Associate Director - Clinical Operations - Healthcare

Guidehouse • Chicago, IL

1d

About The Position

The Associate Director, Performance Transformation, supports profitable growth within Guidehouse’s Healthcare Payer and Provider Optimization group. The role leads the design and delivery of integrated clinical, operational, and financial optimization programs to improve performance for hospitals and health systems. It manages multi-workstream engagements to scope, timeline, and budget; partners with clients and Guidehouse specialty teams; and delivers measurable outcomes across performance improvement, supply chain, workforce and non-labor productivity, clinical operations, shared services, and revenue management.

The Associate Director provides healthcare industry expertise and management consulting support, develops client relationships, identifies priority issues, and creates practical client-specific solutions. The role assures delivery quality and stakeholder alignment, coaches and mentors team members, and demonstrates leadership within accounts and the broader practice. It leads consulting projects to meet contract outcomes, project plans, and executive expectations by influencing decision-makers and stakeholders.

The position requires effective communication and relationship-building across client and Guidehouse organizations, including clinicians, hospital executives, and ancillary staff. The Associate Director develops and manages performance metrics, translates project outputs into financial results across concurrent initiatives, applies structured methodologies and project leadership, and communicates findings through written and presentation materials. Extensive travel, up to 75%, is expected.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 7 years of experience in hospital operations, such as clinical operations, performance improvement, labor and non-labor optimization, physician operations, or provider-focused financial operations.
• Deep knowledge of hospital and health system operations.
• Ability to benchmark and analyze data to redesign operational processes, improve efficiency, and establish standard work.
• Ability to conduct research, interpret analytics, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Working proficiency in Microsoft Office; advanced proficiency in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint to independently produce client-ready deliverables.
• Consulting experience delivering complex, multi-site operational change and clinical improvement programs on aggressive timelines.
• Strong client leadership and business development skills, including identifying opportunities and selling add-on work.
• Willingness to travel extensively, up to 75%.
• Flexible, positive communication and relationship-building skills across client and Guidehouse organizations.
• Strong quantitative orientation and ability to translate project outputs into financial results across concurrent initiatives.

Nice To Haves

• Nursing or another clinical degree from an accredited institution.
• Prior subject matter expertise or PMO experience.
• Strong writing and presentation skills; industry thought leadership such as articles, white papers, or speaking engagements.
• Demonstrated success selling and delivering transformational solutions to large health systems.
• Experience with MS Project.
• Self-motivation, commitment to continuous learning, and consistent production of high-quality work.
• Comfort presenting findings to hospital executives and recommending solutions aligned with leading practices.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with clinician-based departments and diverse stakeholders.
• Understanding of complex IT and technology-enabled solutions that improve efficiency, quality, and throughput of care.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality consulting services to clients in the Guidehouse Healthcare Payer and Provider Practice.
• Provide healthcare industry expertise and management consulting support across client engagements.
• Build and maintain account relationships with key client decision-makers.
• Identify priority issues and develop practical, client-specific solutions.
• Provide delivery assurance across engagements, ensuring quality, consistency, and stakeholder alignment.
• Coach and mentor team members on client assignments and within account teams.
• Demonstrate visible leadership within the account and the broader practice.
• Lead consulting projects to deliver contract outcomes, project plans, and executive expectations by influencing decision-makers and stakeholders.
• Lead the design and delivery of integrated clinical, operational, and financial optimization programs for hospitals and health systems.
• Manage multi-workstream engagements to scope, timeline, and budget, partnering with clients and Guidehouse specialty teams.
• Develop, track, and manage performance metrics across clinical and non-clinical operations.
• Translate project outputs into clear financial results across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Communicate effectively and build relationships across all levels of client and Guidehouse organizations.
• Adapt to change and help others align to evolving strategies, goals, and plans.
• Travel extensively, up to 75%.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance
• Personal and family sick time
• Company-paid holidays
• May be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus
• Parental leave
• Adoption assistance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Basic and supplemental life insurance
• Health savings account
• Dental, vision, and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Student loan paydown
• Tuition reimbursement
• Personal development and learning opportunities
• Skills development and certifications
• Employee referral program
• Corporate-sponsored events and community outreach
• Emergency back-up childcare program
• Mobility stipend

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior