Director of Continuous Improvement & Transformation

UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC

1d

About The Position

The Director of Continuous Improvement & Transformation provides strategic project leadership and organizational improvement expertise to strengthen operations and services supporting the Adams School of Dentistry’s education, research, and patient care. The role leads complex, high-priority initiatives to improve operations, organizational effectiveness, service delivery, and the experience of faculty, staff, students, patients, and other stakeholders.

Working with ASOD leadership and stakeholders across the School and University, the Director identifies organizational and operational challenges and opportunities, defines and prioritizes projects, analyzes current processes and organizational needs, and facilitates solutions aligned with ASOD priorities. The position serves as a strategic thought partner to leadership and applies project management, change management, analytical, and continuous improvement approaches to issues that may span multiple departments, programs, and functional areas.

The Director leads initiatives through the full project lifecycle, from definition and planning through analysis, solution design, implementation, change management, evaluation, and continuous improvement. Responsibilities include setting project goals, deliverables, success measures, and implementation strategies; coordinating subject matter experts and stakeholders; monitoring progress and outcomes; resolving barriers; and supporting adoption and sustainability of improvements. Depending on the scope and complexity of assigned initiatives, the position may lead one large-scale project or multiple concurrent projects. The role works across organizational boundaries through collaboration, facilitation, strategic influence, and stakeholder engagement to achieve measurable improvements in support of ASOD priorities.

Requirements

• Knowledge of project management, change management, organizational improvement, and problem-solving principles, with the ability to apply them to complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, including assessing challenges, evaluating solutions, developing actionable recommendations, and using qualitative and quantitative information to support decisions and continuous improvement.
• Ability to collaborate with leaders and stakeholders across functional areas and organizational levels and to facilitate change and influence outcomes without direct supervisory authority.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including facilitating meetings and discussions, presenting recommendations, and explaining complex concepts to diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities independently, exercise sound judgment, navigate ambiguity, monitor outcomes, and adapt to changing organizational needs.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading complex, cross-functional or organization-wide projects, strategic initiatives, operational reviews, or organizational improvement efforts.
• Experience applying project management and change management methodologies to plan and implement complex initiatives.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Formal training or certification in organizational change management, such as Prosci Change Management Certification or an equivalent program.
• Experience facilitating collaborative problem-solving and solution-design activities with senior leaders, subject matter experts, and stakeholders across functional areas.
• Experience developing performance measures, analyzing outcomes, and using data and metrics to evaluate effectiveness and support continuous improvement.
• Ability to synthesize complex information and develop clear recommendations, presentations, and other communications for senior leadership and diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience working in a complex organization, preferably higher education, academic health care, or a similarly decentralized environment.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint and experience using project management, collaboration, data visualization, or related business tools.

Responsibilities

• Identify organizational and operational challenges and opportunities for improvement.
• Define, scope, and prioritize projects aligned with ASOD priorities.
• Analyze current-state processes and organizational needs and facilitate the development of solutions.
• Lead initiatives through project definition, planning, analysis, solution design, implementation, change management, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
• Establish project goals, deliverables, measures of success, and implementation strategies.
• Coordinate work among subject matter experts and stakeholders across the School and University.
• Monitor project progress and outcomes, identify and resolve barriers, and support adoption and sustainability of improvements.
• Lead a single large-scale project or manage multiple concurrent projects, depending on initiative scope and complexity.
• Collaborate, facilitate, influence stakeholders, and advance initiatives across organizational boundaries.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed