Manager, Operational Excellence

About the job

Accessibility Note:

Surgery Partners is committed to complying with all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended (“ADA”), and applicable state and local laws. It is the Company’s policy not to discriminate against any qualified people or applicant with regard to any terms or conditions of employment on the basis of such individual’s disability. Consistent with this policy of non-discrimination, the Company will provide reasonable accommodations to an individual with a disability, as defined in the ADA or applicable law, who has made the Company aware of his/her disability, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship to the Company. If you are an applicant and need a reasonable accommodation when applying for job opportunities within the Company or request a reasonable accommodation to utilize the Company’s online employment application, please contact talentacquisition@surgerypartners.com

Position Summary:

The Manager, Operational Excellence helps lead operational performance, process improvement, and business optimization initiatives across the organization. This role works closely with operational excellence leaders, operators, and support functions to structure and lead analyses, identify and prioritize improvement opportunities, and support the execution of initiatives that deliver measurable operational and financial results.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead Operational Excellence Initiatives

• Lead operational excellence initiatives that improve efficiency, service quality, customer satisfaction, and financial performance
• Apply structured problem-solving approaches to diagnose root causes, evaluate potential solutions, and develop practical implementation plans
• Develop project workplans, clarify milestones and deliverables, track progress, and identify risks, dependencies, and decisions requiring escalation
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and maintain accountability for agreed actions, timelines, and outcomes
• Support the development and implementation of standardized processes, operating rhythms, tools, and best-practice materials that drive consistency and scalability
• Balance analytical rigor with practical implementation, adapting recommendations to operational realities and stakeholder needs

Support Operators & Drive Implementation

• Partner with facility, market, division, and corporate leaders to understand operational challenges and develop practical solutions
• Prepare materials for working sessions, business reviews, and executive updates, and help lead or facilitate those discussions
• Build strong working relationships with operational leaders and support functions across the organization
• Support pilot efforts, incorporating field feedback and lessons learned before broader implementation
• Help operators translate data and recommendations into specific actions, owners, timelines, and measurable outcomes
• Identify barriers to implementation and work with business partners to resolve or escalate them

Analyze Data to Generate Insight

• Analyze operational, clinical, and financial data to identify trends, outliers, risks, and improvement opportunities
• Size and prioritize opportunities to improve productivity, resource utilization, and cost effectiveness, and quantify the potential impact of proposed changes
• Identify and propose metrics, design scorecards, and work with data team to develop dashboards that provide actionable insights to operators and leadership
• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of analyses, clearly documenting sources, assumptions, and methodology
• Translate analytical findings into clear conclusions, recommendations, and practical action plans

Conduct Research & Gather External Perspectives

• Develop research plans and conduct interviews with internal subject matter experts, facility leaders, and external experts to gather qualitative insight and validate findings
• Research leading practices, benchmarks, and market trends relevant to operational performance and improvement priorities
• Synthesize quantitative analysis, research, and interview findings into clear, concise recommendations for the team and business partners
• Develop fact-based perspectives where internal data or established practices are incomplete or inconsistent

Measure & Track Performance

• Establish clear objectives, metrics, milestones, and targets for improvement initiatives
• Track initiatives against defined milestones and performance targets to ensure sustainable results
• Develop reporting that makes performance gaps, implementation progress, and realized impact visible to operators and senior leadership
• Evaluate initiative results, identify lessons learned, and recommend opportunities to refine or scale successful approaches
• Present findings, recommendations, risks, and support needs clearly and concisely to operators and senior leadership

Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, Economics, Finance, Data Analytics, Healthcare Administration, or a related field
• 3–5 years of experience in consulting, operations, performance improvement, finance, healthcare services, or related disciplines
• Demonstrated ability to structure and solve complex business problems using quantitative analysis, research, and stakeholder input
• Experience leading discrete projects or workstreams from problem definition through analysis, recommendation, and implementation
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, with proficiency in Excel and comfort working with large data sets
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to build clear, well-structured presentations and communicate with senior leaders
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams, stakeholders, deadlines, and dependencies in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization and build credibility with operational and functional leaders
• Sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, attention to detail, and an eagerness to learn the operational realities of the business
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Teams

Preferred

• Experience in management consulting, healthcare consulting, corporate strategy, operational improvement, or a similarly analytical and project-based environment
• Experience in healthcare, healthcare services, or private equity-backed organizations
• Experience supporting multi-site operations or performance improvement programs
• Experience conducting primary research, expert interviews, benchmarking studies, or market analysis
• Experience developing operational dashboards, KPIs, scorecards, and performance management systems
• Familiarity with structured problem-solving and continuous improvement concepts such as Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Agile, or similar methodologies
• Experience supporting implementation, change management, or adoption of new operating processes, tools, or management routines
• Equal Employment Opportunity & Work Force Diversity

Our organization is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, creed, sex, religion, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, parental status, sexual orientation, veteran status, genetic testing results or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws. This practice relates to all personnel matters such as compensation, benefits, training, promotions, transfers, layoffs, etc. Furthermore, our organization is committed to going beyond the legal requirements of equal employment opportunity to take positive actions which ensure diversity in the workplace and result in a multi-cultural organization.

Surgery Partners conducts pre-employment screenings including but not limited to criminal background checks and drug testing.