Qa & Cqi Support Specialist Management Analyst (Ma5) - Olympia

Job Title:QA &CQI Support Specialist Management Analyst (MA5)
Location: Olympia, WA - This is a full-time position/remote with occasional travel for in- person meetings
Closes: Thursday, January 25th, 2024
Salary: $6,046 - $8,133 Monthly
Do you thrive on finding the BEST way of doing things? Are you interested in joining a highly intelligent, innovative team, that has an incredible impact on the children, youth, and families of our State? The Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability within DCYF has a unique opportunity for a Quality Assurance (QA) & Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Support Specialist (MA5) to join our Performance Improvement Team. This team supports key performance improvement initiatives, including enterprise Quality Assurance/Continuous Quality Improvement (QA/CQI) and Performance Based Contracting (PBC). The focus of this team is to disrupt the status quo and enact critical system reforms that will shape the future of the agency.
Click here to learn more about DCYF.
The Opportunity:
As a valued team member and change agent, the QA/CQI Support Specialist has responsibility for supporting the development, implementation, and ongoing management of the agency's first-ever enterprise QA/CQI performance improvement framework, standards, and Community of Practice. The framework and standards will guide DCYF's alignment of and support for performance improvement activities across the various business lines providing direct services, including Adolescent Programs, Child Welfare, Early Learning, Eligibility & Provider Supports, Family Support, Juvenile Justice, and Licensing. The Community of Practice will serve as a place for QA/CQI practitioners across the state to come together to share, learn, and improve their practices. As a subject matter expert, the QA/CQI Support Specialist provides expert-level analyses and consultation to multi-disciplinary DCYF teams to assess QA/CQI policies and practices, set performance and process improvement goals, monitor progress, and deliver tailored training and technical assistance. This position reports directly to the Performance Improvement Administrator and works remotely with the exception of occasional meetings and/or training. The position's official location, and equipment pickup location is Olympia, WA.
Some of what you will get to do:

• Support the implementation of an agency-wide QA/CQI Performance Improvement Framework and standards to improve outcomes and eliminate disparities.
• Conduct expert level analyses of current QA/CQI policies and practices in the various business lines and identify opportunities to strengthen policies and practice and promote agency-wide alignment.
• Serve as an internal consultant to the various business lines providing direct services, including Adolescent Programs, Child Welfare, Early Learning, Eligibility & Provider Supports, Family Support, Juvenile Justice, and Licensing, with a focus on implementing practices that advance racial equity.
• Support the development and delivery of a comprehensive suite of implementation tools and resources, including training and technical assistance for QA/CQI practitioners, to ensure they successfully utilize the agency's QA/CQI Performance Improvement Framework and standards and build essential competencies.
• Develop the annual QA/CQI Community of Practice work plan and provide facilitation support, including scheduling meetings, establishing agendas, member communication and lists, taking and distributing meeting notes, etc.
• Support the establishment of a comprehensive performance management system to collect, analyze, and report QA/CQI performance data to agency leadership and QA/CQI practitioners in the agency's various business lines.
• Support related change management and project management efforts.
• Develop DCYF leadership and legislative proposals and reports.
• Actively participate in Performance Improvement team meetings, ongoing project planning, and annual process improvement activities to support continuous quality improvement.
• Maintain QA/CQI intranet page and support ongoing communication with internal and external stakeholders.

Required Education and Experience:
Bachelor's Degree in public, education, health, business, or nonprofit administration or policy, social sciences, organizational development, or a related field.
AND
Five years of closely related experience with quality assurance and continuous quality improvement in a social services setting and/or public sector.
*Degree must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or foreign equivalent verified by a NACES-approved organization at naces.org.
*Foreign Equivalency certification must be attached to the application for degrees obtained outside the U.S. Incomplete applications may be screened out of the recruitment process.
Required Competencies:

• Demonstrated strong working knowledge and proven ability to apply various performance improvement principles and practices, ideally within the social services industry, such as:
  • Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle
  • Logic models/theories of change
  • Qualitative and quantitative analysis tools (5 Why's, Cause & Effect, Root Cause, etc.)
  • Performance feedback loops
  • Outcome-based or other program evaluation models
  • Performance measurement and management cycles
  • Implementation science
  • Lean and value stream mapping
  • Systems-thinking
  • Change management and stakeholder engagement
  • Performance-based or results-based contracting
• Demonstrated ability to work independently to establish priorities and organize work to enable completion of assigned task through exercising good judgment, problem solving ability, and multi-tasking to complete all assignments in a timely and accurate manner
• Experience facilitating professional, cross-disciplinary teams
• Experience providing individual/group training and technical assistance
• Demonstrated ability to accomplish complex tasks and adapt to changing conditions
• Demonstrated active listening skills
• Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Demonstrated commitment to eliminating racial disproportionalities and advancing racial equity
• Demonstrated ability to make reasonable judgments in complex and changing organizational environment
• Demonstrated ability to create presentations, complex charts and graphs, and electronic forms
• Demonstrated ability to write and prepare clear and effective reports and other documents
• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain tracking and monitoring systems

Desired Qualifications:

• A Master's degree in public, education, health, business, or nonprofit administration or policy, social sciences, organizational development, or a related field from an accredited institution whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or a foreign equivalent, AND three years of closely-related experience.
• Quality management, process improvement, or Lean certification.

How do I apply?
Complete your applicant profile and attach the following documents:

• Letter of interest describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position
• Current resume detailing experience and education

Supplemental Information:
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) was created to be a comprehensive agency exclusively dedicated to the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children, youth, and families regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other socioeconomic factors. We believe our workforce should reflect the communities we serve and are actively searching for candidates that reflect that diversity.
This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.
This position is included in the supervisory bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). For more information: https://wfse.org/
If you need an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact Veronica Jones (Talent Acquisition Specialist) at: veronica.jones@dcyf.wa.gov. If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.
2023-15904
Employment Type: Full Time - Permanent