Program Manager, Quality Improvement

Position Title: Program Manager, Quality Improvement
Location: Remote work based in Michigan with occasional travel within the state
Schedule: Monday - Friday

Salary Range: $64,260- $78,540
Class: Exempt

Position Summary:

The Program Manager for Quality Improvement is responsible for the implementation, oversight, and continuous improvement of program quality assessment and validation processes and procedures. This role supervises and supports staff to ensure timely, reliable, and high-quality evaluations aligned with established protocols and performance standards. The position partners across teams to ensure consistency, accuracy, and continuous quality improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leads implementation and continuous improvement of the Great Start to Quality assessment and validation processes and procedures, ensuring alignment with program standards and expectations.
• Ensures fidelity to the Great Start to Quality model, including adherence to required tools, processes, and documentation supporting program quality recognition.
• Maintain knowledge and understanding of Great Start to Quality, including, but not limited to: Great Start to Quality Resource Centers, Great Start to Quality program standards, the Self-Assessment Survey process, Great Start to Quality validation, required documentation, and all applicable versions of program quality assessment tools.

Duties and Responsibilities:

This list is intended to represent job-related duties and should not be viewed as exhaustive.

• Supervise, support, and coach staff to ensure processes are conducted in accordance with established protocols, timelines, and quality standards.
• Ensure staff maintain appropriate inter-rater reliability and consistency in program quality observation and assessment practices.
• Provide all forms of technical assistance and training, as defined by NAEYC to staff, vendors, e.g., Approved Assessors, and partners to promote the development of shared knowledge and understanding, consistency, accuracy, and continuous improvement and learning.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of organizational standards, program quality assessment tools, processes, procedures, and required documentation.
• Conduct on-site observation of Quality Improvement Consultants and provide ongoing feedback to support performance management and quality improvement.
• Review and approve reports, documentation, and administrative items including timecards, expenses, and requests.
• Analyze data to monitor performance, ensure targets are met, and inform decision-making and continuous quality improvement efforts within ECIC and for the benefit of external partners.
• Collaborate with internal teams and leaders within ECIC to support the timely conduct of program quality assessments   and system alignment.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of guidance materials, communication tools, and systems to improve workflow and implementation.
• Prepare and maintain accurate documentation and reports in accordance with organizational requirements.
• Communicate updates, challenges, and recommendations to leadership, supporting a continuous quality improvement approach.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field with 5+ years of work experience. Master’s degree and 1 year of supervisory experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, supervise, and coach teams effectively.
• Strong knowledge of evidence-based early care and education program quality improvement practices, in a mixed delivery system.
• Experience managing programs and using data to inform performance and decision-making.
• Excellent written and oral communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive approach.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Adobe, and web-based systems.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel, including occasional overnight travel.

Physical Requirements:

• Talking - Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word to impart oral information to others accurately. (4-5 hours daily)
• Hearing - Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound. (4-5 hours daily)
• Walking - Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another. (1-2 hours daily)
• Standing – In one position, particularly for sustained periods of time. (1-2 hours daily)
• Visual Acuity – Viewing objects with close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading. (5-6 hours daily)
• Office Setting - Sedentary work in which exerting up to 10 pounds of force is occasional and a negligible amount of force is frequently or constantly used to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.

Work Location

Remote work based in Michigan with occasional travel within the state or to other geographical areas for projects, ECIC meetings and to meet the needs of the organization.