Associate Consultant

About the Role: Associate Consultant

As an Associate Consultant on the Strategic Integration Team at Ascension, you will be instrumental in supporting the organization by implementing national strategic and operational initiatives. This role involves close collaboration with executive stakeholders across all business areas to address Ascension’s most critical and complex challenges. Success in this position demands exemplary critical thinking, strong relationship-building capabilities, and superior organizational skills to analyze intricate data, develop both strategic and tactical approaches, synthesize diverse stakeholder visions, and ensure timely delivery of results. Within the team, you will also play a key peer role in onboarding new associates.

Project and Change Management Responsibilities

• Support the implementation of new healthcare strategies and processes across Ascension, managing initiatives of low to medium complexity. This includes identifying critical next steps, tracking project tasks and goals, and ensuring accountability among multiple stakeholders.
• Assist in the design and execution of comprehensive implementation and change management plans, encompassing workstream development, formal and informal communications, business transformation, end-user training, and success measurement frameworks.
• Ensure effective meeting management by facilitating discussions, meticulously taking notes, and distributing timely follow-up and summary emails that highlight key points and action items to maintain alignment and drive initiatives forward.
• Aid in the activation of the Ascension National Incident Command Center (ICC) during extreme crises, collaborating with national and local leaders, reporting updates to key stakeholders, tracking action items, and facilitating workstream calls as necessary.

Relationship Building Expectations

• Rapidly establish strong relationships by demonstrating executive presence among senior leaders, providing exceptional customer service, maintaining situational awareness, and exhibiting proactive hospitality towards all project stakeholders, including leaders, end-users, and external parties.

Deliverable Creation Focus

• Develop robust business cases for national initiatives, including detailed cost/benefit and pro forma financial analyses, compelling funding justifications, and clear implementation schedules and strategies.
• Utilize both internal and external data sources and research to inform project decision-making and guide implementation strategies effectively.
• Prepare insightful and easily understandable analyses and reports from various data sources, delivering clear conclusions and actionable recommendations to the target audience.
• Create, review, and present executive-level deliverables, such as weekly project updates, status reports, and presentations tailored to specific workstreams or projects.
• Research and develop innovative solutions to continuously enhance the team’s processes and overall effectiveness across current and future initiatives.

People Management Contribution

• Assist in recruitment efforts by participating in interviews, and support the onboarding process by serving as a peer partner for new team members, facilitating their integration into the team culture, and transferring essential team and organizational knowledge.

Requirements

• Education: High School diploma equivalency with 3 years of cumulative experience OR Associate's degree/Bachelor's degree with 2 years of cumulative experience OR 7 years of applicable cumulative job-specific experience required. 3 years of leadership or management experience preferred.
• Licensure / Certification / Registration: None Required.

Benefits at Ascension

Ascension offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support associates' overall well-being and professional growth:

• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage, and HSA/FSA options.
• Financial Security: Employer-matched 403(b), financial planning resources, disability, and life insurance.
• Time Off: Pro-rated paid time off (PTO) and holidays.
• Career Growth: Ascension-paid tuition (Vocare), reimbursement programs, professional development, and online learning.
• Emotional Well-being: Employee Assistance Program, counseling, peer support, spiritual care, and stress management.
• Family Support: Parental leave, adoption assistance, and family benefits.
• Other: Optional legal and pet insurance, transportation savings, and more.

Benefit options and eligibility vary by position, scheduled hours, and location. Benefits are subject to change. Your recruiter will provide the most up-to-date details during the hiring process.

Key skills/competency

• Project Management
• Change Management
• Strategic Planning
• Data Analysis
• Stakeholder Collaboration
• Executive Presence
• Financial Modeling
• Process Improvement
• Communication Skills
• Problem Solving