Manager Health Equity Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Payroll Title:
ORGANIZATIONAL CNSLT 4 Department:
OFFICE OF DIVERSITY Hiring Pay Scale
$111,300.00 - $161,200.00 / Year Worksite:
Lightwave Avenue Appointment Type:
Career Appointment Percent:
100% Union:
Uncovered Total Openings:
1 Work Schedule:
Days, 8-Hour Shifts, Monday-Friday
#140783 Program Manager, Health Equity
Filing Deadline: Thu 8/27/2026
Apply Now
UC San Diego values and welcomes people from all backgrounds. If you are interested in being part of our team, possess the needed licensure and certifications, and feel that you have most of the qualifications and/or transferable skills for a job opening, we strongly encourage you to apply.
UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment : Apply by 08/17/2026 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.
Reassignment Applicants : Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.
This position will work a hybrid schedule which includes a combination of working both onsite at Lightwave Ave, San Diego and remote.
DESCRIPTION
This position is part of the UC San Diego Health Department of Health Equity and reports to the Senior Director of Health Equity. The role also works directly with Crystal Cené, MD, MPH, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Associate Chief Medical Officer (ACMO), Health Equity, who is also a Professor of Medicine in the UC San Diego Department of Medicine and an active health services and health equity researcher.
The Project Manager independently leads and directs multiple health equity projects and programs of medium to large complexity. Core responsibilities include coordinating and facilitating the Health Equity Council and its embedded workgroups, translating Health Equity strategy into actionable workplans, and synthesizing data into reports, including materials used for accreditation submissions such as the Joint Commission's Excellent Health Outcomes for All Certification. The role also supports research administration, which makes up approximately 10-15% of overall effort, including funding applications, budgets, and manuscript and presentation preparation.
This is a high-level, hands-on project management position in a demanding, matrixed academic medical center environment. It requires strong leadership and change management skills, sound process improvement judgment, fluency with technology and AI tools to drive efficiency, and a solid working knowledge of health care delivery and health equity practice.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Program & Project Leadership

• Apply broad project management expertise and health care industry knowledge to lead large scale, system wide programs advancing health equity goals.
• Develop and maintain project and program schedules and critical paths, tracking all interfaces among component projects and external dependencies.
• Monitor progress across multiple concurrent projects.
• Build the project management skills and capacity of other Health Equity team members.

Health Equity Council & Strategic Coordination

• Coordinate and facilitate the Health Equity Council and its embedded workgroups.
• Translate Health Equity strategy into actionable workplans and track progress against system wide priorities.
• Facilitate multi organizational collaboration on requests, prioritization, and forecasting among senior executives.
• Serve as liaison between senior leadership, initiative champions, and partner departments.

Quality & Process Improvement

• Identify clinical improvement opportunities; apply change management and process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) to design and implement improvement activities and countermeasures.
• Analyze data and define improvement metrics to track and report outcomes.
• Evaluate and apply technology and AI tools, such as workflow automation, data analysis platforms, and AI assisted reporting, to streamline processes and improve team efficiency.

Data, Reporting & Accreditation

• Synthesize data and prepare reports for senior leadership, funders, and accreditation bodies.Research Support.
• Prepare research funding applications; create and manage budgets.
• Complete and submit IRB applications related to human subjects and HIPAA.
• Write progress reports and support preparation of manuscripts and reports for funding agencies, professional meetings, and journals.

Leadership & Relationship Management

• Provide hands on leadership and process subject matter expertise to project and program teams and senior management.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships across departments.
• Travel to sites and work in client designated areas as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in a related field MBA, MPH, or MHA preferred or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in a health care related field, including overseeing large-scale projects related to health services delivery and/or research.
• Demonstrated skill in change management and process improvement methodologies in a complex environment.
• Proficiency with technology and AI tools, and the ability to apply them to streamline workflows and improve process efficiency.
• Applied knowledge of project management frameworks, such as PMI's Body of Knowledge or System Development Lifecycle.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects end to end, from development of funding applications through implementation, evaluation, and dissemination.
• Knowledge of health equity principles and strategies, with skill in aligning health equity strategy within broader organizational priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead in a collaborative environment, build consensus, and promote the exchange of information among project teams, staff, and external units.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills; sound, evidence-based judgment as a strategic and analytical thinker.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Clinical background (e.g., nursing, social work, or related discipline) combined with experience in clinical quality improvement and health care operations.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification and expertise using the DMAIC process for data driven improvement.
• Prosci or other formal change management certification.
• Health services research and grant management experience.
• Experience with health system data or analytics tools used for equity reporting (e.g., Tableau, EHR-based dashboards).
• CAPM, PMP, or PgMP Project Management Institute certification, or other formal project management training.
• Experience with grant-writing, writing and publishing peer-reviewed publications or reports

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Must be able to work varied hours, days, shifts, on call, and locations based on the 24-hour Medical Center's business needs.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
• Must have access to reliable transportation and a valid CA driver's license to travel to multiple work sites, including meetings and events on and off campus within Southern California.

Pay Transparency Act
Annual Full Pay Range: $111,300 - $211,100 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)
Hourly Equivalent: $53.30 - $101.10
Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).
Apply Now
If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements. If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands-on practice and in-person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable.
UC San Diego Health is the only academic health system in the San Diego region, providing leading-edge care in patient care, biomedical research, education, and community service. Our facilities include two university hospitals, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, the only Burn Center in the county, and dozens of outpatient clinics. We invite you to join our team!
Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached.
To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community .
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.
For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination
UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.
UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.
a. "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace