Director of Process Improvement

About Neighborhood House

Neighborhood House has been serving families in St. Paul for over 129 years, providing essential services such as food, housing, education, and increasing opportunities. Serving more than 30,000 individuals annually throughout six neighborhoods, the organization is dedicated to creating a thriving community for all.

Position Summary

The Director of Process Improvement offers both strategic and hands-on leadership to enhance organizational processes across programs and administrative areas. This role focuses on mapping current workflows, identifying inefficiencies, redesigning processes, clarifying accountability, and supporting staff through change to improve operational effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide visionary and practical leadership in process improvement aligned with Neighborhood House’s mission, values, and strategic goals.
• Coordinate a comprehensive approach to identify, assess, prioritize, and plan process improvement projects with input from leadership and stakeholders.
• Maintain and update a process improvement roadmap that balances priorities, capacity, risks, and expected outcomes.
• Advise top management on operational risks, resource challenges, and strategic recommendations.
• Translate complex organizational issues into well-defined project parameters including goals, scope, timelines, deliverables, and success criteria.
• Lead cross-departmental teams ensuring clear roles, timely decisions, and accountability.
• Manage project budgets and select external partners within delegation limits.
• Anticipate project obstacles, capacity issues, and conflicts, recommending and implementing effective solutions.
• Facilitate staff engagement sessions to thoroughly understand current processes and identify pain points.
• Craft detailed process maps and documentation standards including workflows, procedures, training content, and communication materials.
• Assess compliance, risk, and resource use within process designs to ensure equity, accessibility, and alignment with policies.
• Develop and implement change management strategies, including communication, training, and support plans for smooth adoption.
• Monitor and evaluate implementation outcomes and adjust processes to improve usability, consistency, and impact.
• Foster an organizational culture that values continuous improvement, equity, learning, and accountability.
• Use quantitative and qualitative data to recognize trends, measure results, and inform leadership decisions.
• Collaborate with various departments to enhance data quality, reporting, and decision-making tools.
• Evaluate the broader impact of process changes and address any unintended consequences.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in relevant fields such as business administration, public or nonprofit management, organizational development, or psychology.
• At least five years of progressive experience leading complex process improvement or organizational change initiatives.
• Proven ability to drive cross-functional projects from assessment through implementation and evaluation.
• Skill in translating ambiguous organizational challenges into actionable plans with clear objectives and success metrics.
• Experience creating and utilizing detailed process documentation and workflow analysis.
• Strong facilitation and leadership through influence with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Competence in change management techniques addressing impacts on people and services.
• Ability to analyze multiple data sources to identify improvements and measure outcomes.
• Exceptional communication skills tailored to varied audiences including executives, managers, and staff.
• Commitment to integrating equity, accessibility, and cultural responsiveness into process designs.
• Excellent organizational judgement managing multiple initiatives and adapting to shifting priorities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and ability to learn project management, process mapping, and data analysis software.
• Demonstrated cultural competence working with diverse populations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in related fields.
• Certifications or formal training in methodologies like Lean, Six Sigma, PMP, Prosci, or equivalent.
• Experience in nonprofit, public sector, or community-based settings.
• Background supporting enterprise technology implementations and organization-wide workflow changes.
• Knowledge of internal controls, compliance, risk management, and funding requirements.
• Management of consultants, vendors, and budget oversight in project contexts.
• Coaching skills for leadership and continuous improvement practices.
• Multilingual abilities, especially in Spanish, Karen, Hmong, or Somali.

Work Environment and Schedule

This role is based onsite in St. Paul, MN, primarily in an office with regular visits to different locations and occasional offsite meetings. Reliable transportation is required with mileage reimbursement provided. The standard schedule is Monday through Friday during business hours, with occasional evening or weekend commitments.

Additional Information

The position requires a background check due to work with youth and families; previous issues do not automatically prevent hiring. The organization is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging applicants from varied backgrounds to apply even if all qualifications are not met.