A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

The Improvement Specialist Lead / Senior will have the primary responsibility of coordinating key improvement activities and projects within University of Michigan Health Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital and assuring alignment with the overall Children's and Women's (CW) clinical priorities.  The individual in this position will play a key role in enhancing and building the quality and safety infrastructure within VVWH, including processes, communications, measurement, analysis, and monitoring, helping to facilitate and lead both broad center-wide performance improvement efforts and local unit-based efforts.

A significant component of this role will be to enhance care delivered to our patients, encourage more effective decision making, and drive improved outcomes. The Improvement Specialist Senior will also facilitate, coach and train individuals in applying continuous improvement philosophies, practices and tools to their daily work.

The Improvement Specialist Lead / Senior will work directly with VVWH Leadership, MPLAN Medical Directors, Clinical Nurse Directors, Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), segment leadership, and others involved in clinical improvement and achievement of organizational clinical priorities.   

This role will hold responsibility for maintaining Maternal Level of Care status as granted by The Joint Commission through required reporting and performance improvement metrics. This includes participation oversight, abstraction, and submission of reliable data to the Michigan Alliance for Innovations in Maternity Care (MI-AIM).  This position also manages and supports process improvement projects for the VVWH Birth Center and FDTC to align with CW segment clinical priorities. 

The Improvement Specialist Lead / Senior will be part of the C&W Improvement Team and report through the C&W Quality and Safety structure. Professional Development and performance will be co-managed between the C&W Quality and Safety team and Michigan Medicine Continuous Improvement.

This position is a 3-year term limited position with anticipated extension. This is a hybrid position with the ability to work from home as the schedule allows.

The Improvement Specialist Lead / Senior will be expected to achieve measurable results by applying Continuous Improvement, Change, and Project Management principles, systems, and tools:

• Leading and Facilitating Problem Solving: We empower teams to identify problems, understand root causes, develop countermeasures, and design systems to sustain improvements.
• Value Stream Optimization: Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, we analyze healthcare processes to enhance patient care and operational efficiency.
• Data Analytics and Performance Measurement: Utilizing data insights, we inform decision-making, measure performance indicators, and drive quality enhancements.
• Change Management: We guide teams through change, ensuring smooth transitions and sustainable adoption of new practices.

Michigan Medicine improves the health of patients, populations and communities through excellence in education, patient care, community service, research and technology development, and through leadership activities in Michigan, nationally and internationally.  Our mission is guided by our Strategic Principles and has three critical components; patient care, education and research that together enhance our contribution to society.

Michigan Medicine is one of the largest health care complexes in the world and has been the site of many groundbreaking medical and technological advancements since the opening of the U-M Medical School in 1850. Michigan Medicine is comprised of over 30,000 employees and our vision is to attract, inspire, and develop outstanding people in medicine, sciences, and healthcare to become one of the world’s most distinguished academic health systems.  In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. Work at Michigan Medicine and become a victor for the greater good.

What Benefits can you Look Forward to?

• Excellent medical, dental and vision coverage effective on your very first day
• 2:1 Match on retirement savings

Manage improvement efforts through the application of Continuous Improvement, Change and Project Management principles, concepts, systems and tools (80%

