Senior Manager, Strategic Operations

Senior Manager, Strategic Operations, Health Equity

The Senior Manager, Strategic Operations, Health Equity serves as the operational backbone of the Health Equity department, leading the systems, processes, and portfolio management functions that enable effective execution across a growing portfolio of initiatives. Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Health Equity, this role is responsible for strengthening departmental operations, project management, cross-functional coordination, performance tracking, and organizational infrastructure. The Senior Manager also represents Health Equity on the Community Impact Project Management Office, helping advance enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, executive reporting, and cross-department collaboration.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Operations & Portfolio Management [40%]:

• Lead the operational execution of the Health Equity portfolio by developing, implementing, and continuously improving systems, processes, and project management practices that strengthen departmental performance and execution.
• Develop and maintain departmental workplans, portfolio management tools, implementation roadmaps, and project management frameworks to ensure initiatives remain aligned with strategic priorities and organizational goals.
• Establish and maintain dashboards tracking project milestones, deliverables, key performance indicators (KPIs), implementation progress, risks, dependencies, and resource needs across the Health Equity portfolio.
• Facilitate quarterly portfolio reviews, implementation planning sessions, and project status meetings to support strategic decision-making, continuous improvement, and accountability.
• Monitor implementation progress across multiple initiatives, proactively identifying operational risks, capacity constraints, and opportunities for improvement, while escalating issues requiring leadership attention.

Department Operations & Organizational Infrastructure [25%]:

• Design, implement, and continuously improve departmental operating procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs), templates, toolkits, playbooks, and knowledge management resources that support consistent execution across the Health Equity team.
• Develop and maintain departmental planning calendars, reporting cadences, and operational workflows to ensure timely execution of key deliverables, grant milestones, reporting requirements, and strategic priorities.
• Support the development of organizational systems and operational infrastructure that improve collaboration, communication, efficiency, and scalability as the Health Equity portfolio continues to grow.
• Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen operational effectiveness through process improvement and systems optimization.

Cross-Functional Coordination & Executive Support [10%]:

• Serve as the primary operational liaison between the Health Equity team and key internal partners, including Finance, Resource Development, Marketing & Communications, Government Relations & Advocacy, Operations, and other departments.
• Coordinate cross-functional planning, implementation, and communication efforts to ensure alignment across strategic initiatives, funding opportunities, reporting requirements, and organizational priorities.
• Prepare executive dashboards, presentations, briefing materials, status reports, and other decision-support tools for senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Coordinate departmental planning meetings, retreats, leadership work sessions, and follow-up activities to ensure timely implementation of decisions and action items.

Funding Operations & Strategic Initiatives [10%]

• Support the operational coordination of strategic funding opportunities by maintaining proposal development timelines, coordinating internal review processes, and facilitating collaboration across program, finance, communications, and Resource Development teams.
• Maintain centralized systems to track grant proposals, reporting deadlines, stewardship activities, funder deliverables, and key milestones across the Health Equity portfolio.
• Support implementation planning and operational coordination for strategic initiatives, ensuring projects remain on schedule and aligned with organizational priorities.

Community Impact Project Management Office (PMO) [15%]

• Represent the Health Equity department on the Community Impact Project Management Office (PMO), contributing to enterprise-wide strategic planning, implementation oversight, and cross-department collaboration.
• Lead assigned PMO workstreams, including advancing cross-cutting Community Impact strategy and supporting implementation of Community Impact Planning Process (CIPP) Board priorities.
• Develop and maintain implementation plans, executive dashboards, decision logs, and project tracking tools supporting Community Impact leadership.
• Coordinate follow-up on enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, ensuring accountability for action items, milestones, and implementation commitments across Community Impact teams.
• Partner with PMO colleagues to strengthen organizational planning processes, portfolio governance, performance reporting, and systems integration across Community Impact.

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in public administration, public health, business administration, nonprofit management, organizational leadership, healthcare administration, or a related field required with a minimum of 4 years of experience. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible experience in strategy, operations, project management, organizational effectiveness, healthcare, public health, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional projects and strategic initiatives from planning through implementation, while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience developing and implementing operational systems, project management frameworks, standard operating procedures, and organizational processes that improve efficiency, accountability, and execution.
• Strong project and portfolio management skills, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives, establish priorities, monitor implementation progress, identify risks, and drive projects to successful completion.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams and building collaborative relationships across diverse stakeholders, including program staff, finance, communications, development, government relations, executive leadership, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex information, identify operational challenges, develop practical solutions, and recommend process improvements that strengthen organizational effectiveness.
• Experience developing executive presentations, dashboards, reports, briefing materials, and other decision-support tools for senior leadership.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of an organization and facilitate productive meetings and collaborative planning processes.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities while meeting deadlines.
• Knowledge of health equity principles, social determinants of health, and community-based health and human services systems; familiarity with New York City's healthcare and social services landscape preferred.
• Experience supporting strategic planning, organizational development, performance management, monitoring and evaluation, grant implementation, or continuous quality improvement initiatives preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint; experience using project management platforms (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet, Airtable, Microsoft Planner, or similar), dashboarding tools, and collaboration platforms preferred.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and work independently while effectively managing multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.

Key Competencies:

• Network-Orientated – Connects operational work to broader organizational goals and identifies opportunities to strengthen systems, processes, and performance.
• Program Development and Implementation – Effectively manages multiple complex initiatives, prioritizes competing demands, monitors implementation, and drives projects to successful completion.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Relationship Management – Builds trusted partnerships, influences without direct authority, and effectively coordinates work across diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong Analytical and Data Skills – Analyzes complex information, identifies risks and opportunities, develops practical solutions, and supports data-informed decision-making.
• Effective and Engaging Communicator – Communicates clearly and effectively through written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills with staff, leadership, and external partners.

Additional Information:

• UWNYC is presently on a Hybrid/In-Person work schedule.

United Way of NYC Core Competencies for All Staff

• Mission Focused: Catalyze others' commitment to the mission to create real social change that leads to better lives and healthier communities. This drives their performance and professional motivations.
• Relationship-Oriented: Understands that people come before processes and is astute in cultivating and managing relationships toward a common goal.
• Collaborator: Understands the roles and contributions of all sectors of the community and can mobilize resources (financial and human) through meaningful engagement.
• Results Driven: Dedicated to shared and measurable goals for the common good: creating, resourcing, scaling and leveraging strategies and innovations for broad investment and impact.
• Brand Steward: Steward of the brand and understands his/her role in growing and protecting the reputation and results of the greater network.

How To Apply:

Please apply on our United Way of New York City career page.

United Way of New York City is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer