Consulting Manager - Provider Affiliation and Optimization

JOB SUMMARY

Lead multiple consulting engagements for SullivanCotter, overseeing all aspects of project delivery while cultivating strong client relationships and ensuring highly responsive, high-quality service. This role provides the opportunity to specialize in SullivanCotter’s Provider Affiliation and Optimization (PAO) practice, which focuses on strengthening physician and advanced practice provider (APP) performance, developing and optimizing affiliation models, enhancing provider engagement, and driving both operational and financial efficiencies across health systems.

The PAO practice integrates three core areas of expertise:

• Affiliation Services – Supporting organizations in assessing, designing, and implementing effective provider affiliation strategies and arrangements.
• Optimization Services – Assessing and improving the financial and operational performance of medical groups and specialty service lines to maximize efficiency and value.
• Value-Based Care Services – Aligning value-based performance incentives with organizational objectives to strengthen reimbursement and advance strategic goals.

Through a structured, data-driven approach, consultants in this specialty help clients unlock the full potential of their provider networks, improve system-wide performance, and achieve sustainable long-term results.

PRIMARY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Contribute to and lead client engagements: Assist with multiple consulting projects, including those within the Provider Affiliation and Optimization practice, ensuring exceptional quality and client satisfaction.
• Develop deep industry expertise: Build comprehensive knowledge of the health care industry, including provider affiliation models (e.g., professional services agreements, co-management, clinical integration, full employment), provider compensation methodologies, medical group performance improvement strategies, and value-based incentive alignment.
• Lead and manage consulting projects: Direct small engagements and oversee large and/or complex projects—often spanning multiple practice areas—within established budgets. Monitor progress, proactively address potential issues, and keep the client relationship manager informed while ensuring accountability for deadlines and deliverables.
• Oversee development of client deliverables: Guide the creation of tailored deliverables to meet client needs, such as:

• Pre-affiliation due diligence and workforce planning
• Affiliation model assessments and transaction structuring
• Compensation plan design, including value-based incentive alignment
• Performance management strategy development and implementation for provider enterprises

• Drive business development: Expand existing client services, introduce complementary SullivanCotter offerings, and identify new opportunities for client revenue growth. Draft proposals, master service agreements, and statements of work to support business expansion.
• Build and sustain client relationships: Serve as a collaborative thought partner by maintaining effective communication with client contacts through in-person meetings, video conferences, and other channels. Anticipate client needs, address questions proactively, and contribute meaningfully during client meetings.
• Mentor and manage teams: Lead junior team members across engagements to ensure effective resource allocation, prioritization, and execution of key initiatives. Provide coaching and development opportunities by sharing firm methodologies, tools, and best practices.
• Contribute to firm growth and innovation: Manage and participate in non-billable initiatives that improve operational efficiency, enhance client delivery, and strengthen the practice. Collaborate across practice areas to develop new resources and tools.
• Foster collaboration: Lead and actively participate in workflow and client delivery team meetings, promoting a culture of teamwork and knowledge sharing.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field, ideally with an emphasis in finance, economics, statistics, mathematics, accounting or health care administration
• 10–15 years of experience in compensation analytics, including data evaluation, financial modeling, and presentation development, with a proven background in compensation consulting, provider affiliation, medical group operations, and/or value-based care.
• Solid technical knowledge and experience working with Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Passion for serving organizations to solve complex workforce performance challenges
• Role model problem-solving and critical thinking skills, including the ability to:

• Recognize patterns in complex sets of data and develop practical models
• Analyze and interpret data using basic and advanced modeling techniques
• Develop conclusions from complex analyses, develop innovative solutions to complex issues and adapt solutions to changing circumstances, as warranted
• Anticipate challenges, identify alternate solutions, and address obstacles impeding project/team progress

• Excellent interpersonal, coaching, writing, verbal and presentation skills are required, including the ability to:

• Foster an open and effective channel of communication with clients and across teams and provide constructive feedback that helps associates develop skills, experience, and growth opportunities
• Manage client delivery project teams
• Train and develop junior colleagues
• Effectively present facts, analysis, and conclusions/solutions in a way that demonstrates command of content, factoring in perspectives and interests of the audience
• Write concise project communications, documents, and presentations with appropriate level of technical detail and complexity

• Excellent project management, organizational skills, and ability to manage and execute tasks in a high-pressure, fast-paced, and priority-changing environment
• Exhibit high levels of enthusiasm and passion for serving the clients and appreciate the mission-based work of our clients
• Proactively cultivate a diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce
• Exude strong professional leadership presence and demeanor with the highest level of integrity, fairness and inclusivity
• Self-starter who holds oneself, and others, accountable for the successful delivery of client deliverables
• Willingly contributes to project success regardless of type of task (i.e., “roll up the sleeves approach” to teamwork)
• Demonstrate selfless collaboration and a teamwork mentality
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity, a passion for continuous learning, and a desire for diversity in thought, experience and ideas
• Committed to delivering work on time with the highest level of quality
• Self-reflective and an active participant in your own development, as well as in the effective development of others
• Communicate openly and directly with team members
• Exceptional client service orientation

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a business-related field

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Remote or hybrid work settings. Must be physically able to perform the essential functions of the job.

SCH Services, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law or marital status.