CQI Specialist (CS3) - 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: Commerce Specialist (CS3) - Olympia
Location: Olympia, WA - Travel is an essential function of this position. Frequent overnight travel is required to conduct monitoring visits and attend meetings, training courses, and conferences. Must be able to travel by airplane, operate a motor vehicle and must hold a valid driver’s license when operating a state- or privately-owned vehicle on official state business.
Closes: Wednesday, July 15th, 2026
Salary: $67,704 - $91,104 Annually

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is seeking a Commerce Specialist 3 (CS3) to join the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) as a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Specialist. In this role, you will support 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 hybrid position requires in-person attendance to meet business needs and frequent statewide overnight travel.

Click here to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity:
As an ECEAP Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Specialist, you will support ECEAP contractors' continuous quality improvement efforts and participation with Early Achievers and Child Care Licensing. You will provide technical assistance to help contractors meet ECEAP requirements, interpret ECEAP Performance Standards, and monitor contractor compliance. Working with a high level of responsibility and accountability, you will participate as a team player in division and ECEAP teamwork, including staff meetings, while supporting quality improvement efforts across the state. This position reports directly to the Continuous Quality Improvement Lead Specialist.

Some of what you will get to do:

• Monitor compliance with ECEAP contract requirements and performance standards while supporting contractors' continuous quality improvement and participation in Early Achievers and Child Care Licensing.
• Conduct monitoring calls and lead or participate in onsite monitoring visits to ensure compliance with ECEAP requirements and support contractor continuous quality improvement.
• Develop and maintain cooperative relationships with contractors by providing technical assistance, consultation, resolving complex issues, and promoting collaboration.
• Build contractor capacity to self-monitor and engage in continuous quality improvement through technical assistance, consultation, and ongoing support.
• Write, research, and analyze comprehensive monitoring reports, including desktop comprehensive reports, and develop and monitor corrective action plans to bring contractors into compliance with ECEAP guidelines.
• Provide expert assessment of ECEAP service delivery to inform continued agency partnerships.
• Draft and develop program policy, review exceptions to ECEAP Performance Standards, and recommend policy, planning, funding requests, and long- and short-term business objectives to management.
• Recommend and inform statewide policy, planning, and ECEAP development using an equity lens while collaborating on agency initiatives, including Child Care Licensing, standards alignment, Performance Based Contracting, and coordinated monitoring.
• Lead designated projects independently; participate in special ECEAP, division, and agency initiatives; and represent DCYF ECEAP at meetings, conferences, and with external early learning partners and organizations.
• Provide consultation and training to leadership, staff, contractors, and external partners on preschool service delivery, quality elements, monitoring processes, ECEAP Performance Standards, and current research in early learning.
• Prepare responses to stakeholders and support ECEAP processes during legislative sessions.
• Develop, support, and model a positive and productive workplace culture that emphasizes equity, respect, inclusion, belonging, and human-centered approaches aligned with DCYF's Strategic and Racial Equity Plan.
• Work within the Racial Equity and Social Justice Framework by championing disability rights, inclusion of LGBTQIA+ communities, and eliminating barriers to services for historically marginalized and oppressed populations through ongoing education, networking, and professional development.
• Travel statewide on official state business by vehicle and/or air to support monitoring visits, meetings, and other program activities.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree AND three (3) years of professional experience in early childhood education, child development, early learning, state preschool education, comprehensive preschool programming, or closely related field.

OR

• High school diploma or equivalent AND seven (7) years of professional experience in early childhood education, child development, early learning, state preschool education, comprehensive preschool programming, or closely related field (e.g., elementary education, social services, public administration).

OR

• Equivalent combination of education and professional experience totaling seven (7) years in early childhood education, child development, early learning, state preschool education, comprehensive preschool programming, or closely related field (e.g., elementary education, social services, public administration).

AND

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

In addition to those required qualifications, candidates will need to have:

• Previous experience providing coaching, training, or technical assistance in the early learning field.
• Previous experience in early learning program monitoring, grants, and contracts management.
• Demonstrated expert-level knowledge in three or more of these areas: current research in early learning, developmentally appropriate preschool education, family engagement practices, early learning and family outcomes, direct services for low-income children and families, quality rating and improvement systems, coaching.
• Previous professional experience and demonstrated skill interpreting, analyzing and synthesizing data into documents and presentations.
• Previously demonstrated excellent written communication skills.
• Previously demonstrated excellent oral communication skills, including skills for meeting facilitation, training, presentations, and consensus-building.
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan and manage multiple projects.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills in technical assistance and coaching at a statewide level.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with DCYF staff and positively represent the agency with diverse external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to use an equity lens and approach to this work.
• Demonstrated ability to foster an environment of learning about the communities that we serve, valuing, encouraging, and supporting diverse practices and needs.
• Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity of the differences and needs of historically marginalized and oppressed populations; modify behaviors and communications to accommodate these differences.
• Previously demonstrated initiative, flexibility, accountability, and responsiveness

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• Demonstrated computer proficiency, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel and online meeting platforms.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous quality improvement in state operations and local ECEAP services.

How do I apply?
In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:

• Cover Letter
• Resume (current/updated)
• College Transcripts -If applicable. (An unofficial copy is acceptable for applying).

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 PreferenceMUSTattach 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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