Job Description
Client-Project Lead (Senior Manager) – Regulatory
Remote | USA-Based
Senior-Level | Healthcare Consulting
Own the Delivery. Protect the Standard. Build What Comes Next.
Ascendient has spent 30 years building a reputation as the nation’s premier Certificate of Need consulting firm. Their regulatory work goes before state agencies and administrative law courts. It must be flawless. It must be on time. It must hold up under cross-examination.
Now they are hiring a Client-Project Lead to run that delivery engine. This is the person who turns direction into a clear roadmap, keeps projects on track, protects quality, and makes sure nothing reaches a client or a courtroom that is not ready.
About Ascendient
- Ascendient partners with hospital systems and healthcare organizations on high-stakes regulatory and strategic work, including:
- Certificate of Need applications across multiple states
- Litigation support and expert testimony preparation
- Healthcare utilization forecasting and demand analysis
- Service line planning and financial feasibility studies
- Strategic planning for hospitals and health systems
Their CON applications must be defensible. Their projections must withstand challenge. Their client relationships must be built on trust.
This role makes all of that happen at the project level.
The Role
- You will own the full delivery lifecycle of regulatory engagements. You will:
- Lead CON application projects from kickoff through filing, and potentially through litigation and appeal
- Build project plans, manage timelines, track budgets, and protect margin-
- Conduct rigorous, iterative review of all deliverables before they reach the client or a regulatory agency
- Own day-to-day client communication so Principals can focus on high-value work
- Set clear expectations for the project team and coach analysts and consultants through the work
- Manage staffing plans and delegate work to the right level
- Flag risks early with solutions, not just problems
- Hold clients accountable to their data submissions and deadlines to protect regulatory filing dates
- Roll up your sleeves and do the work alongside the team when it matters
This is a player-coach role. You lead the work AND you do the work when the team needs you.
- What You Bring
- 10+ years of experience in healthcare consulting or hospital/health system strategy and planning
- Direct experience with Certificate of Need applications (any state)
- Strong project management skills with evidence of managing complex, deadline-driven engagements
- Client relationship management experience (not just doing the work, but owning the communication)
- Deep understanding of hospital and health system operations, data, and regulatory environments
- Advanced Excel proficiency and comfort with healthcare utilisation data and financial projections
- Preferred:
- Consulting firm background (healthcare strategy, regulatory, or advisory)- Multi-state CON experience
- Litigation support or expert testimony preparation experience
- Experience managing or supervising analysts and consultants
- Familiarity with healthcare data sources (Optum, AHA, CMS, state health planning databases)
- PMP or equivalent project management credential
Who Thrives Here
- You are:
- Calm under pressure and composed when timelines shift
- Comfortable owning the client relationship at your level
- Structured enough to keep multiple projects moving without chaos
- Direct with feedback and willing to hold people accountable
You care about delivery discipline and quality.
And you know that in regulatory work, there is no room for "close enough."
Compensation and Structure
$146,000 – $190,000 base
Short-term incentive compensation (currently being redesigned)
Remote (USA-based, must be available during Eastern core hours 8:30am-5:30pm ET)
Some travel for client meetings and hearings
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $146,000.00 – $190,000.00 per year
- Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Application Question(s):
- Describe a Certificate of Need application or regulatory project you have led or played a significant role in. What was the scope, what was your specific role, and what was the outcome?
- Tell us about a time you managed a complex, deadline-driven project with multiple workstreams. How did you keep it on track, and how did you handle a risk or issue that came up during delivery?
- What healthcare data sources and analytical tools have you worked with directly? Please be specific (e.g., Optum, AHA data, CMS datasets, state health planning databases, Tableau, SQL, etc.).
- Do you have at least 8 years of experience working inside hospital systems, health system strategy/planning, or healthcare consulting serving hospital clients?
- Do you have direct experience with Certificate of Need (CON) applications or healthcare regulatory filings?
Work Location: Remote
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