Associate Principal, Clinical Operating System (cOS)

At Press Ganey, our consultants partner with leading health systems to solve their most complex challenges-from experience design and engagement strategies to equity, safety, and workforce performance. We help organizations see what's not working, align on what matters most, and build the systems and behaviors needed to drive sustained improvement. Clinical Operating System (cOS) is Press Ganey's tech-enabled operating system for how health systems deliver care every day. It connects leader standard work, frontline workflows, escalation, coaching, rounding, event reporting, analytics, governance, and technology into one integrated way of operating. It is how healthcare care teams run the business of care every day. Most health systems do not lack dashboards, huddles, improvement projects, or leadership tactics. They lack one connected operating model that makes the work visible, reliable, scalable, and sustainable. The Role The Associate Principal will lead delivery of cOS engagements with health system clients, turning the operating model from concept into daily practice. This is field-based transformation work: standing with leaders and frontline teams in the work, helping them redesign how care is managed, escalated, coached, measured, and improved every day. This is hands-on transformation work-helping organizations redesign how care is delivered day-to-day. You will assess, implement, and sustain cOS across clinical environments by coaching leaders and frontline teams in daily management routines, standard work, and adoption of a supporting technology platform. Additionally, this role will be integral to the formation and buildout of this strategic service line within Press Ganey. This is a role at the intersection of clinical operations, change management, and technology-enabled transformation. Location & Travel - Remote (U.S.) - ~80%, typically aligned to a primary client in the U.S. (Monday-Thursday onsite) What You'll Do - Lead and support delivery of cOS engagements across the full lifecycle: assessment, implementation, go-live, sustainment, and evolution - Coach leaders at all levels-unit, department, hospital, and system-on adopting cOS standard work and daily management routines - Translate cOS methodology into practical, observable behaviors that improve reliability, accountability, and frontline engagement - Serve as a trusted, credible on-site partner to clinical, operational, quality, safety, patient experience, and executive leaders - Ensure implementations are both operationally sound and technology-enabled, with software embedded into workflows-not operating alongside them - Partner closely with product, engineering, and analytics teams to surface workflow insights, adoption barriers, and enhancement opportunities - Support adoption of cOS tools (dashboards, rounding tools, escalation workflows, event reporting, reliability metrics) - Identify opportunities to reduce manual work through improved workflow design, automation, integration, or configuration - Contribute to building and scaling a new cOS service line, including playbooks, tools, and repeatable delivery models Why This Role - This is for someone who wants to help build the next operating model for healthcare, and who is energized by making transformation real in the daily work of care teams. - Build something new: Help shape and scale a next-generation service line from the ground up - Do work that matters: Direct impact on patients, families, clinicians, and healthcare leaders - Be on the front lines: Spend meaningful time in clinical environments driving real behavior change - Operate across domains: Clinical operations, safety, quality, experience, engagement, and technology - See results over time: Work in long-arc engagements where improvements compound and sustain - Influence the future: Help evolve a technology-enabled operating model for health systems - Bridge product + practice: Bring frontline insights directly into product and platform development What We're Looking For - 15+ years of experience in healthcare to include operations, clinical transformation, performance improvement, or high-reliability environments. - Deep experience across patient experience, employee experience, safety, and/or quality solutions. - Seeking a tech-forward healthcare operator or implementation leader. - Have led real operational change in clinical settings. - Understand how product, data, dashboards, workflow tools, and integrations influence adoption. - Translate those insights into actionable improvements for both operations and technology teams. - Understands how technology shapes how work gets done. - Proven success implementing operational change-not just advising - Deep experience with daily management systems (e.g., tiered huddles, leader rounding, visual management, escalation pathways, standard work) - Ability to coach leaders in real time, from frontline managers to senior executives - Strong systems thinking-able to distinguish local issues from broader operating model challenges - Comfort working in active clinical environments (hospital units, shift changes, frontline workflows) - Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills - High level of ownership, adaptability, and credibility with clients - Bachelor's degree required The expected base salary for this position ranges from $145,000 - $230,000. It is not typical for offers to be made at or near the top of the range. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, licensure or certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered. In addition to base salary and a competitive benefits package, successful candidates are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus or commission tied to achieved results. Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Press Ganey we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.