Assistant Director, Project Management

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (FPO) and working in close collaboration with the Executive Director of Operations and the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), the Assistant Director of Project Management provides full-cycle project management support for the ColumbiaDoctors Operations Division.

The Assistant Director leads a team of project managers and project analysts providing support and guidance to internal clients and stakeholders; works with a high degree of collaboration and independence to align project outcomes with organizational goals; and ensures best project management practices are in place. The Assistant Director leads the operational planning and execution of large-scale projects, managing scope, timelines, and deliverables, and adjusts work plans as needed to accommodate evolving priorities and requirements.

Responsibilities

Project Management-40%

Designs the full cycle of project management for a large-scale, highly complex project portfolio of work. Collaborates with ColumbiaDoctors C Suite, senior leadership, and other executive sponsors to define full project scope, goals, and deliverables. Duties include :

• Oversight of the full project portfolio for ColumbiaDoctors Operations Department, including the creation and management of the project team.
• Plans, directs, and coordinates activities of designated project(s) to ensure that goals or objectives of the project are accomplished within the prescribed time frame and funding parameters. Alters plans and makes recommendations for future project phases or future projects, based on lessons learned from the project.
• Proactive approach to seeking project opportunities within the organization.
• Identify relevant stakeholders, task ownership, and collaborate with internal and external resources
• Build project plans, dashboards, status reports, timelines, and resources (PM-related tools & templates).
• Attending meetings, performing and tracking tasks and required follow-up, reporting and coordinating with project team members and other stakeholders, managing internal / external resources, conducting research and benchmarking best practices, stakeholder engagement, setting agendas, developing communication plans, identifying risks and other barriers, and making recommendations throughout the project cycle as needed.
• Supports and represents the FPO Operations Department and collaborates with tripartite leaders of relevant Enterprise-wide committees to develop strategies to align projects, policies, and procedures, standardize data requests / specifications, dashboard maintenance, and ensure timely execution of deliverables.
• Manages stakeholder communication and relationships, including the identification of stakeholders and task owners.
• Facilitates stakeholder and sponsor debriefings to ensure project deliverables are met. Assists in developing and recommending solutions to address concerns through research, analysis, and follow-up.
• Oversees education / guidance on project management best practices for the division. Serve as SME on project management.
• Develops and / or contributes to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
• Other duties as assigned within the professional scope of practice / training / education.

Strategy-35%

• Collaborates with ColumbiaDoctors senior leadership to determine key performance indicators, measurements, and implement project initiatives. Continuously seeks and implements operational and / or performance improvements. Utilizes system dashboards, project tools, and reports to monitor performance and ensure a holistic view of the project cycle. Develops optimization and improvement strategies and utilizes a data-driven methodology to monitor progress.
• Translates strategic priorities into operational reality by aligning communication, accountabilities, resource capabilities, internal processes, and ongoing measurement systems to ensure that strategic priorities yield measurable and sustainable results.
• Promotes and models best practice by evaluating current workflows, measuring performance against industry benchmarks, recommending and overseeing the implementation of new workflows / polices, and monitoring performance post-implementation.
• Collaborates with Operations and Quality senior leadership to create and implement change management strategies. Maximize employee adoption and measure effectiveness. Ensure communication of changes is cascaded throughout the unit, and feedback channels are in place. Ensure the staff support system is in place. Works with senior leadership to address any escalated concerns and identified risks as needed.
• Analyzes ROIs and conducts benefits realization.
• Manages resources / resource allocations and conducts forecasting.
• Establishes and manages relationships with stakeholders and clients. Ensures engagement and consistent communication on deliverables and related matters.
• Collaborates with senior leadership to develop tools and strategies for effective communication, including, but not limited to : informal and formal presentations for various audiences, feedback channels, senior leadership / stakeholder presentations, vendors, etc. Ensures relevant communication is cascaded to the various interest and stakeholder groups as needed.
• Assists management in developing, implementing, and revising departmental policies and procedures.

People-20%

• Leads the execution of HR strategy for assigned teams, including but not limited to : Performance Management, Talent Management, Recruitment & Retention, Succession Planning, Professional Development, and Employee Engagement. Directs Managers and / or Supervisors on all people-related matters within the unit. Ensures timely submission of HR deliverables.
• Ensures approved HR strategy is implemented and adhered to in partnership with relevant Human Resources offices (FPOHR, VPSHR, Service Corp, etc). Ensures staff productivity benchmarks and quality measures are achieved. Develops remediation plans as needed. Monitor unit metrics and goals to measure the effectiveness of retention strategies.
• Promotes staff professionalism and performance with coaching, training, and feedback. Mentors staff in individual and team accountability, modeling behavior, and demonstrating best practices / techniques. Demonstrates self-development and keeps current on a variety of facilities management topics.
• Establishes a culture of coaching and mentoring to facilitate continuous professional development.
• Emphasizes shared responsibility for managing performance by helping managers and supervisors set
• goals, establish an approach, identify learning opportunities, and track performance progress; engages others in finding ways to achieve difficult expectations and improve results. Ensures that support is available to help individuals reach goals, obtain resources, and overcome barriers.
• Manage resources / resource allocations and conduct forecasting to ensure the service line is appropriately staffed to meet strategic objectives and project-related milestones under the ColumbiaDoctors Operations portfolio.

Other-5%

• Keeps current on all organizational, regulatory compliance, and patient privacy trainings policies (e.g., infection control, public safety, EH&S, HIPAA, OSHA, etc.) and successfully completes all required trainings.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of related experience.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent in certification, advanced coursework, and certificates is required.
• Excellent project management skills, including executing technical and operational project activities with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent organizational skills, time management, and the ability to set priorities among multiple competing objectives, tasks, and initiatives is required.
• Excellent problem assessment skills, resolution, and collaborative problem-solving in complex and interdisciplinary settings.
• Ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups constructively and respectfully while appreciating the unique contributions of an inclusive workforce that brings together the talents of people across multiple identities.
• Strong commitment to fostering diversity and equity.
• Candidate must be well organized and be able to manage a demanding workload and complex cases in an accurate and timely.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.
• Ability to work independently, follow through, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Working proficiency in project management software and Microsoft Office Suite is required, and an ability and willingness to learn new systems and programs.
• Must be a motivated individual with a positive mindset and exceptional work ethic.
• Must successfully complete systems training requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• A master's Degree is preferred.
• At least 1 year of direct supervisory experience is preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma preferred.
• Experienced user of electronic medical records (All scripts Touch works and Epic preferred)
• Working proficiency with Power BI and / or Tableau preferred.

Competencies

For internal purposes only :

Patient Facing Competencies

Minimum Proficiency Level

Accountability & Self-Management

Level 3 - Intermediate

Adaptability to Change & Learning Agility

Level 3 - Intermediate

Communication

Level 3 - Intermediate

Customer Service & Patient Centered

Level 4 - Advanced

Emotional Intelligence

Level 3 - Intermediate

Problem Solving & Decision Making

Level 4 - Advanced

Productivity & Time Management

Level 3 - Intermediate

Teamwork & Collaboration

Level 3 - Intermediate

Quality, Patient & Workplace Safety

Level 3 - Intermediate

Leadership Competencies

Minimum Proficiency Level

Business Acumen & Vision Driver

Level 2 - Basic

Performance Management

Level 3 - Intermediate

Innovation & Organizational Development

Level 2 - Basic

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.