Operations Lead

Zelis; Massachusetts; Hybrid; USD 127,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Health benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Zelis is modernizing the healthcare financial experience. The Operations Lead will own the Agile PMO operating model, set delivery standards, and drive PDLC adoption in Price Optimization, shaping how teams work in an AI-first world.

This role requires strategic thinking about operational improvements, governance, and change management across multiple product lines. You will influence without direct authority, partnering with HR and leaders to ensure successful transitions and measurable

Qualifications

• 12+ years in operations/PMO or related roles.
• Experience with Agile SDLC and governance frameworks.
• Ability to drive PDLC adoption and AI tooling rollout.
• Strong stakeholder management and change leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own the PMO operating model: team structure, cadence, and metrics.
• Define and maintain delivery standards and governance across product lines.
• Lead organizational change management for major operating model shifts.
• Develop PDLC governance, templates, tooling, and adoption tracking.
• Present operational health to senior leadership with clear recommendations.

Skills

AI tools proficiency

Enterprise systems experience

Agile methodologies

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

At Zelis, we Get Stuff Done. So, let\'s get to it!

A Little About Us

Zelis is modernizing the healthcare financial experience across payers, providers, and healthcare consumers. We serve more than 750 payers, including the top five national health plans, regional health plans, TPAs and millions of healthcare providers and consumers across our platform of solutions. Zelis sees across the system to identify, optimize, and solve problems holistically with technology built by healthcare experts - driving real, measurable results for clients.

At Zelis, AI is woven into the fabric of how we work. Every associate is expected - and empowered - to partner with AI to challenge the status quo, accelerate innovation, and amplify their impact. This is a place for builders with a growth mindset who act with agility, embrace change, and use modern technology to shape smarter solutions, exceptional experiences, and the future of our industry for our clients, customers, and our culture.

A Little About You

You bring a unique blend of personality and professional expertise to your work, inspiring others with your passion and dedication. Your career is a testament to your diverse experiences, community involvement, and the valuable lessons you\'ve learned along the way. You are more than just your resume; you are a reflection of your achievements, the knowledge you\'ve gained, and the personal interests that shape who you are.

Position Overview

The Operations Lead owns the operating model for the Agile PMO. That means defining how the team works, setting standards for delivery governance, driving PDLC adoption across Price Optimization, and leading the organizational change management needed to make those standards stick. This person thinks strategically about how Price Tech operates: what processes need to change, where the org is losing efficiency, and how to close the gap between how we work today and how we need to work in an AI-first world.
This person is not responsible for delivery health on a single product line. They are responsible for making the whole team operationally excellent. They create the frameworks, tooling, and habits that the Delivery Leads and Delivery Enablement Leads execute against. They have meaningful influence over delivery outcomes in one of the company\'s top product areas, and they own the operational thinking that makes that influence possible.

This is not a program manager role. It is not about tracking initiatives in Jira or keeping delivery status current. Those things matter, but they are a means to an end. The person we need thinks strategically about how the product organization operates: where the system is broken, what is slowing down delivery, and how to design something better. They have ownership of helping drive delivery operations across Price Tech at a scale where they can meaningfully influence business outcomes.

This is a rare combination of operational discipline and change management authority. They can write a governance framework on Monday, facilitate a difficult conversation with a skeptical engineering leader on Tuesday, and evaluate an AI tooling pilot on Wednesday. They operate at the intersection of strategy and execution, with the credibility to influence without direct authority across a large, complex organization. A traditional project or program management background is not enough. This role requires someone who has built or rebuilt how teams operate at scale, and who sees that work as a strategic lever, not an administrative function.

