Strategic Operations Analyst - Value Improvement Office - Full Time 8 Hour Days (Exempt) (Non-Union)

Reporting to the Chief of Performance & Transformation, the Operations Analyst serves as a strategic partner supporting enterprise transformation, operational performance, and executive decision-making across Keck Medical Center. Working collaboratively with operational, clinical, and administrative leaders, this role investigates complex operational challenges, translates strategic priorities into actionable insights, and advances enterprise initiatives through analytical thinking, executive decision support, and practical innovation. Operating at the intersection of healthcare operations, strategy, analytics, and emerging technology, the Operations Analyst synthesizes information from multiple sources to develop executive-ready analyses, presentations, and recommendations that inform leadership decisions related to access, throughput, care progression, capacity management, operational excellence, and other enterprise priorities. This role also serves as an internal catalyst for practical AI adoption, helping leaders use emerging technologies to improve decision-making, operational effectiveness, knowledge management, and individual productivity. Through experimentation, workflow design, and executive coaching, the Operations Analyst turns AI capabilities into practical applications that support organizational performance.

Essential Duties

• Investigates complex operational questions by integrating operational, clinical, financial, quantitative, and qualitative information from multiple sources to identify root issues, emerging themes, risks, opportunities, and potential courses of action.
• Develops executive-ready analyses, briefing materials, presentations, dashboards, and strategic narratives that translate complex operational information into clear insights, options, and recommended actions.
• Conducts analyses related to enterprise priorities, including access, throughput, care progression, capacity management, transfers, complex cases, operational performance, and other strategic initiatives. Translates findings into actionable recommendations that support improved organizational performance.
• Identifies and pursues high-value strategic questions that are not yet well-defined, applying structured thinking, analytical investigation, and a systems-level perspective to help leaders better understand emerging operational challenges and opportunities.
• Leads the exploration, evaluation, and practical application of AI-enabled tools and workflows that support operational analysis, executive decision support, knowledge management, communication, meeting preparation, and workflow efficiency. Develops reusable prompts, templates, and practical AI use cases and guides leaders and teams on effective application of AI in their work.
• Identifies opportunities to improve organizational performance, executive workflows, operational effectiveness, and enterprise transformation through innovative analytical approaches, emerging technologies, benchmarking, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Partners with Business Intelligence, Finance, Information Technology, Clinical Operations, Care Coordination, Capacity Management, and other stakeholders to gather, analyze, validate, and synthesize information supporting enterprise initiatives and operational decision-making.
• Conducts research, benchmarking, literature reviews, environmental scans, and emerging technology assessments to inform executive decision-making, operational innovation, strategic planning, and enterprise transformation.
• Supports the Chief of Performance & Transformation in preparing for executive meetings, synthesizing complex issues and cross-functional discussions, identifying strategic follow-up opportunities, and developing executive-level communications, analyses, and recommendations.
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with operational, clinical, administrative, and technical stakeholders to facilitate collaboration, information sharing, and advancement of enterprise priorities.
• Monitors healthcare operations, performance improvement practices, emerging technologies, AI applications, and industry best practices to identify relevant opportunities and inform organizational priorities.
• Maintains appropriate documentation, analytical methodologies, assumptions, and supporting information to promote accuracy, transparency, consistency, and reuse of work products.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Req Bachelor’s Degree in healthcare administration, business, analytics, public health, management, or a related field.
• Pref Master’s degree in healthcare administration, business, analytics, public health, management, or a related field.
• Req 1-3 years of experience in healthcare operations, strategy, business analytics, consulting, performance improvement, project management, healthcare administration, or a related analytical field. (1-2 years of relevant graduate-level internships, administrative fellowships, consulting experience, research experience, or equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of some required experience.)
• Pref Experience supporting executive leaders, preparing executive-level presentations and briefing materials, conducting operational or strategic analyses, and/or supporting cross-functional organizational initiatives.
• Pref Experience with generative AI tools or emerging technologies to improve analytical work, executive communications, workflow efficiency, knowledge management, or individual productivity is highly desirable.
• Req Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate complex operational issues, identify meaningful insights, and develop practical solutions.
• Req Demonstrated ability to synthesize operational, clinical, financial, quantitative, and qualitative information from multiple sources into clear, actionable insights and recommendations.
• Req Ability to structure ambiguous or complex problems, identify key questions, investigate difficult or undefined issues, and develop practical approaches when processes, information, or solutions are not fully defined.
• Req Systems-thinking ability, with the capacity to connect individual operational issues to broader organizational patterns, strategic priorities, and opportunities for improvement.
• Req Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and learning agility, with the ability to rapidly understand unfamiliar operational issues, emerging technologies, and organizational priorities.
• Req Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, including the ability to develop executive-ready presentations, briefing materials, reports, dashboards, and other decision-support materials.
• Req Ability to communicate complex concepts concisely and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences, including executive leadership.
• Req Strong facilitation, listening, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to establish collaborative relationships and influence effectively without direct authority.
• Req Demonstrated ability to exercise sound independent judgment, prioritize competing demands, and manage multiple concurrent priorities with appropriate follow-through.
• Req Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and quality of work products.
• Req Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within highly collaborative, cross-functional teams.
• Req Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, with familiarity using business intelligence and data visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, or similar platforms.
• Req Ability to analyze and interpret data from multiple information systems while maintaining data accuracy, integrity, and appropriate context.
• Req Demonstrated initiative and a continuous improvement mindset, with a willingness to seek clarification, ask thoughtful questions, challenge assumptions constructively, and continuously improve work products and processes.
• Pref Experience or demonstrated ability to develop executive dashboards, performance reports, data visualizations, or other decision-support tools.
• Pref Knowledge of healthcare operations, including patient flow, care progression, access, throughput, capacity management, transfers, complex cases, and clinical operations.
• Pref Knowledge of performance improvement, Lean, Performance Excellence, process improvement, project management, or related methodologies.
• Pref Familiarity with generative AI tools and their practical application to operational analysis, workflow efficiency, executive communication, knowledge management, and productivity.

• Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire, and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

Keck Hospital of USC, a 343-bed acute care hospital, provides exceptional and innovative care for complex medical and surgical conditions across a wide range of specialties. The hospital’s world-renowned physicians deliver compassionate, customized, patient-centered care and treat the most acutely ill patients with highly innovative techniques and treatment plans. As a leading academic medical center, hundreds of clinical trials are currently taking place at Keck Hospital and its affiliated research institutions, giving patients access to novel and promising therapies that are generally not available elsewhere. Every day at Keck Hospital, physicians, nurses and staff go beyond the science of exceptional medicine to bring patients breakthroughs in the art of caring. Join this world-class team providing highly specialized care, up-to-the-minute research, and innovative clinical trials.

The annual base salary range for this position is $68,640.00 - $116,865.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to theBackground Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at [email protected]. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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