Director, Special Projects & Operational Excellence

DaVita Kidney Care•Denver, CO

3d•$155,000 - $185,000•Onsite

About The Position

DaVita is seeking a strategic leader to join its Operational Excellence (OpsEx) and Operations Innovation team. The Director serves as an internal management consultant and strategic thought partner across operational innovation lanes, including Runway, Forge, and Pioneer. The role leads and project-manages the Operations Excellence Action Team, directs strategic initiatives, facilitates executive-level decision-making, and builds alignment across cross-functional departments to advance enterprise priorities. It calls for executive maturity, sound judgment with sensitive initiatives, agile problem-solving, and the ability to lead through influence across all levels of the Village. The Director shapes the OpsEx Action Team’s strategic roadmap and aligns it with enterprise priorities, Village goals, and multi-year value creation. They lead complex strategic projects from ideation through implementation, develop fact-based recommendations, support executive communications and decisions, and establish metrics and governance to track progress. The role also drives continuous improvement, manages a portfolio of critical-path projects, and contributes to ad hoc executive initiatives and cross-lane projects.

Responsibilities

Shape and steer the strategic roadmap of the Operational Excellence Action Team, aligning it with enterprise priorities, Village goals, and multi-year value creation.
Engage, align, and influence senior leaders and field operators to support adoption and execution of Operational Excellence objectives.
Direct cross-functional programs that advance operational transformation, innovation, and scalable solutions.
Scope, structure, and execute complex, high-priority, and quick-turnaround strategic projects from ideation to implementation.
Identify operational bottlenecks and opportunities; conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis and develop alternatives and executive-ready recommendations.
Lead scoping initiatives across Runway, Forge, and Pioneer, partnering with operational vice presidents and directors to shape long-term business strategy.
Establish KPIs, governance cadences, and tracking mechanisms to monitor execution and initiative impact.
Serve as a trusted strategic thought partner to senior executives on complex operational decisions.
Design agendas and lead synthesized analysis, narrative development, and executive presentations for leadership forums, operating reviews, and governance committees.
Identify systemic gaps and workflow friction; design standardized processes, change-management frameworks, and communication strategies.
Build and maintain an inventory of critical-path projects; track variances and interdependencies, mitigate risks, and apprise leadership of milestone status and outcomes.
Participate in ad hoc executive initiatives, strategic deep-dives, and cross-lane Village projects as assigned.