Analytics Lead

Ascendient Healthcare Advisors•Chapel Hill, NC

5d•$115,000 - $196,000•Remote

About The Position

Ascendient has spent 30 years building a reputation as a premier healthcare consulting firm. The work is high-stakes, the clients are sophisticated, and the analytics must be defensible every time. We are hiring an Analytics Lead to be the analytical backbone of the firm. This the person who sets the standard, builds the systems, and makes sure the firm's analytical capability is stronger tomorrow than it is today. About Ascendient Ascendient partners with healthcare organizations and public health departments on high-stakes regulatory and strategic work, including: Healthcare utilization forecasting and demand analysis Strategic planning for hospitals and health systems Service line planning and financial feasibility studies Community health assessments and planning for public health organizations Certificate of Need applications and opposition and/or litigation that follows reviews The analytics that underpin this work must be precise, reproducible, and defensible under scrutiny. This role exists to make sure they are. The Role You will serve as the firm's cross-divisional analytical standard-bearer and you'll own quality, governance, and capability across Regulatory, Strategy, and Public Health engagements. You will: Review analytics across all divisions before they reach a client or a courtroom Conduct detailed, cell-level quality control across models, workbooks, and projections Define which data sources are used for which analysis types and hold the line on consistency Own and maintain the firm's healthcare data library, including national and state-level datasets Build documented, repeatable analytical frameworks for core engagement types Establish standard operating procedures and review checkpoints Provide structured direction and run disciplined review cycles with analysts Identify practical improvements to tools, workflows, and automation Success in this role is measured by the strength of the system. The firm should be more disciplined, more defensible, and less dependent on individual heroics because you exist. This is a consulting environment. The pace of work shifts with client deadlines, regulatory filings, and project timelines. Some weeks are steady; others are demanding. The people who thrive here bring passion, structure, discipline, and grit to the work. Who Thrives Here You are: Precise and disciplined. You catch what others miss. A natural teacher. You give direction clearly and develop people through the work. Someone who builds systems, not workarounds. Comfortable context-switching between regulatory precision and strategic interpretation. Hands-on when it matters. You can roll up your sleeves and produce analysis directly when needed. An advocate for quality who can hold the bar without losing the relationship.

Requirements

7-10 years of experience in health system analytics, health planning, or healthcare consulting
Deep understanding of hospital and health system utilization, operations, and service line dynamics
Experience producing and reviewing healthcare utilization projections and demand analyses
Advanced Excel proficiency — formulas, pivots, model-building, and quality control
Comfort with healthcare data sources such as CMS datasets, AHA data, state health planning databases, and similar
Ability to provide clear, step-by-step analytical direction and catch errors others miss
Familiarity with tools such as Tableau or equivalent data visualization platforms

Nice To Haves

10+ years of experience in healthcare consulting, health system strategy, or health planning
Direct experience managing or supervising analysts, including structured feedback and development
Multi-division or multi-client consulting experience
Experience building or documenting analytical SOPs and governance frameworks
Familiarity with or understanding of Certificate of Need processes or healthcare regulatory environments

Responsibilities

Review analytics across all divisions before they reach a client or a courtroom
Conduct detailed, cell-level quality control across models, workbooks, and projections
Define which data sources are used for which analysis types and hold the line on consistency
Own and maintain the firm's healthcare data library, including national and state-level datasets
Build documented, repeatable analytical frameworks for core engagement types
Establish standard operating procedures and review checkpoints
Provide structured direction and run disciplined review cycles with analysts
Identify practical improvements to tools, workflows, and automation