LEAP Improvement Systems Manager II (Open)

The LEAP Institute, a Division of San Mateo County Health (SMC Health), is seeking a LEAP Improvement Systems Manager II (LISM). LEAP is San Mateo County Health’s philosophy and practices for how to evolve toward our greatest potential and collective aspirations for helping our residents live longer and better lives through our organization’s work. LEAP is an acronym that stands for Learn, Engage, Aspire, Perfect: verbs that express how we continue to evolve towards excellence of all kinds.

The LEAP Institute is a small team of Health staff who support and develop how we apply and improve LEAP, through codifying practices, supporting people to understand their purpose and use, holding space for the reflection and questioning that are necessary for learning, and bringing in new ideas that may enrich LEAP.  LEAP Institute team members partner with Health division leaders who want to advance their divisional practice of LEAP to improve outcomes for our clients and community. 

This position will support application and evolution of LEAP thinking through all layers of the organization and potentially across multiple divisions of Health. The LISM-II has deep familiarity with all LEAP principles and practices, and the ability to customize improvement approaches for each specific client situation.  This position includes planning and in-person facilitation of structured events as well as ongoing learning partnerships with leaders.  It requires sophisticated facilitation skills, including: supporting people who feel a lack of psychological safety or clarity about the reason for their participation in a group, facilitating groups in ways that advance equity, and inspiring confidence in the organization’s chosen problem-solving approach (which group members may not be familiar with or find natural immediately).  In addition, this position will participate in continuous testing and improvement of the LEAP Institute’s approaches, standards, and tools.   This position will work primarily with leaders as those who are responsible for the systems of the organization.  This may require perseverance with different approaches to build relationships and engagement with leaders who are not already engaged.  

This position will model the understanding and experience that leadership skills can be developed, and will partner with leaders who are dedicated to growing in their roles.  Additionally, this position requires a never-ending pursuit of personal development, recognizing that it is not possible to accompany others in such a journey without being on the path of individual growth oneself.   Within the LEAP Institute, this position will include a mixture of mostly-independent work with some clients, and close interactions with others in the LEAP Institute who interact with shared clients, aiming to maintain a seamless experience for clients and synergize across our coaching opportunities.  This position may oversee and develop other coaches to deliver LEAP implementation services to clients.  

The ideal candidate for this position:

• Has the ability to work very collaboratively with all members of the LEAP Institute as a key contributor to bringing about an integrated, ever-improving delivery of excellent services throughout SMC Health
• Has proven experience in coaching and supporting the development of top executives
• Has experience with application of Lean technical concepts to healthcare delivery and public health
• Is interested in making process improvement methodologies and systems thinking more accessible and effective at improving experience for both staff and customers
• Has comfort with ongoing personal development, including specific learnings about personal growth areas and current tests of change
• Is dedicated to supporting the growth of others
• Has familiarity with healthcare delivery systems and County government structure

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Teach and coach in the application of the scientific method and Lean process improvement tools and methods to the complex short- and long-term challenges of Health
• Lead and facilitate improvement projects through all stages of a PDSA cycle
• Serve as primary or secondary facilitator of group processes to bring out the best thinking of the group
• Collaborate in the development and support of product offerings and infrastructure
• Facilitate strategy development and deployment with sponsors and LEAP Institute colleagues
• Establish effective working relationships and manage communications with executives, process owners, and other stakeholders
• Support development of assigned direct reports as well as between peers, to grow their technical skills as well as engage in internal personal practices to become more effective
• Sense emerging needs in the application and implementation of the LEAP Improvement System and proactively develop systems and tools to address current and projected gaps
• Develop educational interventions aimed at identifying hidden strengths and opportunities for growth in leaders, and develop programs to provide focused improvement along the continuum of excellence
• Meet performance expectations and perform duties and responsibilities specific to assigned focus, which may include LEAP Implementation, architecture, strategy, learning or organizational development, among others
• Perform other duties and responsibilities and/or projects as assigned

• Knowledge of Lean tools and concepts, such as PDSA and other structured problem solving tools, A3 thinking, Daily Kaizen, 3P – Kaizen Workshops in "greenfield" (new) areas, Problem solving A3 thinking, daily management system and leader standard work, 5S, quality, flow, and visual management systems.
• Principles and practices of effective project management including project time and scope.
• Principles and practices of effective consulting, analysis, group process facilitation, whole system design, negotiation, change management and conflict resolution.
• Principles and practices of public administration, and program management, including planning, implementation and evaluation and reporting.
• Computer systems and applications used within the Institute and the County.
• Principles and dynamics of team facilitation and change management.
• Tools and techniques of value stream mapping.
• Advanced lean technical concepts such as 3P, level loading, building processes to takt time, and quick set-up, and mistake-proofing.
• Tools, techniques, practices, principles related to Systems Architecture, Strategy and Learning or Organizational Development, depending on specific assigned LEAP focus. 

• Communicate (verbal, written and listening) and interact effectively across the organization, especially in situations requiring instructing, persuading, negotiating, resolving conflict, consulting and advising.
• Speak comfortably in front of the public and to various audiences.
• Teach improvement concepts and principles to diverse audiences from senior management to frontline staff.
• Work successfully with, and motivate diverse work teams, including physicians and other health care licensed professionals.
• Read and interpret data and translate data into meaningful information to shape work of improvement projects.
• Analyze situations and use critical thinking.
• Use all required technical systems including Microsoft Office, with an emphasis on Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, and Word.
• Perform complex tasks, prioritize multiple projects, and work under pressure to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Maintain cooperative working relationships with other program managers and staff, other County departments, and external agencies and the community.
• Prepare complex and detailed written reports, program policies, procedures and contracts.
• Train staff and coordinate activities of contractors, volunteer groups and staff.
• Effectively work and learn with a team.

Salary : $147,493 - $184,371