Project Manager

Role overview

The Transformation Office at UI Health Care is seeking a Project Manager to support the Strategic Implementation Team. In this role, you will independently lead projects across the full life cycle, from initial planning through final handoff to the customer. The work will center on small to medium projects with department- or site-level strategic significance, with a strong focus on improving clinical operations and delivering results on time and within budget.

What you will do

• Partner with senior leaders and stakeholders across departments to define project scope, objectives, and deliverables aligned to Health System performance improvement priorities, while preparing complete project plans and communication materials.
• Review staff project plans and support implementation, ensuring each project includes current-state analysis, operational process and data review, future-state design with pilot testing and measurable success criteria, and thorough execution.
• Collaborate with teams at every level to understand operations, shape workflows, and lead change efforts, while keeping communication clear from department leadership to clinic staff.
• Work closely with project owners and stakeholders to estimate staffing and resource needs, identify gaps, and share recommendations with senior management when additional support is required.
• Set expectations, assign responsibilities, manage dependencies and critical paths, and resolve issues or conflicts in partnership with senior leadership.
• Create timelines and milestones using suitable project tools, monitor deliverables, and produce progress updates, proposals, requirements documents, and presentations.
• Support project managers in clarifying team roles and ensuring all tasks are completed as planned.
• Determine reporting cadence and content for status updates, review results, address problem areas, manage scope changes proactively, and prepare contingency plans when risks arise.
• Define and communicate project success measures throughout the project lifecycle.
• Build and maintain relationships that are essential to project success.
• Lead closing reviews and prepare recommendation reports that highlight effective and ineffective project elements.
• Serve as an internal project management advisor to business and clinical teams, using relationship-building and practical judgment beyond standard project management methods.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Health Care, or a related discipline, or an equivalent mix of education and experience.
• At least 1 year of progressively responsible experience in health care administration, business, or operational planning, with demonstrated success in supporting or leading projects.
• Strong project management capability to identify business needs, develop solutions, and coordinate the people and resources needed to reach goals.
• Ability to define scope, manage plans and tracking, and deliver work within timeline and budget expectations.
• Skill in turning complex information and data into clear, practical insights.
• Experience working with senior administrators or leaders and influencing organizational stakeholders.
• Ability to influence key partners and combine ideas to achieve successful outcomes.
• Ability to manage financial, organizational, and staff resources effectively.
• Capacity to juggle multiple projects and prioritize work to meet deadlines.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information to different audiences.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, along with project management software.
• Commitment to working effectively in a respectful and welcoming workplace.

Preferred qualifications

• PMP or another relevant project management certification.
• Master’s degree in Business, Health Care, or a related field.
• Background in health care.
• Lean, Six Sigma, process improvement certification and/or experience.
• Experience working in a PMO within health care or hospital operations.
• Operational and/or financial management experience in an academic health care environment.
• Experience coaching leaders and teams while influencing their decisions and actions.

Application and hiring details

Applicants must upload both a cover letter and resume and clearly show how they satisfy the required and preferred qualifications. This posting remains open for a minimum of 7 calendar days. Selected candidates must disclose any conviction history and will undergo a criminal background check as well as credential and education verification. Up to 5 professional references may be requested later in the process. This role is not eligible for university sponsorship for work authorization, either now or in the future.

Additional information

• Classification title: Project Manager
• Appointment type: Professional and Scientific
• Schedule: Full-time
• Pay level: 4B
• Organization: Healthcare
• Contact name: Sharon Walther
• Contact email: sharon-walther@uiowa.edu