Senior Quality Improvement Specialist

About the role

Northwest Human Services is a non-profit leader in providing advocacy, quality healthcare and social services in Marion and Polk counties since 1970. The Senior Quality Improvement Specialist is based at the West Salem Clinic (1233 Edgewater St. NW, Salem OR 97304). Status: Exempt, reports to the Quality Management Director. At Northwest Human Services (NWHS), quality improvement is more than a process — it's how we strengthen care, support our teams, and make a lasting difference in the lives of the people we serve. The Senior Quality Improvement Specialist is an expert-level contributor who transforms organizational priorities into measurable improvements in healthcare quality, operational efficiency, patient experience, and regulatory alignment. In this role, you will lead complex, cross-functional improvement initiatives, analyze performance data, redesign workflows, and coach teams in applying structured quality improvement (QI) methodologies. You will serve as a trusted partner to clinical and operational leaders, helping turn strategic goals into practical solutions that improve how care is delivered and experienced. Your work will directly support NWHS's commitment to patient-centered care, high reliability, safety, equity, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Drive Strategic Quality Improvement: Translate organizational strategic priorities into actionable QI initiatives, identify improvement opportunities, analyze performance gaps, and drive measurable, sustainable results.
• Optimize Clinical and Operational Workflows: Apply IHI Model for Improvement, Lean Six Sigma, PDSA cycles, root cause analysis, workflow mapping, and statistical analysis to improve efficiency, quality, and patient outcomes.
• Transform Data into Actionable Insights: Develop dashboards, scorecards, reports, and visual management tools that translate complex data into meaningful recommendations for leadership and frontline teams.
• Facilitate Cross-Functional Teams: Collaborate with clinical and operational leaders to solve complex challenges, guide improvement teams, and support implementation of effective solutions.
• Train, Coach, and Mentor Teams: Develop and deliver QI training, provide hands-on coaching, and empower employees to use improvement tools and take