Continuous Improvement Specialist Lead

Cont Improvement Spec Lead (underfill senior)

Extended Site Maintenance

We are performing updates and maintenance to our applicant experience. As a result, the site will be unavailable Saturday, October 31st at 9pm EST through Sunday, November 1st at 8:00am EST. During this outage period, applications for job postings can not be submitted.

Apply Now

Job Summary

NOTE: This position is embedded in the Department of Internal Medicine and reports to the Manager of the Department's Clinical Experience and Quality program. This position may be filled at a Lead or Senior level depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.

The Department of Internal Medicine has more than 1,000 faculty and over 300 residents and fellows within 13 specialty divisions. The Department's Clinical Experience and Quality (CEQ) program supports short-term small- and large-scale projects across the department and in collaboration with other departments and programs throughout the institution.

Our vision is to create a culture of improvement throughout the Department. We foster a high-reliability culture that promotes belonging & inclusion, improves patient access, prioritizes safety & quality, and enhances the patient and staff experience. We aim to partner and equip healthcare professionals with knowledge and tools to lead problem-solving efforts and spread best practices throughout the department, organization, and beyond.

We achieve measurable results through the application of continuous improvement, change, and project management principles, concepts, systems, and tools:

• Leading and Facilitating Problem Solving: We empower teams to identify problems, understand root causes, develop countermeasures, and design systems to sustain improvements.
• Value Stream Optimization: Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, we analyze healthcare processes to enhance patient care and operational efficiency.
• Data Analytics and Performance Measurement: Utilizing data insights, we inform decision-making, measure performance indicators, and drive quality enhancements.
• Change Management: We guide teams through change, ensuring smooth transitions and sustainable adoption of new practices.

Responsibilities*

Continuous Improvement Specialist Lead

The Continuous Improvement Specialist Lead will work in the Department of Internal Medicine's Clinical Experience and Quality team, in collaboration with other Continuous Improvement Specialists, faculty, operational leaders, and staff. The Lead serves as a subject matter expert in Continuous Improvement, Change Management, and Project Management, providing strategic direction and leadership for complex, high-impact improvement initiatives across the department.

The Lead operates independently, anticipates organizational challenges, identifies opportunities for improvement, and guides interdisciplinary teams in developing sustainable, measurable solutions. This position is responsible for advancing the department's continuous improvement capabilities, influencing organizational strategy, mentoring colleagues, and partnering with leaders to achieve operational, clinical, and organizational objectives.

Lead Complex Improvement Efforts Through the Application of Continuous Improvement, Change and Project Management Principles, Concepts, Systems and Tools (80%)

• Independently leads and manages multiple complex, high-impact improvement initiatives that align with departmental and organizational strategic priorities. Establishes project scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, resource requirements, and measures of success. Ensures projects achieve sustainable, measurable outcomes.
• Establishes priorities and manages competing demands across multiple initiatives. Evaluates new improvement opportunities, assesses organizational readiness, recommends resource allocation, and makes independent decisions regarding project direction and implementation strategies.
• Anticipates and navigates highly complex, ambiguous, and politically sensitive situations. Recognizes organizational dynamics, competing priorities, and potential barriers. Develops strategies to create clarity, build alignment, and move initiatives forward.
• Proactively identifies, evaluates, and mitigates risks and barriers that may affect project outcomes. Escalates significant concerns when appropriate and recommends solutions to address complex organizational challenges.
• Demonstrates expert-level application of continuous improvement and problem-solving tools and techniques, including A3 thinking, project scoping, current condition analysis, process mapping, data analysis, root cause analysis, prioritization of experiments, implementation planning, and control plans. Guides others in selecting and applying appropriate tools to complex problems.
• Serves as a recognized subject matter expert in Continuous Improvement and Lean methodologies. Evaluates emerging practices, research, and innovations within and outside healthcare. Incorporates relevant best practices into departmental improvement strategies and advises leaders and colleagues on opportunities for innovation.
• Leads the collection, analysis, and interpretation of complex quantitative and qualitative data to identify improvement opportunities, evaluate interventions, and measure outcomes. Establishes meaningful performance measures and monitoring processes to ensure improvements are effective and sustainable.
• Partners with faculty, operational leaders, and staff to assess strategic business objectives, operational challenges, improvement priorities, and organizational learning needs. Recommends improvement approaches that enhance patient experience, quality, safety, efficiency, productivity, and resource utilization.
• Identifies opportunities to redesign and standardize business and clinical processes. Evaluates existing workflows, emerging technologies, and information systems to recommend sustainable solutions that improve operational performance and support organizational goals.
• Leads interdisciplinary teams through the design, implementation, and evaluation of complex improvement initiatives. Builds commitment to change, addresses resistance, and mobilizes individuals and groups to achieve shared objectives.
• Expertly facilitates challenging conversations and complex group dynamics, including situations involving competing priorities, differing perspectives, and significant conflict. Guides teams toward shared understanding, informed decisions, accountability, and actionable solutions.
• Independently develops and delivers clear, compelling written and verbal communications to faculty, staff, operational leaders, and executive audiences. Translates complex information and data into meaningful insights and actionable recommendations. Adapts communication strategies to influence decisions and support organizational change.
• Leads and facilitates high-stakes meetings, workshops, and presentations involving diverse stakeholders. Designs effective facilitation approaches that encourage participation, build psychological safety, surface differing perspectives, and enable groups to make decisions and achieve deliverables. Adapts strategies in real time to meet group needs and objectives.
• Builds and maintains strategic relationships across departments, disciplines, and organizational levels. Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of formal and informal organizational structures, leadership relationships, and cultural dynamics. Leverages these relationships to build collaboration, influence change, and achieve organizational priorities.
• Advises departmental leaders on continuous improvement strategies, emerging challenges, and opportunities for system-level change. Contributes to the development of departmental improvement priorities and approaches that support long-term organizational effectiveness.

Develop Individuals' and the Organization's Continuous Improvement Capabilities (15%)

• Independently coaches faculty, operational leaders, individuals, and interdisciplinary teams in the application of continuous improvement principles, problem-solving methodologies, change management, and project management. Develops others? critical thinking, leadership, and improvement capabilities through effective questioning, feedback, and experiential learning.
• Leads the development, evaluation, and enhancement of continuous improvement educational programs, curricula, and learning resources. Designs and delivers training tailored to varying levels of experience, professional roles, and organizational needs.
• Advances the department's continuous improvement culture by identifying opportunities to integrate improvement thinking and practices into daily operations, leadership activities, and organizational decision-making.
• Serves as a lead mentor and resource for less experienced Continuous Improvement Specialists and other colleagues. Provides guidance on c