Internal CQI​/QA Lead Specialist; CS-Olympia

Position: INTERNAL ONLY CQI/QA Lead Specialist (CS4) -Olympia
Our vision is to ensure that "Washington state's children and youth grow up safe and healthy, thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community."

Attention: INTERNAL ONLY:
This position is open to current DCYF employees only

Job Title:

INTERNAL ONLY CQI/QA Lead Specialist (CS4)

Location:

Olympia, WA - The incumbent must be able to travel to offices and regions throughout the state to attend in-person meetings, training sessions, and conferences. The incumbent may be eligible for telework with some in-person meetings as required. Some in-state and out-of-state travel is required.

Closes:
Monday, July 13th. 2026

Salary:  $71,136 - $95,676 Annually

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is seeking a Commerce Specialist 4 to serve as the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)/Quality Assurance (QA) Lead Specialist for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP). In this role, you will help advance DCYF's mission of working alongside Washington's vulnerable children, youth, and families to foster safety, stability, and better outcomes by strengthening opportunities, connections, and community.

This position is based in Olympia with hybrid work available, depending on business needs, and requires frequent statewide travel.

to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity:

As the ECEAP Lead Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)/Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist, you will serve as the highest technical specialist within ECEAP, leading the implementation of continuous quality improvement and monitoring systems, as well as tiered systems of support for ECEAP contractors. Supporting DCYF's kindergarten readiness goals, you will supervise a team of CQI Specialists and serve as the primary ECEAP representative for approximately 62 contractors and ECEAP site directors.

In this role, you will provide facilitation, technical expertise, implementation development, feasibility analysis, and technical assistance while ensuring contractors receive the support, guidance, and corrective action necessary to comply with contractual and mandated ECEAP requirements. Working under limited supervision, you will exercise independent judgment and lead this work through multiple modalities, including in-person engagement across the state.

Some of what you'll do

* Establish program priorities and objectives while leading statewide Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), Quality Assurance (QA), policy development, and strategic quality initiatives for ECEAP.

* Supervise, hire, train, evaluate, and provide ongoing leadership to the ECEAP CQI/QA team, including planning and directing the work of up to six CQI Specialists.

* Lead CQI team meetings, support staff development, and resolve complex issues involving staff, contractors, and programs.

* Develop and maintain ECEAP monitoring policies, procedures, protocols, tools, compliance matrices, and long-range monitoring strategies.

* Monitor contractor compliance with ECEAP contracts and performance standards through desktop reviews, monitoring calls, onsite visits, corrective action plans, and technical assistance.

* Build contractor capacity by providing consultation, onboarding, training, and continuous quality improvement support.

* Collaborate with internal and external partners, convene work groups, gather stakeholder feedback, and represent ECEAP at meetings, conferences, and statewide initiatives.

* Prepare reports, recommendations, presentations, and training materials for division leadership, elected officials, contractors, partner agencies, and other stakeholders.

* Advise leadership on policy, program implementation, and quality improvement initiatives while supporting statewide planning and strategic decision-making.

* Track contractor waivers and variances and support contractor communications, monitoring schedules, and statewide implementation efforts.

* Participate in onsite monitoring visits and travel statewide, as needed, to support contractor monitoring and technical assistance.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

* Bachelor's degree in education, public policy, business administration or political science; and four (4) years of professional experience at management-level in early childhood education, child development, early learning, publicly funded preschool education, comprehensive preschool programming, government contracting, audit or compliance, or closely related fields; and three (3) years of professional performance management/employee supervision experience in a government or education setting.

AND

* A minimum of one (1) year professional experience in a lead or supervisory role, supervising subordinates (direct report staff).

OR

* A combination of education and work experience totaling eight (8) years of professional experience at management-level in early childhood education, child development, early learning, publicly funded preschool education, comprehensive preschool programming, government contracting, audit or compliance, or closely…