Associate Director of Projects -Clinical Affairs

Associate Director of Projects -Clinical Affairs

The Office for Clinical Affairs at the University of South Carolina is seeking to hire an Associate Director of Projects to join our team. The Associate Director serves as a strategic advisor, enterprise project leader, and operational integrator within the Office for Clinical Affairs. Reporting directly to the Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Hospital Planning and Integration, this highly visible role drives the execution of complex, cross-functional initiatives that advance the University's clinical, academic, research, and healthcare transformation priorities.

This position functions as a senior-level coordination and implementation partner for executive leadership, ensuring alignment across major institutional initiatives, capital projects, and strategic partnerships. The role is responsible for establishing disciplined project governance, operational readiness, stakeholder alignment, and enterprise-wide coordination across a dynamic portfolio of initiatives, including the development and activation of the University of South Carolina Neurological Hospital, the Brain Health Network, and future clinical innovation programs.

The Associate Director will operate within highly matrixed environments involving healthcare executives, academic leadership, physicians, operational teams, architects, contractors, research leaders, and external partners. Success in this role requires exceptional executive presence, strategic thinking, organizational agility, and the ability to lead through influence while managing multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously.

Job Related Minimum Required Education and Experience - Requires a bachelor's degree in a job related field and 4 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

Required Certification, Licensure/Other Credentials - Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent professional certification required

Preferred Qualifications - Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Project Management, Construction Management, Public Health, or related field preferred8–10 years of experience in healthcare systems leadership, enterprise project management, hospital operations, or strategic program development preferredExperience supporting hospital construction, activation, operational readiness, or major capital projects preferredExperience within academic medical centers, neurological/neuroscience programs, rehabilitation hospitals, or specialty care environments preferredExperience supporting executive leadership and enterprise-level strategic initiatives preferredExperience working within highly matrixed organizations involving academic, clinical, operational, and public-sector stakeholders preferredExperience facilitating executive discussions, leading organizational change, and presenting to senior leadership or governing boards preferred

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities - Exceptional project leadership, organizational, and execution capabilitiesStrong strategic thinking and operational problem-solving skillsAbility to manage complex initiatives across multiple workstreams and stakeholder groups simultaneouslyAbility to influence alignment and drive progress without direct reporting authorityExecutive-level written, verbal, and presentation communication skillsStrong analytical skills with the ability to synthesize complex information into concise executive summaries and recommendationsProficiency in project management software, dashboards, reporting tools, and operational tracking systemsAbility to maintain confidentiality, professionalism, and discretion in highly sensitive environmentsHigh degree of initiative, adaptability, and accountability in fast-paced, evolving organizational settingsStrong facilitation, relationship management, and stakeholder engagement skillsDemonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity and support transformational organizational initiatives

Job Duties

Job Duty - Strategic Hospital Development & Activation LeadershipServe as a senior coordination lead supporting the planning, design, construction, operational readiness, and activation of the University of South Carolina Neurological Hospital and associated clinical programs.Partner with executive leadership, facilities teams, architects, contractors, and operational stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment between construction activities, clinical operations, patient experience goals, and long-term institutional objectives.Coordinate enterprise-wide planning efforts related to:Clinical and operational workflowsSpace planning and functional programmingOperational readiness and transition planningEquipment planning and activation sequencingRegulatory and accreditation preparednessStaffing and departmental integrationTechnology and infrastructure implementationRisk identification and mitigation strategiesMonitor project milestones, interdependencies, timelines, and executive deliverables to support disciplined execution and successful hospital activation.

Job Duty - Enterprise Portfolio & Program ManagementLead coordination and oversight of a diverse portfolio of strategic initiatives across the Office for Clinical Affairs.Develop and maintain enterprise-level project governance structures, dashboards, executive reporting tools, and initiative tracking systems to provide visibility into priorities, performance metrics, dependencies, risks, and resource alignment.Support strategic initiatives could include, but not limited to:Brain Health Network developmentClinical integration initiativesSpecialty program developmentClinical partnership initiativesOperational transformation effortsSystem integration and optimization projectsEnsure cross-functional alignment among leadership teams while advancing organizational priorities through structured project management methodologies and operational discipline.

Job Duty - Executive Strategy & Operational SupportServe as a trusted operational and strategic support partner to theAVPfor Clinical Affairs and executive leadership team.Prepare executive-level presentations, strategic analyses, briefing materials, white papers, board updates, and decision-support documentation for senior leadership, institutional stakeholders, and governing bodies.Coordinate executive meetings, strategic workgroups, and steering committees by:Establishing executive agendas and objectivesFacilitating discussions and follow-up actions with c-suiteDocumenting decisions and action itemsTracking accountability and deliverablesEnsuring timely communication and executionTranslate strategic direction into actionable implementation plans while maintaining alignment across organizational priorities.

Job Duty - Special Projects & Strategic InitiativesLead high-priority strategic initiatives and special projects on behalf of Clinical Affairs leadership.Manage complex, multidisciplinary initiatives involving operational integration, clinical program development, process redesign, organizational readiness, innovation planning, and performance improvement.Apply structured project management methodologies to support:Organizational change managementOperational optimizationStrategic growth initiativesClinical transformation effortsResearch and innovation integrationCross-functional problem solvingDrive initiatives from concept development through implementation while ensuring stakeholder engagement, operational sustainability, and measurable outcomes.

Job Duty - Stakeholder Engagement & Cross-Functional CoordinationFacilitate collaboration and communication among internal and external stakeholders across clinical, operational, finance, facilities, IT, and administrative functions.Build strong relationships across diverse stakeholder groups to ensure alignment, transparency, and coordinated execution of organizational priorities.Develop and maintain comprehensive project documentation, communication plans, dashboards, status reports, and executive summaries to support informed decision-making and organizational accountability.Represent Clinical Affairs leadership in meetings, planning sessions, and collaborative initiatives with professionalism, diplomacy, and executive-level communication skills.