Strategic Insights Manager

QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INC; Minnesota; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Quest Diagnostics Inc. is seeking a Strategic Insights Manager to lead strategic initiatives for its top physician customers across the region from a hybrid role in Houston, TX.

The SIM combines clinical insight, analytics, and operational strategy to optimize patient outcomes and Quest profitability. The role requires 7+ years in healthcare/diagnostics, with experience in managing high-value portfolios, P&L ownership, and proficiency in data visualization tools such as Tableau, PowerBI, and

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in healthcare, medical device, or diagnostics
• Proven track record in managing large enterprise accounts or high-value portfolios
• Experience owning and driving a complex P&L and understanding healthcare economics

Responsibilities

• Defensive Strategy & Prevention of Internalization: assess top-tier accounts for internalization risk and build Make vs. Buy models
• Clinical Outcomes & Data-Driven Insights: analyze test utilization to improve patient management and value-based care objectives
• Commercial Collaboration & Strategic Growth: partner with PAEs/Sales Directors to build account growth strategies and upsell conversations
• Financial Stewardship & P&L Management: own revenue, margins, and costs; audit pricing and optimize profitability

Skills

Executive presence

Negotiation

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional leadership

Data-driven storytelling

Financial modeling

Analytical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Healthcare

MBA or MHA preferred

Tools

Tableau

PowerBI

Excel

Job description

Job Description

The Strategic Insights Manager (SIM) is a highly specialized, senior-level champion who sits at the intersection of clinical insight, financial analytics, and strategic operations. This role is dedicated entirely to managing, growing, and retaining Quest’s Top 12-15 Physician Customers within the region. Acting as a strategic advisor, the SIM leverages high-end data analytics to drive improved clinical outcomes for our clients while managing a full regional portfolio P&L to optimize Quest’s profitability and defend against diagnostic internalization.

This is a hybrid position based in Houston, TX.

Responsibilities

Defensive Strategy & Prevention of Internalization (Approx. 25%)

• Proactively evaluates assigned top-tier accounts for structural signs of internalization risk, such as intent to establish in-house Physician Office Labs (POLs) or contract with competing reference laboratories.
• Builds and delivers comprehensive, customized 'Make vs. Buy' financial models for clients, clearly demonstrating the hidden operational costs, staffing burdens, regulatory compliance risks, and capital expenditures of running an in-house lab compared to outsourcing to Quest.
• Formulates and negotiates highly tailored pricing, digital connectivity, and specialized diagnostic menu packages to lock in long-term alignment and make internalization economically unfavorable for the client.

Clinical Outcomes & Data-Driven Insights (Approx. 20%)

• Analyzes physician-specific test utilization patterns to identify gaps in care and opportunities to introduce advanced diagnostics (e.g., oncology, prenatal genetics, cardiometabolic panels) that improve patient management.
• Supports client physician groups in achieving value-based care objectives, including MIPS, HEDIS, and ACO targets, by tracking and presenting clear gaps in patient compliance and screening.
• Translates complex clinical diagnostic data into highly actionable, clear, and strategic narratives for physician stakeholders, proving the tangible impact of Quest’s insights on their patient populations.

Commercial Collaboration & Strategic Growth (Approx. 20%)

• Partners closely with local Physician Account Executives (PAEs) and Sales Directors (SDs) to conduct regional market assessments and build customized account growth strategies.
• Identifies under-utilized, high-value clinical tests within the target accounts to enable PAEs to execute highly targeted, clinical upsell conversations.
• Co-leads structured joint business reviews with commercial teams, presenting a unified, consultative, and executive-ready Quest front to client leadership.

Financial Stewardship & P&L Management (Approx. 15%)

• Maintains end-to-end accountability for the revenue, margins, and operational costs associated with the top 12-15 assigned physician accounts in the regional portfolio.
• Collaborates with the Quest Finance organization to audit account-specific cost structures, analyze pricing agreements, and execute margin-improvement strategies.
• Identifies and reduces billing friction, improves clean-claim rates, and optimizes the regional payer mix within key client locations to protect and grow overall account profitability.

Operational & Staffing Optimization (Approx. 15%)

• Collaborates with Patient Services leadership to optimize the placement, scheduling, and utilization of In-Office Phlebotomists (IOPs) and Patient Service Center (PSC) resources allocated to target accounts.
• Measures, monitors, and improves key operational metrics, including patient wait times, specimen processing speed, and draw success rates, to ensure a premium patient experience.
• Aligns with logistics and laboratory operations to guarantee seamless specimen transport, courier schedules, and rapid turnaround times (TAT) for the designated accounts.

Executive Reporting & Communication (Approx. 5%)

• Prepares and presents portfolio health dashboards, growth metrics, internalization threat assessments, and strategic progress reports directly to Quest’s C-suite and regional executive leadership.
• Establishes strong, peer-to-peer consultative relationships with client Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).

Qualifications

Required WorkExperience:

• 7+ years of experience in the healthcare, medical device, or diagnostics industry.
• Proven track record of managing large enterprise accounts or high-value customer portfolios.

Preferred Work Experience:

• Demonstrated experience owning and driving a complex profit-and-loss (P&L) structure, with a deep understanding of healthcare economics and margin optimization.
• Deep familiarity with physician office workflows, electronic health record (EHR) integrations, and clinical test utilization.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods in both standard office environments and client clinical settings.
• Strong mental acuity, analytical reasoning, and complex problem-solving capabilities under high-pressure scenarios.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to articulate complex financial and clinical data clearly and confidently to C-suite executives.
• Ability to travel routinely to regional client sites.

Knowledge:

• Advanced proficiency in data-driven storytelling and financial modeling.
• High competency in utilizing business intelligence tools (e.g., Tableau, PowerBI, Excel) to extract actionable trends from raw, complex data sets.
• Strong understanding of healthcare economics, payer mixes, and diagnostic testing menus.

Skills:

• Executive presence with strong negotiation and consultative selling skills.
• High-level strategic and critical thinking.
• Exceptional cross-functional leadership and collaboration skills.

Work Environment:

• Standard office environment and client clinical office settings.
• Travel Required.
• English Required

Education:

• 4-year Degree (Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Healthcare Administration, Life Sciences, or a related quantitative field) (Required)
• MBA, MHA, or advanced clinical degree (Preferred)

Technical Training or Professional Licensing:

• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification (Ability to apply Lean/DMAIC methodologies to optimize clinical workflows, phlebotomy staffing, and specimen tracking). (Preferred)

Quest Diagnostics honors our service members and encourages veterans to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Vets or any other legally protected status.