Director, Special Projects (Chief of Staff)

Location: Denver-based hybrid role. Travel required up to 25%.

About the role

This teammate will serve as a strategic partner to senior leaders, driving high-priority initiatives that support DaVita’s integrated kidney care and procurement strategy, operational performance, clinical outcomes, and enterprise decision-making. The Director, Special Projects will partner across functions and service lanes to structure ambiguous business challenges, lead complex cross-functional work, synthesize internal and external data, strengthen management processes, and develop executive-ready communications that enable senior leaders to make timely, informed decisions.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior operating and clinical leaders to shape, prioritize, and execute strategic initiatives across the business.
• Lead critical cross-functional projects across multiple service lanes, translating strategy into clear workstreams, milestones, owners, and outcomes.
• Organize and strengthen core operating rhythms, including leadership agendas, decision forums, follow-ups, and accountability mechanisms.
• Identify management process gaps and improvement opportunities, then design and implement practical solutions that improve execution.
• Develop executive-ready materials, leadership readouts, and business communications that clearly frame decisions, risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations.
• Collaborate across teams to perform analyses, synthesize insights, monitor metrics, and prepare recommendations for senior leadership.
• Support internal and external communications by crafting and delivering key messages aligned to business priorities.
• Advance best-in-class capabilities by partnering across operational, clinical, innovation, and functional teams.
• Regularly apprise senior leadership of project status, risks, dependencies, and variations from scope, schedule, or expected impact.
• Contribute to the development and effectiveness of a high-performing leadership team by improving clarity, alignment, and execution discipline.
• Manage and drive strategic and operational initiatives in collaboration with cross-functional partners.
• Structure ambiguous problems into clear workplans, decision points, and execution paths.
• Develop and communicate project scope, timelines, plans, resource needs, assumptions, risks, and dependencies.
• Create, implement, and drive adoption of processes and solutions that further clinical, operational, financial, and business outcomes.
• Manage against targets and goals, including scope, schedule, metrics, financial impact, and stakeholder commitments.
• Scope, plan, and execute multiple high-priority, often quick-turnaround projects with limited oversight.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or graduate degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in strategy, consulting, operations, project leadership, healthcare services, financial operations, or a similar role supporting enterprise-level initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives with senior leadership visibility and measurable business impact.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Prior experience in healthcare services and/or working with payors, physician networks, value-based care models, and/or integrated care models preferred.
• Strong ability to research, analyze, synthesize, and present internal and external data to support executive decision-making.
• Demonstrated track record of top performance and commitment to improving the healthcare system.

Skills

• Highly organized, structured working style with strong project management and execution discipline.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
• Ability to operate effectively in a highly matrixed organization and influence outcomes without direct authority.
• Executive presence, confidence, poise, tact, and diplomacy under pressure.
• Strong analytical, synthesis, storytelling, and presentation skills.
• Self-starter who can work effectively with limited oversight while proactively securing needed access, input, and alignment.
• Resourceful problem solver who can implement effective solutions despite time, information, or resource constraints.
• Exceptional follow-up, follow-through, and attention to detail.
• Comfort with frequent schedule changes, emerging priorities, ambiguity, and quick-turnaround work.
• Results-focused mindset with willingness to do what it takes to move critical work to successful completion.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match, paid time off, PTO cash out.
• Support for you and your family: Family resources, EAP counseling sessions, access Headspace®, backup child and elder care, maternity/paternity leave and more.
• Professional development programs: DaVita offers a variety of programs to help strong performers grow within their career and also offers on-demand virtual leadership and development courses through DaVita’s online training platform StarLearning.

Pay

The salary range for this role is $115,000.00 - $183,000.00 per year. Compensation will depend on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. DaVita offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401k match, healthcare coverage, and a broad range of other benefits.