Manager of Process Improvement

Company Overview

Ardent Health is a leading provider of healthcare in communities across the United States. With a focus on consumer‑friendly processes and investments in innovative services and technologies, Ardent is passionate about making healthcare better and easier to access. The organization is driven by its purpose of caring for people—patients, communities, and one another. Located in Brentwood, Tennessee, Ardent has earned a reputation as one of the industry’s strongest and most innovative healthcare systems. Its facilities and clinics are consistently recognized among healthcare’s best employers.

Ardent includes 30 hospitals, 280 sites of care, 4,281 beds, more than 24,000 team members, over 8,200 nurses, 1,800+ aligned providers, 5.8 million annual provider encounters, and 421 medical residents. The company makes considerable investments in people, technology, facilities, and communities, producing high‑quality care and extraordinary results. From newly constructed facilities and expanded services to lifesaving technology and outstanding employee opportunities, Ardent is committed to providing its hospitals and clinics the tools needed to succeed. The mix of corporate support and local autonomy equips teams for success.

Job Overview

We have an exciting opportunity to join our leadership team at Ardent as a Manager of Process Improvement. The Manager, Process Improvement is a critical leader responsible for driving enterprise‑wide transformation across clinical and operational functions. This role partners with executive and clinical leadership to modernize workflows, accelerate digital health adoption, and deliver measurable improvements in patient care, operational efficiency, and clinician experience.

Responsibilities

• Drive measurable improvements in operational efficiency, clinician experience, and patient care outcomes.
• Partner with executive and clinical leadership to align process improvement and change initiatives with organizational strategy.
• Develop and execute enterprise‑wide organizational change management (OCM) strategies.
• Identify change risks, anticipate resistance, and implement mitigation strategies to sustain adoption.
• Collaborate with Performance Improvement teams and subject‑matter experts to identify and resolve workflow inefficiencies.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping, and Kaizen methodologies.
• Ensure alignment of people, processes, and technology during system implementations and enhancements.
• Translate complex strategies into clear, actionable plans for clinical, operational, and leadership audiences.
• Coach leaders and managers to effectively sponsor, support, and drive adoption of change initiatives.
• Establish and maintain communication plans, including progress updates, success metrics, and stakeholder alignment.
• Define, track, and report key performance indicators, including adoption rates and benefit realization post‑implementation.
• Manage end‑to‑end project execution, including planning, governance, cross‑functional coordination, risk management, and delivery of milestones.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, Organizational Psychology, or a related field.
• Three years of dedicated Change Management, Project Management, and Process Improvement experience, with at least two years in a healthcare system, hospital, or payer environment.
• Deep understanding of clinical workflows, change portfolio management, and project management fundamentals.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, conflict resolution, executive communication, prioritization, risk management, and cross‑functional coordination abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Prosci Change Management Certification or similar.