Director, Healthcare Operations and Transformation

AArete

98d•$165,000 - $200,000

About The Position

The Director, Operations and Transformation is a senior individual contributor and delivery leader who drives operational improvement, cost optimization, and transformation initiatives, with a strong focus on healthcare payer environments. The role leads high-visibility client engagements, delivering operational assessments, redesign initiatives, and implementation support. It primarily focuses on operations while using technology-enabled solutions—including workflow tools, complex analytics, and digital process enhancements—to improve operational outcomes. As a Director-level Solution Specialist, this person engages directly with senior client executives and serves as a subject matter expert in healthcare operations, technology, transformation strategy, and cross-functional delivery. The Director remains hands-on in assessments and implementation, works closely with project delivery teams, provides expert guidance and tailored recommendations, and develops actionable implementation plans to address clients’ operational challenges. The role also contributes to internal operations initiatives and thought leadership.

Requirements

At least 10 years of experience in healthcare operations, transformation consulting, workforce optimization, shared services, or related fields.
Hands-on operational experience in healthcare payers.
Demonstrated experience delivering transformation engagements in a consulting environment across multiple clients.
Strong experience conducting operational assessments, current-state reviews, and structured improvement initiatives.
Proven ability to synthesize operational and technology-enabled insights for executive audiences.
Exceptional communication skills and ability to influence and advise senior healthcare leaders.
Experience navigating both health plan and provider operational environments.
High learning agility and ability to ramp quickly in unfamiliar domains.
Comfort collaborating with IT, data, and operational teams.
Willingness to travel to client locations as required.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Strong project management capabilities; PMP, Agile, or Six Sigma experience is preferred.
Experience in workforce optimization, staffing models, productivity improvement, or operational efficiency initiatives.
Certifications such as PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or Agile/Scrum.
Experience serving as a transformation subject matter expert or internal advisor.
Exposure to healthcare technology environments supporting operational improvement, such as EHRs, care-management platforms, workflow tools, or analytics dashboards.
Prior experience supporting multi-client healthcare consulting engagements across payer, provider, or health services organizations.
Based in Chicago, Illinois, and flexible to work from the Chicago office as needed.

Responsibilities

Lead healthcare operational and shared services transformation programs, including operating model redesign and transformation strategy, and help solve complex problems across payer operational and technology functions.
Conduct structured operational assessments across payer organizations, including current-state analysis, workflow evaluation, opportunity identification, and transformation planning.
Translate complex operational challenges into strategic recommendations and actionable implementation roadmaps for senior-level clients.
Apply project management and transformation frameworks, including PMP, Agile, Lean, and Six Sigma, to oversee multiple concurrent workstreams, including technology-enabled process improvements.
Guide clients in adopting new workflows, operational tools, operating models, and digital enhancements to improve efficiency, standardization, and scalability.
Serve as an internal healthcare operations subject matter expert, developing structured frameworks and delivery excellence to reduce reliance on external SMEs.
Navigate complex client and internal environments through stakeholder management, executive communication, and creating structure from ambiguity.
Support workforce optimization efforts, staffing model evaluations, and operational efficiency analyses across payer and provider settings.
Collaborate with clinical leaders, operational executives, technologists, and cross-functional teams to drive alignment and successful transformation outcomes.
Contribute to internal operations initiatives and thought leadership related to healthcare transformation, shared services optimization, workforce strategy, and digital enablement.
Perform other duties as assigned.