12/15/1999 28590

QUALITY SYSTEMS PROGRAM MANAGER, DEP

DEFINITION: This is professional management work directing the activities of the quality management program in the Department of Environmental Protection.

The employee in this class directs a staff of professional, technical and support employees on a permanent and ad hoc basis engaged in activities that define how the department will plan, implement and assess quality assurance and quality control operations supporting its statewide environmental programs. These activities include the establishment of the departmental quality system; development of the department's quality management plan; reviewing program quality management plans; and the development and oversight of quality control systems such as program audits, training programs and corrective actions. Work involves determining goals, objectives, standards and priorities for the quality program; developing and recommending policies, requirements, guidance and priorities to manage program activities; and developing the budget for the program. This position, as part of the department's management team, ensures that quality is considered as a management discipline along with other disciplines such as leadership, organization and budgeting. Work is assigned as broad goals and objectives. The employee exercises independent judgment in determining specific goals, objectives and priorities for continued development, improvement and statewide implementation of the department's quality system. Work is reviewed by the Director of Program Integration and Effectiveness and the Chief Information Officer through reports, staff meetings and individual conferences with respect to the operation of the quality assurance program.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Manages the department-wide quality systems including developing and recommending policy and reviewing program quality management plans.

Manages the quality management training required by the department's quality management plan.

Develops and manages a review system to examine the implementation of a quality system against its quality management plan.

Develops ongoing processes for programs to document the type and quality of data needed for environmental decisions and the technical details of the process in acquiring and assessing the usability of this data.

Advises the Secretary, Executive Deputy Secretary, Chief Information Officer and Program Integration and Effectiveness Director on quality management issues.

Serves as liaison with federal agencies on data quality assurance efforts.

Serves as the Governor's representative to the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference and participates in other national meetings dealing with quality management issues.

Provides guidance and assistance to all program areas for the implementation of quality management systems.

Directs a staff of professional, technical and support employees on a permanent and ad hoc basis.

Plans and organizes work, assigns work, determines priorities, sets goals and reviews work performance.

Performs related work as necessary.

An employee in this class may participate in the performance of their subordinates' work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the Commonwealth's and federal environmental laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Knowledge of the principles, methods and techniques used in quality assurance and quality management.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration.

Knowledge of the principles, methods and techniques used in general systems analysis.

Skill in building productive and innovative teams.

Ability to lead employees and program staff to accomplish goals and objectives.

Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Ability to read and interpret federal, Commonwealth and department rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Ability to recognize conflicts and to resolve issues and reach acceptable compromises among managers with relation to changes in quality management policies and procedures.

Ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships with supervisors, coworkers, subordinates, special interest groups, public officials and the public.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Five years of professional experience in the development, implementation, and assessment of quality management plans and quality management systems, and a bachelor's degree;

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Any equivalent combination of experience and education which includes five years of professional experience in the development, implementation, and assessment of quality management plans and quality management systems.