Director Quality Improvement

Date: Aug 12, 2026
Location: Harlingen, TX

About the role

Come work in an environment where we truly value and respect those we serve and believe in the mission that all people can achieve a higher level of wellness and independence. The state supported living centers serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are medically fragile or who have behavioral problems. The centers provide campus-based direct services and supports at 13 centers located throughout the state.

Performs advanced (senior-level) managerial work administering the daily operations and activities of the department of quality improvement at the State Supported Living Center (SSLC). Establishes, implements, and oversees goals and priorities for the Quality Improvement department. Oversees a proactive, organization-wide quality systems approach by surveilling performance data and identifying where in the system the Center needs to focus improvement efforts. Oversees the SSLC’s efforts to optimize the effectiveness of processes, improving outcomes for individuals, improving stakeholder satisfaction, and overhauling systems. Proactively identifies issues and provides solutions.

Functions as a member of the Executive Team and the QA/QI Council and typically participates in the Executive Duty Officer/Administrative Duty Officer process and Mortality Review Committee. Interfaces with the state office leadership via regular conference calls and face-to-face meetings.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the SSLC’s efforts to optimize the effectiveness of processes, improving outcomes for individuals, improving stakeholder satisfaction, and overhauling systems.
• Assists department heads in creating and overseeing the work on quality improvement plan teams using a structured process for creating the team, establishing roles, analyzing the issue, related data, and its contributing factors, drafting a goal statement, developing change ideas, implementing the PDSA cycles, and monitoring and optimizing the change to confirm it is long-lasting.
• Proactively identifies issues and provides solutions.
• Participates in face-to-face meetings with each department lead at least quarterly to promote and oversee a culture of quality, including review of all data, defined action strategies that promote teamwork, transparent communication, a focus on processes, innovation and improvement, and engages front-line staff to provide insight into processes and past decisions.
• Provides and oversees provision of technical assistance, support, and training to department heads and other staff assigned to program compliance and quality improvement work in the use of QI tools, data analysis, and auditing. This includes the PDSA cycle, completing a contributory factor analysis, formulating a problem or aim statement when creating a corrective action plan, and implementing the 5 Whys technique.
• Leads others in facilitating brainstorming and prioritization sessions, identifying improvement metrics, and developing strategies to collect the data for discipline-specific improvement projects. Helps departments organize, analyze, and visually display the data.
• Directs and oversees the functions of the quality assurance/improvement department. Provides leadership and plans, assigns, and supervises the activities of the quality improvement department and client records department staff.
• Directly supervises the systems improvement specialist, program auditor(s), data analyst(s), records coordinator, Quality Assurance Nurse(s), and administrative/clerical staff. Supervises other types of staff as needed depending upon SSLC structure.
• Makes monitoring assignments to QI staff. Hires, trains, and promotes personal and professional growth of employees within the department to maintain a competent workforce. Ensures all departmental staff are compliant in training with agency and facility standards.
• Manages the professional development of QI staff, including enhancing their skills in the use of monitoring tools, applied data analysis, root cause analysis, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, and use of systems to track and display data.
• Conducts performance evaluations of assigned staff to provide timely feedback on their performance and oversees staff development plans and activities. Takes action to improve employee retention and reduce turnover.
• Oversees and manages the center’s data surveillance system, reviewing and coordinating the systems and processes to retrieve, track, validate, and trend data. Provides support to departments in data collection, monitoring, analysis, and reporting.
• Ensures the collection of information in a timely and efficient manner and ensures the use of that information to identify performance issues and make decisions. Proactively identifies potential and actual problems by reporting them to the appropriate supervisor/manager for corrective action.
• Provides feedback to department heads for process improvement.
• Establishes, implements, and oversees the goals and priorities for the Quality Improvement department, including promoting a culture of quality by fostering a blame-free, inquisitive environment that encourages collaboration, creativity, and psychological safety.
• Ensures the goals and priorities include using a proactive, organization-wide quality systems approach by surveilling performance data and identifying where in the system the Center needs to focus improvement efforts.
• Implements a model for quality improvement that includes action strategies for department heads such as including the input of front-line staff, residents and their families, guiding and empowering staff to solve problems, avoiding duplication and waste, using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model for change, using data to inform and track change, developing communication strategies, and creating a system where all staff members have the necessary equipment, skills, and knowledge to do their jobs.
• Serves as a subject matter expert to data analysts, quality assurance specialists/program auditors, and others in analyzing and visualizing data. Assists in organizing and summarizing data, interpreting it, and displaying it effectively to help others understand it, such as by using charts and graphs.
• Ensures data displayed in the SSLC Key Indicator Platform (SKIP) is complete and correct. Collaborates with state office data analysts to validate and correct datasets in the electronic records system and improve data integrity.
• Oversees the preparation for, and response to, annual survey and regulatory audits. Acts as the liaison between HHSC-Regulatory and the facility before, during, and after monitoring visits.
• During visits from HHSC-Regulatory, meets with surveyors at the entrance and exit meetings. Ensures surveyors receive all requested documentation, providing contact information for staff, residents, and families as needed. Answers surveyor questions regarding policies/procedures.
• Notifies all required parties of the entrance of HHSC-Regulatory at the SSLC in accordance with established protocols. Responds to Regulatory concerns and takes immediate action to resolve issues.
• Oversees the development and submission of a plan of correction (POC) for all deficiencies cited by HHSC-Regulatory. Ensures POCs include measurable outcomes and appropriately address the identified issues, that outcomes are monitored, and that all due dates are met. Collects and organizes evidence supporting the plan in accordance with SSLC protocol and presents it to surveyors upon their return visit.
• Attends the HHSC-Regulatory quarterly provider meetings and regional trainings.
• Reviews and evaluates the impact of proposed federal and state laws, such as new or changing rules to the Texas Administrative Code or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ICF/IID requirements, on program objectives and program operations. Advises the SSLC’s leadership on needed program changes.
• Oversees or provides training to all staff on required changes.
• Oversees the Center’s QA/QI Council, which sets priorities and establishes policies.

Requirements

• Attends work on a regular basis and may be required to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift, and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.
• Serves in an on-call rotation, as assigned.
• Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
• Travel: Up to 5%

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
• A defined benefit pension plan
• Generous time off benefits
• Numerous opportunities for career advancement

Pay

Salary Range: $6,800.00 - $10,785.83 per month

Schedule

• Full-time
• Day shift (First)
• FLSA Exempt