Senior Program Director Jobs in Chelsea, MI (NOW HIRING)

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 8 Sep 2026

Careers that change lives start here. Medtronic is a global leader in healthcare technology with a Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. Our 95,000 employees work across more than 150 countries to put patients first - developing innovative medical technologies that improve the lives of 72+ million patients each year. Your unique talents will help shape the future of healthcare while building a career grounded in purpose, growth, and impact.

A Day in the LifeCardioVascular Surgery represents end-stage treatment in the care continuum for many cardiovascular diseases and provides an intimate relationship with the Cardiac Surgeon and Cardiac Operating Room through an unparalleled depth and breadth of technologies, including surgical heart valves, advanced aortic therapies, cardiac operating room solutions, extracorporeal life support and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) solutions.
At Medtronic, we bring bold ideas forward with speed and decisiveness to put patients first in everything we do. In-person exchanges are invaluable to our work. We're working a minimum of 4 days a week onsite as part of our commitment to fostering a culture of professional growth and cross-functional collaboration as we work together to engineer the extraordinary.
This position will be based in Mounds View, MN or Dexter/ Grand Rapids, MI.

The Senior Quality Program Manager is a strategic individual contributor reporting to the Vice President, Quality, CardioVascular Surgery Operating Unit. This role is responsible for leading high-impact quality improvement initiatives across the business. This role will also lead the Operating Unit's Quality Strategic process.

The Senior Quality Program Manager will lead complex, cross-functional efforts designed to improve product quality, compliance, operational performance, customer experience, and business outcomes. The role serves as a key integrator across functions including Research & Development, Quality (Operating Unit, Ops and Supplier), Manufacturing Engineering and Regulatory Affairs.

This position requires an experienced leader capable of influencing without direct authority, driving execution across matrixed organizations, managing strategic initiatives, and effectively communicating progress, risks, and outcomes to executive leadership.

Responsibilities

Quality Improvement Program Leadership

• Lead complex, cross-functional quality improvement programs across the product lifecycle, manufacturing operations, supplier network, and quality management system.
• Define project scope, objectives, success criteria, resource requirements, timelines, and risk mitigation plans.
• Apply structured problem-solving, continuous improvement, and risk management methodologies to drive sustainable results.
• Ensure projects deliver measurable improvements in quality performance, compliance, efficiency, and customer outcomes.
• Identify and remove barriers to execution through collaboration with functional leaders and key stakeholders.
• Establish mechanisms for tracking and reporting project performance, benefits realization, and organizational impact.

Cross-Functional Team Leadership

• Lead matrixed teams consisting of representatives from:
  • Research & Development
  • Operating Unit, Supplier and Operations Quality
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Regulatory Affairs
• Create strong alignment across stakeholders to ensure project objectives are understood and achieved.
• Facilitate decision-making and issue resolution across multiple functions and organizational levels.
• Influence outcomes through collaboration, credibility, and strategic leadership rather than direct authority.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.

Quality Strategy Leadership

• Lead the development, deployment, and execution of the CardioVascular Surgery Operating Unit Quality Strategic Plan.
• Partner with Quality leadership and Operating Unit leadership to translate business priorities into actionable quality objectives and improvement initiatives.
• Establish strategic roadmaps, milestones, metrics, and governance processes to ensure successful execution of quality priorities.
• Monitor progress against strategic objectives and proactively identify opportunities to enhance organizational performance.
• Drive alignment between enterprise quality initiatives and Operating Unit goals.

Executive Communication and Governance

• Prepare and deliver executive-level project updates, strategic reviews, and recommendations to Quality leadership and Operating Unit leadership.
• Develop concise executive communications that clearly articulate project status, risks, mitigation plans, and expected outcomes.
• Escalate critical risks and issues appropriately while recommending actionable solutions.

Organizational Leadership

• Champion a culture of quality excellence, compliance, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
• Drive adoption of quality best practices and standardized improvement methodologies.
• Support organizational change management efforts associated with quality transformation initiatives.

Must Have: Minimum Requirements:

To be considered for this role, please ensure the following minimum qualifications are evident in your qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Life Sciences, Business, or related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in quality, engineering, operations, program management, or related functions.
• Or minimum 5 years of relevant experience in quality, engineering, operations, program management, or related functions.
• Experience working within a regulated industry environment.

