Performance Improvement Specialist

About the Role

Children’s Wisconsin is seeking a Process Improvement Specialist to lead quality and process improvement initiatives that enhance patient care, operational performance, and organizational effectiveness. This role will support the ongoing quality and continuous improvement needs of the Herma Heart Institute, helping to drive sustainable outcomes and operational excellence. The position will also collaborate with teams across the Forward Pediatric Alliance to advance quality improvement efforts and achieve strategic goals.

Responsibilities

• Provides global customer/business support across the system in areas such as operational analysis, performance improvement, work process design/redesign, clinical care optimization, patient safety, and other organizational improvement activities.
• Maintains a portfolio of system-level improvement projects and local operational improvement activities.
• Seeks to reduce variation in organizational processes and improve methodology, tools, and curriculum used in process improvement projects.
• Analyzes existing workflows and performs studies to determine capacities, workloads, and staffing needs.
• Participates in the development of tactical plans and goals to support innovation.
• Mentors Performance Improvement Specialists and functions as an organizational change consultant.
• Leads micro and meso system-level projects and teams, and participates in meso/macro system-level projects.
• Conducts needs analysis, identifies areas for improvement, and determines key data sources to support change proposals and monitor process effectiveness.
• Provides facilitation, data analysis, and root cause analysis to improve clinical outcomes, patient safety, and process efficiencies.
• Establishes metrics, analyzes current state workflows, and recommends enhancements.
• Prepares reports synthesizing analytical results using visualization tools.
• Maintains knowledge of organizational change methodology and provides direction on change management.
• Partners and collaborates on projects with other members of the Quality staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field.
• 2+ years of experience leading or serving as a primary resource for Quality/Process Improvement projects.
• Previous healthcare and/or clinical/cardiac experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience and leadership in quality improvement principles and/or projects.
• Training in large-scale change, coaching, and internal consulting preferred.
• Leadership experience and interpersonal skills managing and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Skills

• Knowledge of improvement methodologies such as Model for Improvement, PDSA, FMEA.
• Ability to improve work processes using statistical/analytical metrics.
• Strong communication, presentation, facilitation, and meeting management skills.
• Independent judgment and analytic ability to problem-solve, formulate reports, perform statistical analysis, and interpret data.
• Demonstrated ability to be a change agent and deliver projects on time with approved outcomes.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (e.g., pivot tables, macros).
• Lean, Six Sigma, or Advanced IHI Model for Improvement knowledge required within one year of hire/promotion.

Licenses and Certifications

• PMP-Project Management Professional (preferred)
• CPHQ-Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (preferred)

Location: Hybrid