Project Manager-Operational Excellence Senior

Indiana University Health System; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Indiana University Health System Fort Wayne seeks a Senior Project Manager-Operational Excellence to lead high-impact, multi-site improvement initiatives across the health system. You will apply Lean, Six Sigma, and change leadership to deliver sustainable performance improvements, partnering with clinical and operational leaders to align with system strategy.

The role emphasizes strategic oversight, disciplined execution, governance structures, and mentoring teams, with dashboards and KPIs

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, business, engineering, or a related field.
• 5–7 years of relevant experience in PM, performance improvement, or healthcare operations.
• Proficiency with project management tools and data visualization platforms; lead multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Connect to Promise: align actions with IU Health mission and values to improve Hoosier health.
• Project Management: develop solutions with sound methodologies and govern project plans.
• Business Acumen: align work with department goals and operational needs.
• Execution: deliver on-time, high-quality deliverables; enforce standards.
• Collaboration: coordinate with teams, share best practices, mentor staff.
• Leadership: resolve issues, manage risks, drive process improvements.
• Communication: concise, professional updates to stakeholders.

Skills

Project management

Change management

Data analysis

Lean Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, business, engineering, or a related field

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification

PMP or CAPM certification preferred

Job description

Project Manager-Operational Excellence Senior

Our leaders shape strategic initiatives, develop passionate teams, and work to improve health outcomes.They advance our mission and exemplify excellence, compassion, teamwork and purpose in all that they do.

Indiana University Health is seeking individuals who embody these values to join our Fort Wayne Operational Excellence team in the role of Project Manager-Operational Excellence Senior.

Description

Leads high impact initiatives that advance quality, efficiency, and patient-centered care across the health system. Provides strategic oversight, expert facilitation, and disciplined project execution for complex, multi-site improvement efforts. Working closely with clinical and operational leaders, the Senior Project Manager applies change leadership and data-driven decision-making to deliver sustainable performance improvement. Develops comprehensive project plans, charters, and governance structures that align with system strategy. Oversee multiple concurrent initiatives, balancing strategic oversight with hands-on execution. Has awareness of advanced Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies to assess workflows, identify root causes, and design optimized processes. Mentors project teams and junior staff in improvement tools and methodologies. Creates communication plans, training materials, and stakeholder updates tailored to diverse audiences. Facilitate workshops, leadership huddles, and improvement events that promote a culture of continuous improvement. Partners with analytics teams define KPIs, dashboards, and reporting structures that support transparency and accountability. Interprets operational and clinical data to identify performance gaps, validate outcomes, and guide prioritization. Serves as a trusted advisor and thought partner to leadership, helping shape systemwide transformation and supporting IU Health's commitment to excellence.

Key Relationships

Reports to: Vice President-Chief Operating Officer, Director of Operational Excellence

Key Relationships: Supporting the Chief Nursing Officer

Direct Reports: None

Candidate Qualifications

Candidates for the position will be evaluated according to the following criteria and competencies.

• Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, business, engineering, or a related field is required.
• Requires 5-7 years of relevant experience.
• Requires experience in project management, performance improvement, or healthcare operations.
• Requires demonstrated success leading complex, multi-site initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Requires proficiency with project management tools, data visualization platforms, and improvement methodologies.
• Requires the ability to lead at least 5 projects simultaneously.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification is preferred.
• Experience in hospital operations, ambulatory care, or health system performance improvement is preferred.
• PMP, CAPM, or similar project management certification is preferred.
• Familiarity with regulatory standards, quality frameworks, and patient safety principles is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Connect to Promise - Demonstrates a commitment to IU Health's mission, vision, and values by exhibiting behaviors and delivering results that align with the strategic direction of the organization. Ensure IU Health is working toward its vision of improving the health of all Hoosiers by providing the best care for each person as we practice our values of purpose, excellence, compassion and team.
• Project Management - Develops solutions with sound methodologies, guidelines, and best practices; makes decisions and solves problems within project plan parameters. Identifies patterns and potential underlying issues. Choosing best alternative based on consideration of pros, cons, and weighing various tradeoffs.
• Business Acumen - Exhibits working knowledge of the department and function and how it is structured. Structures work to align with the goals and operations of department and function.
• Execution - Addresses problems directly and implements objectives effectively. Produces on time high-quality work deliverables. Able to apply basic project management principles and ensure standard of work is in place and reflects leading best practices.
• Collaboration - Coordinates job activities with team members and leaders as required. Finds workable solutions that can be leveraged by other team members. Seeks out and shares best practices for performing job duties. Engages, guides and mentors of other team members as needed.
• Leadership - Takes the initiative to proactively resolve issues, address concerns, identify potential risks, and improve overall processes and outcomes. Seeks new ways to improve individual and team efforts for overall success, while promoting collaboration and teamwork.
• Communication - Shares thoughts and information in a clear, concise and professional manner, in both oral and written communication formats. Demonstrates active listening and seeks further information to ensure clarity and understanding. Promptly responds to requests for information and works to proactively think through next steps and anticipate potential issues, requests, or business needs. Openly shares knowledge and expertise.

Indiana University Health is unlike any other healthcare system and we're looking for team members who share the things that matter most to us. IU Health leaders play a crucial role in advancing the mission of our organization and inspiring teams to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. As one of Indiana’s largest employers and the most comprehensive medical system in the state, our vision is to lead the transformation of healthcare through quality, innovation and education, and make Indiana one of the nation’s healthiest states.

IU Health is the largest health system in Indiana with nearly 40,000 team members, 15 hospitals and $8.64 billion in operating revenue. The system’s programs in cancer, cardiovascular, neuroscience, orthopedics, pediatrics and transplants have received national recognition for quality patient care. IU Health, in partnership with the Indiana University School of Medicine, bring together highly skilled physicians, researchers, and educators into close collaboration to provide world-class care for children and adults and improve the health of patients and communities across Indiana.

Indiana University Health is dedicated to a fair hiring process and is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination for all individuals, regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender identity, expression, sexual orientation, or veteran status.