Associate State Director

Plum Dental Group•Plum Dental - Connecticut, CT

3h•Hybrid

About The Position

Plum Dental Group (“Plum”) is a dynamic, high growth Dental Partnership Organization (DPO) with 30+ locations in RI and eastern CT supporting over 350 total employees. The Company's affiliated dental practices provide comprehensive general, specialty and cosmetic dental care to over 80,000 patients annually. As a DPO, we are responsible for managing all administrative support functions of the dental practices including marketing, facilities, HR, insurance, accounting, billing, etc. so that dentists can focus on treating patients and not have to worry about the nuts and bolts of running or maintaining a practice. This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing, entrepreneurial team at Plum Dental—an organization that’s reimagining how dental care is delivered and how we support exceptional dentists. As an Associate Director of State Operations, you’ll be a key strategic partner to the State Director, helping lead the operational success of all practices in the state. You’ll drive continuous improvement initiatives, support new practice integrations, and mentor both clinical and non-clinical leaders. Reporting directly to the State Director and collaborating with our regional leadership team, this role offers hands-on experience in a high-growth, service-oriented healthcare organization—perfect for someone passionate about system-wide impact and growing into future leadership.

Requirements

5+ years in clinical or operational leadership within healthcare—dental, medical, or related field.
Proven track record leading improvement projects or operational transformations.
Ability to coach, influence, and empower diverse teams—clinical and non-clinical.
Strong analytical, project management, and communication skills.
Comfortable with autonomy and stepping into new or undefined challenges.

Responsibilities

Co-lead statewide initiatives and decision-making in partnership with the State Director.
Represent the State Director when needed, ensuring alignment across practice teams and supporting leadership communications.
Help set priorities and monitor overall progress of state-wide objectives.
Serve as the State Operations Director in their absence.
Design and execute improvement projects (e.g., PDCA cycles, process redesigns) to drive consistent operational and care-quality gains.
Collaborate with Practice Managers to embed best practices at the point of patient care.
Track KPIs and report progress to the State Director.
Lead the implementation/rollout of new workflows and technologies.
Lead the seamless onboarding of newly acquired practices—covering operational setup, training, and cultural integration.
Develop and deploy onboarding frameworks, checklists, and local support models to accelerate integration.
Support Kristen in delivering role-specific orientation and training for new managers and staff.
Facilitate workshops focused on frontline decision-making, continuous improvement, and Plum’s mission/values.
Mentor emerging leaders seeking growth toward State Director roles.
Act as a resource for Practice Managers—troubleshooting issues, offering guidance, and stepping in during escalations.
Conduct periodic site visits to assess operational health, best practices, and support adoption of new processes.