What You\'ll Do:

• Operating Model and Standards
  • Own the Agile PMO operating model: how the team is structured, how work flows, what cadences exist, and how performance is measured
  • Define and maintain delivery standards and governance frameworks used across all product lines
  • Ensure consistency in how teams track, report, and elevate across Pricing Solutions and Payment Integrity
  • Identify gaps between current operating practices and the target state, and build a path to close them
  • Serve as the primary author of PMO playbooks, standards documentation, and operational runbooks
• Change Management
  • Lead organizational change management for all major operating model shifts: PDLC adoption, AI tooling rollout, team restructuring
  • Build and execute change plans that address stakeholder resistance, communication gaps, and capability readiness
  • Partner with people leaders and HR to ensure transitions are handled well for the people affected
  • Track adoption metrics and adjust change strategy based on what is and is not working
  • Model transparent, direct communication with all stakeholders throughout periods of change
• PDLC Governance
  • Partner with product management leadership to define and enforce intake quality gates
  • Build the operational infrastructure around the PDLC: templates, tooling, training, and adoption tracking
  • Identify recurring intake quality issues and drive systemic resolution with product and engineering leadership
• Metrics & Operational Health
  • Define and own the PMO\'s operational health metrics: delivery predictability, intake quality, team velocity trends, and escalation frequency
  • Build executive-ready reporting that surfaces operational health without requiring manual assembly
  • Identify signals in the data that indicate systemic problems versus one-off issues
  • Own the Jira data quality program, ensuring reporting infrastructure is trustworthy
  • Present operational health to senior leadership with clear recommendations, not just status updates
• AI-First Operating Model
  • Lead the PMO\'s transition to an AI-first operating model, identifying where AI replaces manual work across reporting, documentation, and governance
  • Evaluate, pilot, and scale AI tooling across the team, working with technology partners to ensure appropriate integration and security
  • Own the AI transformation roadmap for the PMO, with measurable outcomes tied to efficiency and operational maturity
  • Build the team\'s AI fluency, helping Delivery Leads and Delivery Enablement Leads develop practical AI habits
  • Stay current with agentic AI capabilities and bring specific, actionable recommendations to the team and to senior leadership

What You\'ll Bring to Zelis:

• Typically has Bach. +12 yrs; Masters +8 yrs Attends company training and regional training in area of expertise. Presents own work to members of department and external consultants and external professional conferences, Collaborates externally, Hosts external guests, visitors and consultants
• Requires proficiency using AI tools skillfully with an understanding of how to develop/create intelligent prompts and/or agents.
• Experience with enterprise-level systems and cross-functional teams.
• Experience with Agile methodologies and SDLC.

Please note at this time we are unable to proceed with candidates who require visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Location and Workplace Flexibility

Zelis is headquartered in the U.S., with multiple locations across the country and in Hyderabad, India. Check out our locations to learn more about our offices. All employee work locations are based on the needs of the position and are determined by the Leadership team. In-office work and activities vary based on work and team objectives in accordance with Company policies.

While location expectations vary by role, candidates within approximately 50 miles of a U.S. office are generally preferred to support collaboration when needed. Our hybrid approach is flexible, and in-office presence is guided by team and business needs rather than a fixed weekly schedule.

Base Salary Range

$127,000.00 - $160,550.00

At Zelis we are committed to providing fair and equitable compensation packages. The base salary range allows us to make an offer that considers multiple individualized factors, including experience, education, qualifications, as well as job-related and industry-related knowledge and skills, etc. Base pay is just one part of our Total Rewards package, which may also include discretionary bonus plans, commissions, or other incentives depending on the role.

Zelis' full-time associates are eligible for a highly competitive benefits package as well, which demonstrates our commitment to our employees' health, well-being, and financial protection. The US-based benefits include a 401k plan with employer match, flexible paid time off, holidays, parental leaves, life and disability insurance, and health benefits including medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Zelis is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don't meet 100% of the qualifications for the role. We believe in the value of diverse perspectives and experiences and are committed to building an inclusive workplace for all.

Accessibility Support

We are dedicated to ensuring our application process is accessible to all candidates. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require a reasonable accommodation with any part of the application and/or interview process, please email [e-mail].

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities, duties, and skills from time to time.