Manager, Program Quality

Job description

Job Purpose The Manager, Program Quality provides leadership in cultivating a culture of excellence, learning, and continuous growth across Liliʻuokalani Trust (LT)’s programs and services. This work is grounded in a strengths-based, learning-centered approach that builds capacity and elevates practice. This role strengthens the organization’s ability to deliver meaningful, culturally grounded outcomes for kamalei (youth and young adults) by building capacity, uplifting effective practice, and fostering reflective learning at all levels of service delivery. The Manager champions the LT’s Program Model, Positive Youth Development Framework, and Universal Practice Standards as foundational tools for surfacing strengths, amplifying what works, and deepening impact across program locations. Through partnership with program and operations leaders, this role advances consistent, learning-centered quality practices that support teams in refining their approach, strengthening implementation, and enhancing engagement with Kamalei (youth and young adults). Grounded in a continuous quality improvement (CQI) mindset, the Manager uses data as a tool for insight, reflection, and growth—guiding thoughtful decision-making, identifying opportunities to expand impact, and supporting alignment across departments. The role emphasizes coaching, collaboration, and shared learning with staff to build confidence, strengthen critical thinking, and nurture innovation in service of kamalei wellbeing. In partnership with leadership and cross-functional teams, the Manager helps ensure that systems, training, and resources are aligned to support high-quality, culturally resonant practice. This position contributes to an environment where staff are empowered to learn, grow, and lead—resulting in stronger relationships, more effective services, and sustained positive outcomes for the communities served. Essential Responsibilities Leadership & Stewardship of Quality • Lead the design and implementation of a comprehensive quality assurance and improvement strategy that advances excellence, strengthens practice, and aligns with LT’s strategic goals and cultural values. • Guide the development and facilitation of quality review processes that surface strengths, elevate effective practices, and generate meaningful learning to deepen impact. • Build organizational capacity to apply the Program Model, Positive Youth Development Framework, and Universal Practice Standards with consistency, confidence, and cultural resonance. • Champion a CQI mindset across the organization, helping staff at all levels understand and use continuous quality improvement as a practical tool, not just an organizational value. • Develop accessible tools, protocols, and resources that program teams can use independently to assess and strengthen their own practice. • Foster a culture of continuous learning, reflection, innovation, and shared accountability across all program areas. Program Implementation & Practice Excellence • Partner with program locations to strengthen high-quality implementation of casework and group programming through coaching, reflection, and shared learning. • Support teams in integrating trauma-informed, culturally grounded, clinically sound, and social-emotional practices in ways that build on existing strengths and meet evolving needs. • Collaborate with Team Services and Program Leadership to promote consistency, engagement, and excellence in practice implementation and training experiences. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) & Learning • In collaboration with Impact and Evaluation, Program Leadership, Data, and Policy & Practice teams, spearhead CQI efforts that use data as a tool for learning, insight, and continuous strengthening of practice, supporting thoughtful decision-making and expanded impact. • Partner to develop tools, dashboards, and reporting systems that make learning visible, accessible, and actionable for teams across program locations. • Co-facilitate reflective learning processes that support staff growth, strengthen practice, and enhance future responses. • Facilitate learning cycles and retrospectives that identify trends, share promising practices, and translate insights into meaningful improvements. Collaboration & Integration • Partner with Team Services, Impact, and program teams to elevate kamalei voice, engagement, and experience in program design and delivery. • Collaborate to design and access technology-enabled tools that support learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement. • Work across regions and departments to ensure that QA/CQI efforts are responsive, aligned, and supportive of program strengths and needs. Learning, Insights & Impact • Track, reflect on, and continuously strengthen the effectiveness of QA and training efforts, using findings to inform growth, adaptation, and impact. • Develop and share reports and presentations that highlight strengths, trends, insights, and opportunities for deepened impact. • Maintain accessible repositories of tools, insights, and resources that support shared learning and sustained improvement • Collaboratively develop and implement mechanisms that elevate learning and resource sharing across program sites and strands, ensuring a collective and collaborative culture of learning and growth. Other duties • Contribute to the Trust’s success by accepting new assignments, helping team members, learning new skills, and striving to improves team and organization results. Qualifications • Master’s degree in social work, psychology, education, or related human services field. Bachelor’s degree with equivalent experience may be considered. • At least 5 years of relevant experience in planning, design, implementation, and/or evaluation of youth programming in