress of all initiatives.
• Manage, develop, and coach Project Managers deployed to initiative teams as needed.
• Evaluate CCH's internal processes and identify improvement opportunities.
• Serve as the primary communication link between PMO and the senior leadership team.
• Act as the primary agent of change to capture the full value of priority initiatives.
• Contribute information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews.
• Prepare action plans and lead implementation of production, productivity, quality, and patient-service standards.
• Resolve problems and issues, identify trends, and determine system and process improvements.
• Chair weekly program office meetings and review key initiatives.
• Manage and evolve the governance and tracking process for initiative projects across the transformation program.
• Coordinate the implementation of multiple change programs and prioritize projects around scarce resources.
• Share lessons learned across projects and enforce standard tools and methodologies.
• Ensure effective and efficient information flows between Initiative Sponsors and across functions.

Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited institution in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Six (6) years of experience in a project management role.
• Prior relevant experience in driving change in a complex large organization.
• Prior experience in leadership roles within a team environment.
• Proficiency in Project Management methodologies and Process improvement.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).

Nice-to-haves

• Four (4) years of experience in a healthcare administrative capacity, business/finance capacity, or in a government setting.
• Coursework in Healthcare administration or medical office management.
• Finance experience.
• Prior work experience in a union environment.