At Houston Methodist, the System Process Engineer is a central member of the Process Engineering team and plays a key role with strategy deployment and other transformation efforts through the facilitation of Kaizen events, projects and workshops. This position serves as a role model by integrating customer service skills, leadership skills and communication skills when interfacing with both internal and external customers. The System Process Engineer will work in coordination with specific site leadership according to business needs and priorities, with a focus on organizational goals and targets around finance, access, quality, efficiency and other operational metrics. S/he will act as a change agent for the organization and facilitate improvement activities throughout the system. This position will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to develop, support and adopt best practices/processes system wide. S/he will also educate staff and leadership in the system on the basics of Lean principles via hands-on project engagement.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides system level lean training throughout the organization on lean tools and lean management system.

• Develops effective communication methods to keep staff and others informed about improvement/(re)design activities of the organization and department.

• Works collaboratively to solve problems, improve processes, and integrate services with other departments.

• Coaches Process Owners and Staff in the use of Daily Management System elements, Accountability Processes (huddles and performance reviews), Problem Solving and Waste elimination, Managing to Standard Work and Leader Standard Work.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Coaches and mentors team members and process owners to utilize a defined Kaizen/Lean process improvement methodology that analyzes and interprets data for decision making. Develops staff by assisting them to identify goals and opportunities for learning.

• Manages multiple projects simultaneously.

• Assists with interdisciplinary team leadership/facilitation and change management within targeted service areas. Leads teams independently as assigned.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Supports the quality and accreditation efforts of the organization by establishing system level clinical standard work instructions during Kaizen/Lean related activities. Works with accreditation and quality leaders to validate that all clinical procedures standard work instructions that guide and support patient care treatments and services are in alignment with quality and safety requirements.

• Leverages best practices (internal & external) and projects across multiple departments.

• Independently performs hospital and departmental work flow assessments/evaluations to identify improvement opportunities and determine data sets for evaluation/verification.

• Assists Leadership in identifying key projects that will provide the optimum benefit in improving Houston Methodist processes and performance.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Captures cost benefits from each improvement activity.

• Develops reports of overall Continuous Improvement activities including accomplishments, participation, projected activities, and anticipated needs.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides compelling communication to executives throughout the organization and makes the business case for change related to Kaizen/Lean activities. Coaches and mentors executives to become good sponsors of change related to Kaizen/Lean events in each facility.

• Actively seeks opportunities for self-improvement through self-awareness and feedback.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, process engineering, applied sciences or related field

• Master's degree in industrial engineering, process engineering, applied sciences or related field preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Five years of experience in quality engineering/process improvement or related field; for internal employees may consider HM employee with four years of experience in quality engineering/process improvement or related field

• Three years of experience in a healthcare environment preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Demonstrates ability to design and lead organizational transformation - a blend of change management, coaching, and lean methodology

• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills (e.g., relationship management, appreciative inquiry, team building, and oral/written communication)

• Demonstrates a strong ability to problem solve within a team environment, and generate commitment and enthusiasm towards shared strategic initiative goals

• Demonstrates the ability to lead teams through informal (versus positional) authority, and coach and develop others to ¿take the reins¿

• Demonstrates strong leadership skills, especially in leading and motivating multi-disciplinary, cross-functional teams effectively, both in terms of leading change and achieving results

• Demonstrates fundamental Lean skills (e.g., root cause problem solving, value stream mapping, A3 development) in order to understand challenges and identify process waste

• Demonstrates ability to function at a high level of self-direction

• Demonstrates effective change management skills

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist (HM) is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers.  HM consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and seven community hospitals throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area.  HM also includes an academic institute, a comprehensive residency program, a global business division, numerous physician practices and several free-standing emergency rooms and outpatient facilities.  Overall, HM employs over 25,000 employees.   Houston Methodist is supported by a wide variety of business functions that operate at the system level to help enable clinical departments to provide the best patient care and service in a spiritual environment.

In 2019 Houston Methodist and its physicians treat more than 6,333 international patients from more than 76 countries. Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services’ consulting and education divisions also provide advisory services and training and development to health care organizations around the world.