Position Overview

The Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking to hire a Continuous Improvement Manager to carry out strategic initiatives that support the fundamentals of continuous improvement and process improvement throughout the agency. This position works closely with Division Leaders to develop improvement opportunities aligned with their roadmap of strategic objectives; drives action to empower DHS staff to create effective improvements within their respective areas; performs a wide variety of training, coaching, mentoring, project facilitation and special consulting work to develop and support DHS Continuous Improvement Culture and the Illinois Rapid Results Initiative; serves as a spokesperson on the status of agency continuous improvement culture and process improvement projects; develops and delivers training programs, facilitating critical process improvement projects, and developing recommendations for DHS management to assist with the achievement of mission strategic goals and objectives; and provides a considerable degree of flexibility and autonomy in establishing daily activities. The ideal candidate is a highly motivated self-starter who is seeking an opportunity to work with DHS workforce to help find ways to drive more value to customers and make work more effective and efficient for DHS staff.

Job Responsibilities

1. Serves as the Continuous Improvement Manager for the Department of Human Services (DHS) to support both the Office of the Secretary and Divisions on an on-demand basis in the completion of specialized projects, assignments, and employee training on the principles of continuous improvement.
2. Leads the execution of agency-wide continuous improvement projects that support the operations of DHS.
3. Maintains positive open and cooperative working relationships with intra and inter agency management staff to implement agency improvements.
4. Carries out strategic initiatives that support the fundamentals of continuous improvement and process improvement throughout the agency.
5. Perform other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college.
2. Requires prior experience equivalent to three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or business organization.

Preferred Qualifications (in priority order)

1. Post-graduate training in the subjects of operational excellence/and or continuous improvement including, but not limited to, Toyota Production System, Six Sigma, Lean, Lean Six Sigma, ISO 9001, Malcolm Baldrige, Total Quality Management and/or other process improvement models.
2. Two (2) years of professional experience providing training on the subject of continuous improvement and/or process improvement.
3. Two (2) years of professional experience successfully leading continuous improvement and/or process improvement projects.
4. Three (3) years of professional experience developing and delivering professional presentations for large audiences.
5. Two (2) years of effective verbal and written communication experience with both internal and external stakeholders, including leaders, cross-functional partners, and peers and the ability to adjust communication styles to suit different audiences.
6. One (1) year of professional experience creating and implementing change management strategies and plans that maximize adoption, usage, and sustainability of continuous improvement and or process
7. improvement.
8. One (1) year of professional experience developing and tracking key performance indicators with the ability to use visualizations to identify trends, communicate successes and opportunities for improvement, monitor metrics for assessing continuous improvement, and process improvement effectiveness.

Conditions of Employment

1. Requires the ability to travel.

*The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.