Operations Project Manager

Description

Company Overview:

Cedarhurst Senior Living is an experienced operator of independent living, assisted living and memory care communities across the Midwest, Mid-South, and Southeast. Cedarhurst Senior Living is part of the Dover Companies, a vertically integrated healthcare organization established in 2007 to develop, construct, acquire, own, and operate high-quality senior living communities. In addition to Cedarhurst Senior Living, the Dover Companies include Dover Development, Brahms Construction, Dover Capital, Dover Health, and Medicine Express.

Cedarhurst Senior Living and the Dover Companies are mission driven — everything we do is grounded in our higher purpose of caring for seniors. Our decision making is informed by our mission “to create communities where each person feels loved, valued, supported and able to live life to the fullest.” Each business unit and each team member have a unique ability and responsibility to impact the lives of seniors, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We also embody an entrepreneurial spirit that has fueled our growth and continues to drive us forward.

Position Summary:

The Operations Project Manager, reporting directly to the President, leads Cedarhurst Senior Living’s highest-priority, cross-functional initiatives, with primary ownership of acquisitions, transitions, and new community developments. The Director is the central project leader from diligence and planning through opening, transition, stabilization, and post-project review, independently building the project plan, setting timelines and owners, identifying risk, driving decisions, and holding teams accountable to their committed deadlines.

Acquisitions and new developments will be a primary function of this role, though the Director may also lead enterprise-wide projects spanning multiple departments and senior leaders. It is a high-accountability, fast-paced leadership role for someone assertive, highly organized, independent, and decisive.

Why Work for Cedarhurst:

• At Cedarhurst, our core values guide how we work together and how we care for those we serve. We expect every team member to be passionate, trustworthy, empathetic, positive, respectful, and approachable. Being part of Cedarhurst means making a meaningful difference every day. 
• We believe our team is our greatest strength. That’s why we invest in comprehensive training, as well as opportunities for both personal and professional growth. We’re committed to promoting from within and supporting team members who want to build their careers with us. 
• Cedarhurst offers a competitive benefits package, including medical insurance, life insurance, long-term disability coverage, and a 401(k) plan with company match (after one year of service) for eligible employees. 
• Additional Benefits Include:
• Work that makes a difference in the lives of our residents and community 
• An on-site gym with brand-new equipment 
• A personal trainer offering daily group classes, stretching sessions, and one-on-one training 
• Catered lunches twice a week, prepared by our on-site chef 
• Monthly team events and more 

Essential Duties:

The following duties are normal for this position. This list is not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of this role.

Acquisitions, Transitions, and New Developments:

• Own the end-to-end project plan for acquisitions, new developments, major renovations, and community transitions, including scope, milestones, dependencies, owners, required decisions, risks, budget, and completion dates.
• Lead cross-functional project meetings so every department understands its role, deliverables, and deadlines.
• Establish readiness standards for opening, acquisition, transition, and move-in activity across operations, clinical, sales, marketing, HR, technology, finance, compliance, facilities, and resident experience.
• Work with operators and functional leaders to define what a successful launch or transition requires and what must be complete before each milestone.
• Report project status to the President and executive leadership with concise updates on progress, decisions needed, risks, and next steps.
• Hold project owners accountable to their deadlines, address missed commitments directly with the responsible leader, and escalate unresolved issues to the President. Identify gaps, risks, and barriers to execution early.
• Ensure operations, clinical, sales, marketing, and support teams are prepared to launch, transition, and stabilize each community, partnering with community and regional operators to translate plans into action at the community level.
• Lead on-site transition teams during peak transition dates alongside Operations, HR, IT, Clinical, Marketing, Sales, and Accounting/Finance to ensure continuity of care and minimal disruption to residents, families, and staff. 
• Serve as the primary point of contact for community leadership during the transition period, providing hands-on coaching and troubleshooting.
• Monitor transition metrics (occupancy, staff retention, survey/licensing status, resident satisfaction, budget-to-actual) and escalate risks early.
• Identify value engineering and prototype refinement opportunities based on field and operational feedback.
• Build repeatable, scalable processes, tools, checklists, timelines, templates, and playbooks for acquisitions, new developments, and enterprise projects.
• Standardize project readiness requirements so teams know what “ready” means and who owns each requirement.
• Lead formal post-mortems after acquisitions, openings, transitions, and major projects, assign owners and due dates to the resulting improvements, and carry them into future project plans.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Education and/or Experience:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required.

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification required.
• Five (5) or more years of progressive project management experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience in acquisitions, new developments, construction, healthcare, senior living, hospitality, or multi-site operations strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to build project plans, manage dependencies, identify risk, and drive accountability across senior leaders and competing priorities.
• Exceptional organizational, written communication, presentation, and executive reporting skills, with the ability to decide and influence without direct authority.
• Proficiency with project management tools, reporting dashboards, and Microsoft Office is required.

Working Conditions:

As part of the Company’s commitment to providing outstanding care and support, it ensures that staff work under conditions that prioritize safety, collaboration, and professional growth. The conditions listed below define the experience of working in the Home Office.

• This position may involve a range of physical activities, including those outlined in the Essential Duties, but is not limited to them. This position may need to walk or stand for extended periods. 
• This position may need to lift or carry up to fifty (50) pounds. 
• This position may need to move through areas of the home office or other worksites of the organization.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• This role involves actively participating in all staff activities aimed at fostering teamwork, unity, and morale. The individual will contribute as a collaborative team player, working alongside colleagues to create a supportive and cohesive work environment. 
• Individuals in this position are required to stay current on all training and ongoing education initiatives. They are expected to actively pursue self-improvement and embrace opportunities for continuous learning to enhance their skills and knowledge.
• When not traveling, this position is based on site at the St. Louis Cedarhurst Home Office and is not eligible for remote work.
• Ability to travel up to at least 50% of the time across multiple states is required. 
• Must be able to travel between assigned locations and operate a motor vehicle as required to perform essential job duties. A valid driver's license is required.

 We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, we will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.