Upstream is a rapidly growing national nonprofit working to expand opportunity by reducing unplanned pregnancy. Working in partnership with states, Upstream provides health centers of all types with sustainable training and technical assistance to ensure all women have access to the full range of contraceptive methods and are able to obtain the birth control method of their choice in a single visit with their health care provider at low or no cost.
Upstream is on track to achieve nationwide impact at scale. Our goal through 2023 is to partner with health centers that serve over 1 million women of reproductive age across four states. We launched our first state-based initiative in Delaware in 2014, followed by Massachusetts and Washington in 2018. North Carolina will be Upstream’s fourth state for expansion. Philanthropic individuals and foundations have provided generous support for this ambitious plan for growth, including a $60 million lead investment by Blue Meridian Partners, which has helped grow Upstream’s budget from $1.7 million just three years ago to approximately $25 million by 2019. Upstream’s work has also garnered attention from a variety of leading publications, including The New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CNN, Vox, Forbes, and Marie Claire.
Though Massachusetts is a leader in reproductive choice, many women in the Commonwealth still lack same-day access to the full range of contraceptive methods. Our Massachusetts team works in communities across the state, partnering with health centers to improve contraceptive access, helping more Massachusetts women become pregnant only when they plan to do so.
Position Summary
The Quality Improvement (QI) Advisor drives the implementation of Upstream’s technical assistance and quality improvement program at partner health care agencies in Massachusetts. The QI Advisor leads the partnership engagement, manages the overall project and relationships for Upstream, and oversees a team of Upstream quality improvement staff assigned to the health center. They will ensure that health center locations have the best practices, guidance, resources, and tools necessary to meet the goal of reducing unintended pregnancy by providing same-day access to all contraceptive methods.
The QI Advisor reports to the Massachusetts State Director of Quality Improvement. This is a fixed term position of approximately 5 years, corresponding to the planned duration of the statewide initiative.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Serve as an expert advisor to partner agencies, evaluating each of its health center sites for readiness and gaps to providing same day access to all methods of contraception. Key responsibilities include:
- Establish trust and rapport with agency and site leadership in an effort to gain positive momentum and investment from key stakeholders
- Conduct Needs Assessment with key agency and site-level administrative and clinical leadership and stakeholders. Develop analyses and present recommendations to agency leadership, including a high-level implementation plan for site engagement
- Conduct pre-training site visits to meet/interview staff and leadership to determine site-specific needs for implementation
- Evaluate current workflow at each site to determine bottlenecks and potential improvements to contraceptive care
- Assess, recommend, and implement service improvements related to contraceptive care, including but not limited to: integrating pregnancy intention questions into site’s electronic health record, providing workflow assistance in ensuring same day access, assisting with stocking contraceptive and emergency contraceptive options, and supporting implementation of contraceptive protocols, policy, procedures, and consent forms
- Develop and maintain agency and site specific implementation work plan that outlines key technical assistance milestones and continuously monitor progress with agency and site leadership, as well as Upstream leadership
- Supervise and collaborate closely with Implementation Coach to develop and execute on-site coaching strategy and plan, based on the agency’s specific needs and work plan
- Supervise project-based work conducted by Quality Improvement Coordinator
- Track site progress on precepting, including: (1) manage agency and site dashboards; (2) work with sites to complete post-training precepting;(3) provide best practice recommendations regarding provider mentoring, scheduling, and increasing/balancing patient demand.
- Ensure sites have educational materials (print, video) needed to counsel and educate patients in their spoken language.
- Ensure sites have the tools and supplies needed to place devices.
- Conduct site visits in weeks and months after the training to ensure successful implementation; provide expertise and ongoing assistance as needed before, during and after trainings
Required Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability
- Experience working in a health care environment and understanding of the challenges of working in healthcare and/or reproductive health
- Knowledge of quality improvement/assurance and service model change, implementation and maintenance
- Knowledge of and experience in successfully implementing a framework for change management
- Established experience managing projects across multiple stakeholder functions and levels (from direct reports to peers to executives)
- Experience leading teams to achieve goals and make impact, either in a project team or direct supervisory setting
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; communicates articulately and confidently under all circumstances; establishes rapport quickly with all levels of staff
- Demonstrated ability to work and collaborate across multiple organizational functions and disciplines; demonstrated ability to collaborate, communicate, influence and work effectively with diverse staff
- High level of proficiency and working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and quick learner of new software/programs
- Ability to travel regularly within the assigned geographic region
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent work experience
Non-Essential Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability
- Master’s in Public Health, Healthcare Administration, or relevant field.
- Strong knowledge of best practices related to same-day access to contraceptive care
- Strong knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and PDSA cycle
Attributes
- Top-notch internal and external customer service at all times, including prompt, professional, high quality verbal and written communications
- Ability to effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize accordingly
- Ability to understand and communicate concepts quickly and accurately
- Natural leader who organizes and inspires others to achieve goals
- Extremely well organized, detail-oriented and analytical
- Confident and proactive self-starter who is skilled in taking initiative and working well independently
- Demonstrated follow-through; meets stated project expectations on-time and with quality
- Demonstrates a high degree of adaptability, comfortable in establishing new direction, managing rapid change
- Possesses excellent interpersonal skills. Builds and maintains positive, productive relationships with colleagues, staff, consultants, and clients
- Solid work ethic and a team player attitude
- Sense of humor
Upstream Careers
At Upstream, we embrace diversity. We nurture it and we thrive on it because it benefits our organization, our partners, and our community. Our goal is to attract, develop and retain exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. Upstream is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, genetic information, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. Learn more about working at Upstream, our values, and our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Upstream Headquarters: 426 17th Street, #200, Oakland, CA 94612 www.upstream.org
No phone calls please.
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