Children's Mercy KC

Program Manager, Innovation

Requisition ID
2025-35359
Requisition Post Information* : Posted Date
11 hours ago(10/3/2025 9:09 AM)
Posting Category
Professionals
Division
INNOVATION CENTER
Work Type
Full Time
Work Days
M-F
Work Hours
8:30-4:30
FLSA Status
Exempt
Location : Name
Adele Hall
Recruiter : Full Name: First Last
Terry Worthington-Brown
Recruiter : Email
tlworthingtonbro@cmh.edu

Thanks for your interest in Children's Mercy!

Do you envision finding a meaningful role with an inclusive and compassionate team? At Children’s Mercy, we believe in making a difference in the lives of all children and shining a light of hope to the patients and families we serve. Our employees make the difference, which is why we have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top pediatric hospital, for eleven consecutive years.

 

Children’s Mercy is in the heart of Kansas City – a metro abounding in cultural experiences, vibrant communities and thriving businesses. This is where our patients and families live, work and play. This is a community that has embraced our hospital and we strive to say thanks by giving back. As a leader in children’s health, we engage in meaningful programs and partnerships throughout the region so that we can improve the lives of children beyond the walls of our hospital.

Overview

The Innovation Solutions Program Manager proactively leads and collaborates with innovators and key stakeholders throughout the organization and externally to lead successful development and rapid execution of innovation initiatives. This role defines and advances innovation initiatives through management of initiatives through the innovation life cycle using Human Centered Design methodologies to design, develop, evaluate and launch the hospital's growing list of innovations and leads major development efforts of our externally used smartphone app portfolio.

 

The ideal candidate will have medical device development; software as a medical device (SAMD); or quality management experience. 

 

At Children’s Mercy, we are committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcomed within our walls. A successful candidate for this position will join us as we strive to create a workplace that reflects the community we serve, as well as our core values of kindness, curiosity, inclusion, team and integrity.

 

Additionally, it’s important to us that we remain transparent with all potential job candidates. Because we value the safety of the patients and families we serve, as well as the Children’s Mercy staff, we want to let you know that the seasonal influenza vaccine is a condition of employment for all employees in our organization. New employees must be willing to be vaccinated if found non-immune to measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and chicken pox (varicella) and/or without evidence of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination since 2005. If you are selected for this position, you will be asked to supply your immunization records as proof of vaccination. If you and have any concerns about receiving these vaccines, medical and/or religious exemptions can be further discussed with Human Resources.

Responsibilities

Manage intake process for new innovation requests, developing the concept, defining the value chain, and business case in partnership with the internal champion and stakeholders across the hospital. 

 

How work is completed:

• Leading innovation initiatives through the Discovery process, by guiding the internal champion, adhering to the established Innovation process.

­• Facilitating large or small groups to go deep on user needs and utilizing a Human Centered Design approach

­• Defining market alternatives / research needs, documenting and reporting results

­• Defining and managing all aspects of a pilot phase

­• Determining viability of the innovation, long-term investment and budget considerations

­• Following a successful pilot, determine the value of the innovation to the hospital and/or marketplace to clearly articulate the need and return on investment to senior leadership to operationalize and scale

 

When an innovation results in a new smartphone application, manage the full app development cycle.

 

How work is completed:

• Utilizing the Human Centered Desing approach, gather full requirements and communicate effectively with app developer

• Determine internal stakeholders and develop lines of collaboration and integration

• Lead collaboration discussions to articulate feasible clinical and research requirements and stages for development and communicate these requirements with the development vender.

• Prioritize development by defining the requirements in response to the clinical and research goals while in alignment with the determined budget and timeline. 

• Work with app development vendor to define scope of work and manage projects to approved budget, timeline and agreed upon end product

  Manage development schedule and resource allocation to ensure requirements are delivered on time and on budget.

• Manage development vender by identifying the best vender fit, executing the SOW, and ensuring the right talent is assigned to meet deliverables.

 

Maintain the integrity of the innovation portfolio by partnering with and inspiring innovative ideas come from the following areas of focus:

    ◦ ­ 40% of work focused on Innovations from CM Employees

    ◦ ­ 30% of work focused on Key Focus areas identified and prioritized by the hospital

    ◦ ­ 15% of work focused on Innovation from CM Researchers

    ◦ ­ 15% of work focused on New Innovation Models (incubator, start-up, spin-off, accelerate, etc.)

 

How work is completed:

 • Promote innovation practices to employees at all of Children’s Mercy’s locations through department presentations, inclusion in Innovation events, Scope articles, etc.

 • Proactively approach leaders to discover their teams innovation or research opportunities to engage with them and help optimize their work using innovation principles

 • Post challenges to all or specific departments to come up with innovative solutions to identified problems

 • Go deep on our key focus areas to create new ideas and/or build new business models in support of these areas

 • Test new innovation models and build our innovation eco-system to support these models in conjunction with the Direction, Innovation Development

 

Manage ongoing maintenance, business model and marketing aspects for the external app portfolio.

 

How work is completed:

• Maintain all documentation for apps, be the subject matter expert

• Develop ongoing testing plan to ensure apps are working as intended, providing remedies when needed, defining enhancements to the app as needed and determining budget to implement changes with the app vendor

• Manage day-to-day functionality of apps as needed through content management systems or vendor partners as changes occur within the hospital (i.e., updated maps for wayfinding)

• Determine key performance indicators for each app, develop a reporting structure to determine app is performing as expected on a regular basis

• Develop and implement optimization plans based on key performance indicators, analytics, audience needs, market research, user insights/reviews, operating system upgrades and emerging trends in mobile

• Utilize google analytics to inform hospital stakeholders on insights gathered and determine new approaches / messaging, etc. based on this information

• Develop and maintain branding standards for all apps, and create marketing materials to promote the app internally and online in partnership with Digital Marketing

• Lead the development of strategic marketing plans to support apps, partnering with the broader Communications & Marketing team. Implement all tactics within the plan (i.e. push messaging strategy and implementation).

• Educate internal stakeholders on mobile apps, value, best practices and ongoing evolution

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree and 7 or more years' experience.
  • Preferred candidates will have 7 years of experience in product development and digital solutions, with an emphasis on new app development, or related experience

Benefits at Children's Mercy

The benefits plans at Children’s Mercy are one of many reasons we are recognized as one of the best places to work in Kansas City. Our plans are designed to meet the changing needs of our employees and their families.

Learn more about Children’s Mercy benefits.

Starting Pay

Our pay ranges are market competitive. The pay range for this job begins at $50.52/hr, but your salaried offer will be determined based upon your education and experience.

 

 

Remote Work/Work from Home

This position is entirely remote or work from home. The person hired must live in the Kansas City metro area or request advanced approval to work outside of the area and may attend onsite meetings, as scheduled.

#LI-Hybrid

EEO Employer/Disabled/Vet

Children’s Mercy hires individuals based on their job skills, expertise and ability to maintain professional relationships with fellow employees, patients, parents and visitors. A personal interview, formal education and training, previous work experience, references and a criminal background investigation are all factors used to select the best candidates. The hospital does not discriminate against prospective or current employees based on the race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, creed, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry or veteran status. A drug screen will be performed upon hire. Children’s Mercy is smoke and tobacco free.

 

CM is committed to creating a workforce that supports the diverse backgrounds of our patients and families. We know that our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team, so we hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger and our patient care more compassionate.

 

If you share our values and our enthusiasm for service, you will find a home at CM. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, including education, ideas, culture, and beliefs.

 

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