• Manages multiple projects, achieves deliverables on time and with high quality. Assesses new requests, defines prioritization and resource needs. Scopes and manages large work efforts and assists others in meeting goals, while also successfully completing own deliverables
• Thrives in ambiguity. Recognizes and manages emotions in ambiguous situations. Tolerates highly complex situations. Uses processes, structure, and tools to find clarity and direction. Leads a team to a clear goal in ambiguous situations.
• Removes barriers and mitigates risk, while managing stakeholder expectations. 
• Independently applies, problem solving tools/techniques Examples: A3 problem solving thinking, scoping, current condition, data analysis, root cause analysis, prioritizing experiments, and control Plans.
• Is knowledgeable of continuous improvement/lean industry and demonstrates ability to share issues, trends, and future innovation. Transfers this knowledge to clients and colleagues. 
• Analyzes data and understands information. Applies advanced tools and techniques independently, appropriate to scope of problem and client request.
• Assesses clients' business objectives, goals and learning needs. Listens deeply, suspending assumptions and biases.
• Motivates and mobilizes others to action. Guides the design of creative solutions. Identifies strengths and gaps between leadership and the working group. 
• Successfully facilitates others toward resolution and within stressful environments.  Helps group find clarity in ambiguous and complex situations. Applies common concepts for change management and team development. Helps group find clarity in ambiguous and complex situations. Drives conversations, asks difficult questions, speaks up when necessary.  Conducts crucial conversations. Discerns when to take the lead and when to let the group conversation proceed.  Is comfortable with silence.
• Communicates independently, with diverse audiences and easily adapts approach. Develops and presents written and verbal communication with individuals and groups at all levels of the organization.  Chooses approach, language, and style appropriately. Tailors verbal and written communication to any audience
• Presents independently.  Adjusts levels of informing and engaging appropriate to situation. Organizes information effectively. Communicates clearly in a variety of formal presentation settings. Modulates tone, volume, pace and nonverbals. Changes tactics mid-stream if something isn?t working.
• Independently facilitates groups to make decisions and complete deliverables. Creates sound facilitation plans that provide structures and processes for groups to make decisions and complete deliverables. Builds trusting relationships, creates psychological safety and encourages open dialogue. Invites participation from all participants and opposing perspectives. Is flexible in presentation style, analyzes and adapts approach as needed.
• Navigates organizational relationships and structures. Understands and uses of formal and informal organizational structures (hierarchies, committees, leadership, matrix relationships, influential individuals, etc.). Anticipates how new situations will affect individuals and groups. Is attuned to cross-cultural sensitivities.  Manages relationships effectively and proactively.

Develop Individual's and Organization's Continuous Improvement Capabilities (15%)

• Independently coaches small and large teams. Develops the thinking of others through questions, activities, tools, and processes. 
• Teaches others to apply common data analysis tools and techniques, appropriate to scope of problem and client requests.
• Independently develops and teaches new or more complex materials
• Mentors at various levels independently. Serves as orientation buddy; provides opportunities for others to shadow; coaches an academic team (e.g., IOE 481); mentors staff.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)

Lead Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Nursing, Health Administration, Quality Improvement, other health care field or equivalent combination of education and experience.  Master's preferred.
• At least 9 years of continuous improvement experience (a few examples include Lean, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, Quality Improvement, Kaizen, PDCA, Rapid Cycle Improvement, Total Quality Management).
• Excellent communication skills demonstrated in oral, written and presentation/teaching formats.
• Excellent interpersonal skills (includes coaching and feedback), as demonstrated by the ability to work effectively with individuals and/or teams, across disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge and determine/provide appropriate learning experiences for customers.
• Demonstrated change management and conflict resolution skills.
• Demonstrated time management, organizational and project management skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Demonstrated ability to work with minimal direction, as appropriate.

Senior Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Nursing, Health Administration, Quality Improvement, other health care field or equivalent combination of education and experience.  Master's preferred. 
• At least 4 years of continuous improvement experience (a few examples include Lean, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, Quality Improvement, Kaizen, PDCA, Rapid Cycle Improvement, Total Quality Management).
• Excellent communication skills demonstrated in oral, written and presentation/teaching formats.
• Excellent interpersonal skills (includes coaching and feedback), as demonstrated by the ability to work effectively with individuals and/or teams, across disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge and determine/provide appropriate learning experiences for customers.
• Demonstrated change management and conflict resolution skills.
• Demonstrated time management, organizational and project management skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Demonstrated ability to work with minimal direction, as appropriate.

• 10+ years of experience in applying continuous improvement methodologies such as PDCA, lean, six sigma, total quality management and/or rapid cycle improvement in the work setting is preferred. 
• Certificate in Continuous Performance Improvement, such as lean, lean six sigma or other professional certification, is preferred. 
• Experience with programs like GE simulation, Simulate, Excel, Access, Tableau, Sequel, and other analytical tools to complete data analyses and mathematical modeling, is preferred. 

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

This is a hybrid position with the ability to work from home as the schedule allows.

This position may be underfilled at a lower classification depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.

This position is a 3-year term limited position with anticipated extension. At the end of the stated term, your appointment will terminate and will not be eligible for Reduction-in-Force (RIF) benefits.  This term-limited appointment does not create a contract or guarantee of employment for any period of time as you will remain subject to disciplinary or other performance measures, up to and including termination, at the will of the University in accordance with existing University policy and standards for employee performance and conduct.

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.