Vice President of Program Operations

Description

The Innovation and Operations Strategist serves as a senior leader and trusted advisor to the Chief Growth Officer, driving enterprise-wide initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, innovation, and long-term sustainability. Serving as both a strategic integrator and subject matter expert, the Innovation and Operations Strategist directs cross-functional execution, facilitates organizational transformation, and strategically positions the organization for sustained growth and sector leadership.

Department: Program

• Hours: Full-time; 40+ hours/week, Monday – Friday (Exempt)
• Location: Lifeworks Services – Richfield / Hybrid
• Compensation:  $125,000 - $150,000

Bonus Eligible: Yearly

What we offer employees

Lifeworks offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes:

• 18 days of PTO accrued in the first year of employment
• 11 paid holidays (New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and a Personal Holiday)
• Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D insurance, short & long-term disability coverage
• Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Savings Account (FSA), and prescription drug coverage
• Up to $3,000 annually in tuition reimbursement
• 403(b) retirement plan – Lifeworks contributes 3% of your salary and matches up to 4% of employee contributions
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Why Work at Lifeworks

Lifeworks is an industry leader on the forward edge of partnering with people with disabilities in innovative, person-centered ways. Disability inclusion is our true north, guiding every service we provide and ensuring that people with disabilities have opportunities, can thrive, and defy expectations. The Lifeworks Team is collaborative, passionate, and strategic, using a person-centered approach to increase access in our communities.

How you’ll be spending your time:

• Leading the design and execution of enterprise level initiatives that expand reach, scaling service and strengthening financial sustainability.
• Establishing a centralized coordination model that reduces duplication and ensures upstream processes (e.g., intake, eligibility, setup) are aligned with downstream functions (e.g., billing, payroll, reporting).
• Architecting scalable systems, policies, and processes that align with organizational priorities. 
• Driving efficiency and scalability through process optimization initiatives, including workflow analysis, development of standard operating procedures (SOPs), and clarifying roles and responsibilities.
• Developing a comprehensive intake-to-billing process map, identifying handoffs, gaps, and opportunities for automation or role clarification.
• Managing enterprise KPI’s that measure impact, process health, and organizational performance.
• Cultivating a culture centered on accountability, continuous improvement, and results-driven leadership.
• Introducing cross-functional KPIs that measure not just outcomes but also process health—e.g., time-to-bill, service setup accuracy, and interdepartmental responsiveness.
• Leading large scale change management to improve efficiency and effectiveness. 
• Communicating strategies related to operational transitions, ensuring stakeholder engagement and clarity.
• Creating tailored engagement plans for different stakeholder groups (e.g., frontline staff, support teams, leadership) to ensure clarity and buy-in during operational transitions.
• Streamlining internal communications and meeting structures (e.g., Strategic Leadership meetings) to enhance accountability and follow-through.
• Designing and facilitating a feedback loop between Strategic Leadership meetings to ensure decisions are tracked, communicated, and operationalized effectively.
• Serving as subject matter expert at conferences, panels and strategic forums.
• Monitoring budgets related to strategic initiatives.
• Partnering with advancement and finance to align operational strategy with funding models and revenue growth. 
• Identifying and mitigating operational risks that could impact program delivery, financial performance, or compliance.
• Ensuring data driven decision making. 
• Designing and implementing scalable operational systems and processes that support organizational growth, improve service delivery, and enhance cross-departmental collaboration.  
• Must pass a background study with the Department of Human Services, a drug test, clean driving record and have reliable transportation to use for work driving purposes (e.g., in-office, on-site training locations, etc.).

Requirements

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to connect high-level strategy to operational execution and identify long-term improvement opportunities.
• Process Optimization: Skilled in identifying inefficiencies and implementing solutions that improve quality, reduce costs, and increase speed.
• Project Management: Strong organizational and planning skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Adept at building relationships and facilitating alignment across diverse teams and departments.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to manage internal communications and ensure clarity across stakeholders.
• Analytical Skills: Comfortable working with data to assess performance, identify trends, and inform decision-making.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, drive accountability, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Education And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Health Services, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in operations, program management, or strategic planning roles, preferably in service delivery or healthcare-related environments.
• Proven track record of leading cross-functional initiatives and driving operational improvements.
• Experience with process mapping, SOP development, and workflow optimization.

Equity Statement:

Lifeworks strives to be radically accessible, diverse, equitable, and inclusive. We appreciate the vibrancy of differences, center the voices of silenced and marginalized people, and champion universal rights.

Lifeworks  Services is committed to hiring people from a variety of diverse cultures with diverse life experiences. All qualified applicants will  receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status; genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Lifeworks Services is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage members of diverse groups to apply.