Project Manager, Public Health Operations

As the global leader in diagnostic information services, Quest Diagnostics is at the forefront of protecting community health. The Public Health Operations team is seeking a dynamic, mission-driven Project Manager to serve a key role in our pandemic response readiness and emerging disease strategy. Reporting directly to the Director of Response Readiness, you will help bridge the gap between commercial laboratory excellence and national public health security.

This role will lead a variety of projects and communication plans to execute on Quest Diagnostics' strategy for Public Health partnerships and pandemic response readiness. This includes managing projects focused on the area of Emerging Disease prevention and control, including response readiness and remnant operations initiatives, and public-private collaborations within an evolving public health landscape. You will translate complex operational requirements into clear internal policies and compelling public-facing communications to meet the deliverables of critical contracts.

The position contractual and will be reviewed yearly.

Project Leadership & Management:

• Serve as the primary project manager for the CDC "Warm Base" preparedness project, owning the scope, timeline, resources, risks, and deliverables.
  • Collaborate with internal marketing and communications teams to align content, branding, and messaging with Quest standards.
  • Foster partnerships with internal functions (Sales, Lab Operations, IT, etc.) to ensure seamless project delivery.
  • Document project progress, gather feedback, and create final reports, which may include prototypes or resource toolkits.
  • Ensure all initiatives related to remnant operations and sensitive data (PII) adhere to research integrity, compliance, and human protection standards.
  • Produce quarterly summaries of progress against contract deliverables, ensuring timely and transparent updates to all stakeholders.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Leads projects and working teams to effectively initiate, plan, execute, monitor, and closeprojects
  • Leadsprojects
    • Leads projectsthrough issues, roadblocks, andproblems
    • Acts as a change agent to drive teamstowardsuccess
    • Guides team members to performthrough issues andconstraints
  • Ownsprojects
    • Owns the timeline, budget, resource constraints, and deliverables/results
    • Shifts between the "big picture" and the small-but-crucialdetails
    • Is prepared to roll up their sleeves and work through detailedissues
  • Managesprojects
    • Ensures all appropriate tools are completed and used effectively (e.g., charter,Ganttchart, status updates)
  • Communicates
    • Actively communicates with project sponsors andstakeholders
    • Establishes regular points ofcommunication
    • Manages sponsor and stakeholders'expectations
  • Delivers the expectedresults
    • Performs root cause analysis on project shortfalls and takes corrective action asnecessary
• Applies QMS principles and tools toward a variety of smallto medium projects aswell asothernecessary skills, such as:
• Identifying root causes of issues and designing solutions that addressthem
• Defining, monitoring, and controlling processes
• Understanding (internal/ external) customer needs and designing solutions around them
• Identifying the impacts from change and developing proactive change plans
• Supports variousteams to achieve their goals by facilitatingon-site workshops,rapid continuous improvement events,and providingongoingguidanceorconsultation
• Coaches other employees onthe use of various tools, concepts, and practices foundational to QMSinorderfor Quest Diagnostics employeesto build self-sufficiency, sustainability, andscalability
• Participates in Communities of Practice
• Leads QMS trainingclasses
• Documentsbusiness processes
• Completes required continuedlearning

Required Education:
*Bachelor's degree in a life science or Bachelor's degree in management with experience in life sciences or healthcare industries
Preferred Education:
*Masters of Public Health (any emphasis)

Preferred Work Experience:
Project management
Physical and Mental Requirements:
*The normal performance of duties may require lifting and carrying objects
*Frequent walking and/or standing.

Knowledge:
*Demonstrated experience (1 to 3 years) of leading projects from initiation to completion
*Demonstrated experience facilitating discussions or workshops
*Some experience in continuous improvement
*Demonstrated experience with process management
*Basic knowledge of VOC tools
*General knowledge of Hoshin and breakthrough planning
*Some experience leading changes

Skills:
*Problem-solving skills
*Effective written and verbal communication skills across multiple formats: formal presentations, meetings, conference calls, e-mails, and memos
*Demonstrated data analysis skills
*Demonstrated ability to develop strong relationships with others
*Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
*Comfortable using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
*Interpersonal skills
*Decision-making skills
*Planning and organization skills
*Results-oriented
*Creative
*Persistent
*Composed
*Able to learn new concepts rapidly
*Independent working style
*Entrepreneurial thinking