Senior Director of Evaluation and Quality Improvement

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Job location
29-76 Northern Boulevard
Long Island City, NY 11101
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
The Fortune Society
Street address: 
29-76 Northern Boulevard
City: 
Long Island City
State: 
New York
ZIP: 
11101
Job type: 
Other
Position Description: 

Title: Senior Director of Evaluation and Quality Improvement
Unit: Evaluation and Quality Improvement
Reports to: Chief Strategy Officer
Status: Full-Time; Regular; Exempt
Job Code: M601
Location: Long Island City
Date Prepared: April 27, 2017

The Organization:
Founded in 1967, The Fortune Society is recognized as one of the preeminent criminal justice service and advocacy nonprofits in the nation. Fortune is known for its cultural competence and prides itself on the diversity of its staff and leadership including the degree to which its management and staffing draws both from those traditionally trained and those who are themselves formerly incarcerated and provide both professional and life experience expertise.

Fortune has grown steadily over the years to an agency just under $30 million in annual budget with just under 300 staff. We anticipate that we will keep growing, both in size and in depth of service.
Fortune has a dual mission: both advocacy and service. The advocacy focuses on building a more just criminal justice system and reducing the barriers to reentry into society. The service side of Fortune has evolved to encompass a broad range of programs including alternatives to incarceration, group services and discharge planning within correctional facilities, and a robust array of services in the community. Fortune’s community-based programs include court advocacy and alternative to incarceration programs, licensed substance abuse treatment and mental health services, a full array of employment services ranging from job readiness through placement through hard skills training, an in-house school, a housing continuum ranging from emergency shelter through permanent congregate and scattered site housing, group and individual counseling, assistance in obtaining benefits, a care management unit, HIV services, a nutrition program, and an arts program.

Fortune currently serves approximately 7000 people a year. Our client population mirrors the incarcerated population in being approximately 85% male and over 90% people of color. Our program models are recognized, both nationally and internationally for their quality and innovation. For more information, please visit www.fortunesociety.org

Position Summary:
Under the supervision of the Chief Strategy Officer the Senior Director of Evaluation & Quality Improvement manages the overall agency evaluation and quality improvement efforts and provides leadership and guidance for the Evaluation & Quality Improvement (EQI) team. The position has primary responsibility for program-specific evaluation efforts and agency-wide data reporting through the performance of audits and reviews. She/he engages directly with programs to develop data management techniques and system improvements, enhancing overall operating efficiency and effectiveness of programs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• In consultation with the Compliance Officer and/or Chief Strategy Officer oversees an agency wide EQI program that supports and advances organizational mission, ensures compliance with regulatory and funding agency requirements and is in alignment with agency strategic program objectives;
• Supervises supports and manages EQI staff to develop an annual work plan for monitoring and evaluating processes and outcomes for all departments that incorporates the various resources/tools available to the EQI team;
• Conduct routine audits and compliance reviews of programs and make recommendations to management regarding system improvement based on audit/review findings. Follow-up on program response and implementation of accepted recommendations. Also follow-up corrective action plans resulting from external audits and reviews of programs;
• Work with managers of programs to promote a genuine understanding of using data to manage their programs and ensure that internal/external performance targets are met and desired outcomes achieved and properly documented. Reinforce the importance of all data being entered and reported through the agency's primary database;
• Work with managers and front-line staff of programs to develop and implement a system of continuous quality improvement (CQI) and quality assurance (QA) which they will be responsible for maintaining;
• Monitor performance of programs and work with program managers to develop corrective action plans as needed. Alert senior management (program and administration) to issues of noncompliance and/or performance shortfalls, ensuring that such issues are addressed in a timely manner;
• Support Development team in obtaining data required to demonstrate Fortune's expertise; create logic models, produce evaluation designs and actual evaluation tools as necessary;
• Act as liaison between program staff and I/T department, translating program needs related to database functionality and reporting. Identify and facilitate staff training needs and requests;
• Evaluate client and staff satisfaction through surveys and focus groups, analyze and report results of work performed and any recommendations to enhance program and service delivery quality;
• Coordinate with program managers on start-up of new programs and contract/grant renewals, ensuring that key tasks (such as having an appropriate system for data collection and reporting) are clearly defined and monitored for completion;
• Collaborate with funders, the academic community and other partners to conduct evaluations of Fortune's programs and to disseminate the results, including publication of issue papers and peer-reviewed journal articles;
• Participates in decision making and provides recommendations to the leadership team on EQI needs and the provision of high quality programs and services;
• Maintains strong customer relations by ensuring the quality of activities and projects, timely completion of tasks and efforts to collaborate;
• Supervise interns and students who are working on evaluation and research projects;
• Conduct Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) trainings for new staff, ensuring compliance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule related to health information; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
Manages three program analysts and one senior program analyst; Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and engaging employees; addressing employee relations and resolving problems.

Qualifications:
• Master’s degree or the equivalent combination of education and experience, preferably in public administration, public health, human services, criminal justice, sociology or related field, with a strong background in statistical analysis and/or data management;
• At least five years of relevant work experience with three to five years in a managerial capacity, preferably working in compliance, quality improvement, program auditing or research in a non-profit social service setting;
• Experience working with the formerly incarcerated and/or programs providing wrap-around services (housing, education, training, substance abuse treatment etc.) a plus;
• Operational auditing experiences a plus;
• Must be detail oriented with superior analytical skills. Must also possess the ability to do "big picture" thinking and solve problems in a way that is creative and collaborative;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills coupled with exceptional people skills;
• Understanding of data management and the tools appropriate for both qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods;
• Must have a thorough knowledge of MS Office, including Excel and proficiency in SPSS;
• Experience with quality assurance and/or quality improvement;
• Must be able to take initiative in setting and advancing priorities while being both courteous and effective;
• Appreciation of Fortune’s work in serving people who have been incarcerated and those who are at risk; and
• A sense of humor.

Travel Requirements – Travel as needed within and outside of New York City.

Physical Demands:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The responsibilities and requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensing, experience and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

The Fortune Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of conviction history, race, religion/creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, victim of domestic violence status or marital status.

Requirements: 

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Notes: 
Equal Opportunity Employer
Submission deadline: 
Monday, July 31, 2017