Director Strategic Operations

Tenet•Detroit, MI

About The Position

The Strategic Operations Director identifies, assesses, and implements operational and business opportunities across Detroit Medical Center (DMC) hospitals. The role focuses on improving operational efficiency, optimizing hospital throughput, and coordinating cross-departmental efforts to achieve organizational goals. The Director works with hospital executive leadership and oversees special projects and strategic initiatives as directed by the Market Chief of Staff. The position assesses hospital operations and departmental throughput, diagnoses operational challenges, leads teams in resolving performance obstacles, and supports recruitment, retention, and staff development. It also analyzes financial and operational performance, coordinates collaboration across hospital functions, advances patient satisfaction and care quality, ensures compliance with healthcare regulations and accreditation standards, and leads workflow redesign and change management. The Director follows through on patient and family feedback, evaluates program implementation and adoption, and identifies opportunities for overhead savings and cost synergies. DMC is a nationally recognized healthcare system serving Michigan and beyond. Its hospitals provide general and specialty care, and the organization describes a 150-year legacy of medical excellence and service. DMC is a major employer in Southeast Michigan and a partner in Detroit’s resurgence.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
At least 5 years of experience in hospital operations management.
Strong ability to cultivate relationships and work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including hospital leadership, medical staff, and internal and external partners.
Strong organizational and project management skills.
Demonstrated ability to solve complex operational issues, including identifying causes of service-line inefficiencies and losses.
In-depth understanding of business development, physician recruitment strategies, and creating competitive advantages in healthcare operations.
Experience with staff training, development, and change management.
Expertise in workflow analysis, overhead expense management, and practice optimization.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build credibility and trust with peers and senior leadership.
Analytical ability to advise or consult on strategies, policies, processes, protocols, and methods, including when guidelines or technical assistance are not available, and to evaluate and direct complex systems.
Project management ability to define objectives, identify stakeholders, plan steps, and coordinate and allocate human, technological, and fiscal resources to achieve goals in a timely and resourceful manner.
Time-management and prioritization skills to manage multiple and potentially competing activities.
Leadership skills, including willingness to pursue increasing accountability, decision-making ability, coaching, teaching and counseling skills, and the ability to inspire others, build confidence, forge alliances, and garner support.
Business writing skills sufficient to prepare project documentation and internal and external communications.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Previous demonstrated project management experience.

Responsibilities

Assess hospital operations, departmental throughput, and efficiency, and implement operational best practices as directed by the Market Chief of Staff.
Diagnose hospital- and department-level operational challenges and lead teams in resolving performance obstacles.
Partner with hospital leadership to develop and implement best practices for staff recruitment and retention.
Coordinate activities between assigned departments and other hospital functions to support collaboration and communication.
Analyze financial and operational KPI data, including departmental budgets, revenue streams, and overall financial performance.
Identify opportunities to optimize hospital throughput by collaborating across interdisciplinary teams.
Work with hospital leadership to implement strategies that improve patient satisfaction, experience, and care quality.
Assess team-member training needs and develop and implement training programs.
Collaborate with department heads to support compliance with healthcare regulations, accreditation standards, and best practices in patient safety and care delivery.
Lead workflow redesign initiatives using change-management practices.
Address and follow through on patient and family feedback and complaints, implementing and evaluating process improvements.
Evaluate hospital program implementation tactics and adoption rates, and identify processes to reinforce change management.
Conduct overhead expense analysis and identify opportunities for cost synergies.
Oversee the execution of special projects and strategic initiatives as directed by the Market Chief of Staff.