Senior Project Lead

UCLA Health; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 91,000 - 194,000; Full time

Job summary

UCLA Health in Los Angeles seeks a Senior Project Lead to support the Ambulatory CMO office's portfolio and build high-impact initiatives from the ground up. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, you will collaborate with clinical, operational, and administrative stakeholders to advance best practices and foster a culture of humility and integrity.

You will lead the design and implementation of new programs, apply analytical rigor, and build sustainable systems that improve ambulatory care services

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent; Master's preferred.
• 8+ years designing and managing cross-functional projects.
• 8+ years implementing process improvement methodologies.
• Advanced knowledge of project management principles and tools.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Proven leadership and ability to deliver executive-ready materials.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex cross-functional projects from identification through planning, design, and implementation.
• Translate ambiguous operational challenges into actionable plans with defined scope and stakeholders.
• Develop and manage project plans, timelines, and budgets; monitor progress.
• Produce executive-ready reports, proposals, and briefings for senior leadership.
• Coordinate stakeholder communication, system coordination, and vendor engagement as needed.
• Identify and mitigate project risks and dependencies; ensure timely decisions.
• Create and maintain project artifacts like charters, process maps, and RASCI charts.
• Advise leadership on scope, strategy, and performance measurement; align with priorities.
• Design solutions to operational challenges and develop new processes or workflows.
• Research best practices to inform scalable project designs.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Communication

Decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm PST

Employment Type

Duration

Indefinite

Salary Range: $90720.00 - 194040.00 Annually

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The Office of the Ambulatory CMO is seeking a Senior Project Lead to support the office's portfolio and build high-impact initiatives from the ground up. Reporting to the Ambulatory CMO's Chief of Staff, this role will work collaboratively with a variety of partners to advance industry best practices and foster a culture grounded in humility, integrity, and enthusiasm.

The Senior Project Lead will play a strategic role in shaping and advancing high-impact initiatives that enhance ambulatory care services across the health system. This position is ideal for a collaborative, solutions-oriented professional who brings subject matter expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex, often ambiguous challenges. The role involves extensive engagement with clinical, operational, and administrative stakeholders across the ambulatory care environment and broader health system to align priorities, surface insights, and inform decision-making. With a high degree of autonomy, the Senior Project Lead will lead the design and implementation of new programs and processes, applying analytical rigor and a passion for building sustainable systems that advance improvement and innovation in ambulatory care.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex, cross-functional projects from problem identification through planning, design, and implementation.
• Translate ambiguous or emerging operational challenges into actionable recommendations and structured project plans, including defined scope and stakeholder roles.
• Develop and manage project plans, timelines, and budgets while monitoring progress and resolving issues during implementation within cross-functional project teams.
• Independently develop reports, proposals, and executive briefings to support strategic and operational decision-making, ensuring all materials intended for senior stakeholders are submitted in a near-final, executive-ready state.
• Facilitate stakeholder communication, system coordination, and vendor engagement as needed throughout the project lifecycle.
• Proactively identify, elevate, and mitigate project risks and dependencies while ensuring timely resolution; follow through on decisions once made.
• Develop and maintain project resources such as project charters, process maps, RASCI charts, stakeholder briefings, and project tracking tools.
• Serve as a liaison to senior internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
• Provide guidance to leadership and stakeholders on project scope, implementation strategies, and performance measurement.
• Design and advocate for solutions to operational challenges, including the development of new processes, workflows, policies, or systems.
• Research and synthesize relevant literature and industry best practices to inform project design, support evidence-based decision-making, and develop scalable solutions.
• Propose, lead, and/or participate in strategy, planning, and policy committees or working groups related to assigned initiatives.

Salary Range: $ 90,720 - $194,040/Annually

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and/or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Master's Degree preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in designing and managing cross-functional projects required.
• Minimum 8 years of experience implementing process improvement methodologies required.
• Advanced knowledge of project management principles, theories, and concepts.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify problems, evaluate options, and recommend solutions across complex operational environments.
• Proven leadership ability. Demonstrated ability to put forth persuasive arguments.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, internalize and apply feedback to future work products, and adapt approach based on evolving project needs.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate critical information across disciplines and connect how projects relate to other business strategies and initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to produce executive-ready deliverables with minimal revision cycles, including disciplined self-review for accuracy, internal consistency, completeness, and presentation quality.
• Demonstrated competency in selecting and implementing project design and management tools, methods, and techniques.
• Demonstrated experience integrating data collection, analysis, and presentation into project design and implementation.
• Utilization of technology to enhance productivity, collaboration, and visibility, from legacy tech to emerging tech.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and effective writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with all levels of an organization.

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. Current/former UC employees are subject to a personnel file review.