youth-serving organizations; preferably in positive youth development, trauma-informed care, and/or clinical and culturally grounded practices that support youth growth and well-being. • Experience in youth-serving organizations with a focus on continuous quality improvement and in roles involving training, coaching, and/or consulting to build capacity and strengthen practice. • Experience working across systems and functions to design, implement, and improve organizational processes and practices. • Demonstrated ability to influence and drive practice alignment across teams and functions without direct supervisory authority. • Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects. • Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills to support effective training and coaching. Job Competencies • Collaboration: Interact effectively with multi-disciplinary teams to support organizational goals and outcomes, rather than solely for individuals or single team benefit. • Cultural Competence: Respect and relate well to people from varied backgrounds and sensitive to group differences. • Transparency: Openly share knowledge and insights with teammates. • Accountability: Demonstrate responsibility for actions and decisions so to meet commitments and support organizational goals. Demonstrate ability to work independently where necessary and take initiative to accomplish tasks toward meeting of key deadlines. • Active Listener: Listen actively and value others' opinions to create an environment of mutual respect and understanding, using diverse perspectives to find innovative solutions. • Ethical Practice: Exhibit the highest level of ethical behavior, integrity, and social responsibility. Uphold and embody all LT values. • Communication: Clearly convey and receive information and ideas to individuals or groups that engages the listener and invites response and feedback. Demonstrate strong written, oral, and listening skills. • Developing Others: Ability to plan and support the development of others through experiential and didactic methods, assess progress, and course adjust offerings as necessary to achieve desired learning outcomes. • Content knowledge: Demonstrated knowledge of direct practice, trauma-informed approaches, clinical/cultural approaches, youth development, and quality assurance and improvement processes. Understanding of adult learning styles and coaching strategies. • Relationship Management: Experience working in a collaborative environment with teammates at all levels; ability to promote and sustain positive workplace values and relationships. • Interpersonal Skills: Ability to perform well under pressure and stay calm and composed when faced with challenging situations. • Flexibility: Able to adapt to change and learning new systems and processes. Tolerance for emergent work. Able to work flexible hours when necessary, including nights and weekends, to meet key development, design, and implementation deadlines. Organization Competencies • Alignment with Queen’s legacy: Understanding and appreciation of Queen Liliuokalani’s story, her legacy and the Hawaiian Culture is foundational to staff’s commitment to working with our Hawaiian children, families and communities. Demonstrates respect for and appreciation of Hawaiian values history, and culture, understanding its implication in one’s work, in fostering meaningful relationships, and in embracing the community served. • Hoʻomau i ka ʻImi Naʻauao (Continuous Learning and Improvement): Committed to creating and reinforcing an environment of continuous learning and improvement. • Hoʻike i na Manaʻo Pono (Effective Communication): Communicates with those we serve and each other in a consistent manner that results in mutual understanding, harmony, and action. • Noʻonoʻo loi (Critical Thinking and Problem Solving): Actively and skillfully understands, conceptualizes, applies, analyzes, synthesizes, and/or evaluates information and develops and supports fact-based analyses and recommendations • Hoʻo kumu aʻe or ʻImi hakuhia (Innovation): Identifies and integrates creative ideas into new or existing services and promotes effective problem-solving. • Pilina Hoʻohana a me ka Hana Hilinaʻi (Building Relationships and Creating Trust): Manages relationships to create optimal opportunities and move the organization forward. • Alu Like i ka Hana (Teamwork): Works cooperatively and collaboratively with others throughout the organization in alignment with the organization's objectives. • Hoʻonui i ka ʻIke (Capacity Building): Encourages personal growth by exhibiting trust and a belief in the capacity of others. Travel Requirements: • Ability to travel to kīpuka and other locations, both in and out of state, for required for meetings, conferences and events. Mental and Physical Demands: • Ability to lift 25+ pounds. Requires being outdoors in the sun and/or rain for extended periods of time. Ability to swim and work on uneven surfaces. Requires sitting indoors for extended periods of time. Ability to work weekends when needed. Terms and Conditions of Employment As a condition of employment, employee will be subject to LT’s policies and procedures. Job Title: Manager, Program Quality Reports to: Managing Director, Impact & Evaluation FLSA Status: Exempt Aligned Executive: Chief Impact Officer Kīpuka: Liliʻuonamoku Department: Impact & Evaluation Liliʻuokalani Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to recruit, train, and retain innovative talent from a diverse candidate pool. All employment decisions will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, ancestry, genetic information, citizenship, marital/civil union status, arrest and court record, domestic or sexual violence victim status, credit history, disability or veteran/military status or other applicable legally protected characteristics.