Nice to Have:

• Medical device industry experience.
• Experience within cardiovascular or related medical technology fields.
• Program Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Green Belt, or equivalent process improvement certification.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex cross-functional projects or strategic initiatives.
• Experience developing and executing organizational strategic plans.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and drive results without direct reporting authority.
• Experience presenting program updates and recommendations to senior leadership and executives.
• Strong working knowledge of:
  • Design Assurance/Design Controls
  • Operations or Supplier Quality
  • Risk Management
  • ISO 13485 or FDA QMSR
• Experience leading large-scale quality transformation or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated executive presence and communication skills.

For Baccalaureate degrees earned outside of the United States, a degree that satisfies the requirements of 8 C.F.R. 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A) is required.

Physical Job Requirements

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position.

The physical demands described within the Responsibilities section of this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. For Office Roles: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to be independently mobile. The employee is also required to interact with a computer, and communicate with peers and co-workers. Contact your manager or local HR to understand the Work Conditions and Physical requirements that may be specific to each role.

U.S. Work Authorization & Sponsorship

At Medtronic, we are committed to fostering an environment where employees can thrive and make a meaningful impact. In alignment with our enterprise-wide workforce planning approach, U.S. work authorization sponsorship (H-1B, TN, J, etc.) is offered exclusively for Principal-level roles and above, where specialized expertise aligns with long-term business needs. Roles below the Principal level require candidates to possess unrestricted U.S. work authorization at the time of hire and for the duration of employment.

Recruitment Fraud Alert

We are aware of phishing scams targeting job seekers. Please keep the following in mind:

Apply only through official Medtronic channels. All legitimate Medtronic recruiting communications come from approved Medtronic platforms and official @medtronic.com email addresses.

Medtronic will never ask for payment or sensitive personal information (such as bank account or Social Security details) during early stages of the hiring process. Any such requests are not legitimate.

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If you have any questions, concerns regarding the authenticity of a communication alleged to have been made by or on behalf of Medtronic, please contact us immediately at AskHR@medtronic.com.

Benefits & Compensation

Medtronic offers a competitive Salary and flexible Benefits Package
A commitment to our employees lives at the core of our values. We recognize their contributions. They share in the success they help to create. We offer a wide range of benefits, resources, and competitive compensation plans designed to support you at every career and life stage.

Salary ranges for U.S (excl. PR) locations (USD):$171,200.00 - $256,800.00This position is eligible for a short-term incentive called the Medtronic Incentive Plan (MIP).The base salary range is applicable across the United States, excluding Puerto Rico and specific locations in California. The offered rate complies with federal and local regulations and may vary based on factors such as experience, certification/education, market conditions, and location. Compensation and benefits information pertains solely to candidates hired within the United States (local market compensation and benefits will apply for others)

The following benefits and additional compensation are available to those regular employees who work 20+ hours per week: Health, Dental and vision insurance,Health Savings Account,Healthcare Flexible Spending Account,Life insurance, Long-term disability leave,Dependent daycare spending account,Tuition assistance/reimbursement, andSimple Steps (global well-being program).

The following benefits and additional compensation are available to all regular employees:Incentive plans, 401(k) plan plus employer contribution and match,Short-term disability,Paid time off,Paid holidays,Employee Stock Purchase Plan,Employee Assistance Program,Non-qualified Retirement Plan Supplement (subject to IRS earning minimums), andCapital Accumulation Plan (available to Vice Presidents and above, or subject to IRS earning minimums).

Regular employees are those who are not temporary, such as interns. Temporary employees are eligible for paid sick time, as required under applicable state law, and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Please note some of the above benefits may not apply to workers in Puerto Rico.

Further details are available at the link below:

Medtronic benefits and compensation plans

It is the policy of Medtronic to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, Medtronic will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

If you are applying to perform work for Medtronic, Inc. ("Medtronic") in any position which will involve performing at least two (2) hours of work on average each week within the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, you can findhere a list of all material job duties of the specific job position which Medtronic reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. Medtronic will consider for employment qualified job applicants with arrest or conviction records in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.