Project Manager, Public Health Operations

Quest Diagnostics•Secaucus, NJ

About The Position

As the global leader in diagnostic information services, Quest Diagnostics is at the forefront of protecting community health. The Public Health Operations team is seeking a dynamic, mission-driven Project Manager to serve a key role in our pandemic response readiness and emerging disease strategy. Reporting directly to the Director of Response Readiness, you will help bridge the gap between commercial laboratory excellence and national public health security. This role will lead a variety of projects and communication plans to execute on Quest Diagnostics’ strategy for Public Health partnerships and pandemic response readiness. This includes managing projects focused on the area of Emerging Disease prevention and control, including response readiness and remnant operations initiatives, and public-private collaborations within an evolving public health landscape. You will translate complex operational requirements into clear internal policies and compelling public-facing communications to meet the deliverables of critical contracts. The position contractual and will be reviewed yearly.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a life science or Bachelor’s degree in management with experience in life sciences or healthcare industries
Demonstrated experience (1 to 3 years) of leading projects from initiation to completion
Demonstrated experience facilitating discussions or workshops
Some experience in continuous improvement
Demonstrated experience with process management
Basic knowledge of VOC tools
General knowledge of Hoshin and breakthrough planning
Some experience leading changes
Problem-solving skills
Effective written and verbal communication skills across multiple formats: formal presentations, meetings, conference calls, e-mails, and memos
Demonstrated data analysis skills
Demonstrated ability to develop strong relationships with others
Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
Comfortable using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Interpersonal skills
Decision-making skills
Planning and organization skills
Results-oriented
Creative
Persistent
Composed
Able to learn new concepts rapidly
Independent working style
Entrepreneurial thinking

Nice To Haves

Masters of Public Health (any emphasis)
Project management

Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Management: Serve as the primary project manager for the CDC "Warm Base" preparedness project, owning the scope, timeline, resources, risks, and deliverables.
Collaborate with internal marketing and communications teams to align content, branding, and messaging with Quest standards.
Foster partnerships with internal functions (Sales, Lab Operations, IT, etc.) to ensure seamless project delivery.
Document project progress, gather feedback, and create final reports, which may include prototypes or resource toolkits.
Ensure all initiatives related to remnant operations and sensitive data (PII) adhere to research integrity, compliance, and human protection standards.
Produce quarterly summaries of progress against contract deliverables, ensuring timely and transparent updates to all stakeholders.
Leads projects and working teams to effectively initiate, plan, execute, monitor, and close projects
Leads projects through issues, roadblocks, and problems
Acts as a change agent to drive teams toward success
Guides team members to perform through issues and constraints
Owns the timeline, budget, resource constraints, and deliverables/results
Shifts between the "big picture" and the small-but-crucial details
Is prepared to roll up their sleeves and work through detailed issues
Ensures all appropriate tools are completed and used effectively (e.g., charter, Gantt chart, status updates)
Actively communicates with project sponsors and stakeholders
Establishes regular points of communication
Manages sponsor and stakeholders’ expectations
Delivers the expected results
Performs root cause analysis on project shortfalls and takes corrective action as necessary
Applies QMS principles and tools toward a variety of small to medium projects as well as other necessary skills, such as:
Identifying root causes of issues and designing solutions that address them
Defining, monitoring, and controlling processes
Understanding (internal/ external) customer needs and designing solutions around them
Identifying the impacts from change and developing proactive change plans
Supports various teams to achieve their goals by facilitating on-site workshops, rapid continuous improvement events, and providing ongoing guidance or consultation
Coaches other employees on the use of various tools, concepts, and practices foundational to QMS in order for Quest Diagnostics employees to build self-sufficiency, sustainability, and scalability
Participates in Communities of Practice
Leads QMS training classes
Documents business processes
Completes required continued learning