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.”

Job Title: 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.

Click here 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 workgroups, 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 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).

AND


How do I apply?
In addition to completing the online application, please attach the following documents:

• Cover Letter (addressing how you meet the qualifications for this position)
• Resume

Supplemental Information:

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington’s children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

This position requires a minimum of at least two years of driving experience and a valid driver’s license.

Degrees must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a foreign equivalent verified by a NACES-approved organization at naces.org. Foreign Equivalency certification must be attached to the application for degrees obtained outside the U.S.

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). For more information: https://wfse.org/

Benefits eligibility for this position may be different than what’s listed in the benefits tab of this recruitment announcement. For more information on employee benefits eligibility, visit: Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB).

If you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact DCYF Recruiter. If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at360-664-1960.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, NGB Form 22, or Predischarge Certification (issued not more than 120 days prior to End of Term of Service (ETS) by date of submission). If claiming preference based on Predischarge Certification, the individual will be required to provide their official discharge documentation, such as a DD Form 214, NGB Form 22, or equivalent, within 30 days after the date of discharge. Please blackout (redact) the social security number before attaching any documents. For additional information on Veterans’ Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here.

DCYF participates in the federal E-Verify program. The selected candidate must provide proof of identity and authorization to work in the United States, consistent with E-Verify requirements, on their first day of employment.

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