Process Improvement & Change Lead

Process Improvement & Change Lead

Client Company/Dept. Name: Arizona Department of Economic Security (ADES), AZ

Address: 1802 West Jackson #100 - City Name - Phoenix - State Name - AZ-Arizona - Zip Code - 85007

Duration of the project: Undetermined - Start Date: Services Award date is 04/06/2026 and services will start upon fully executed work order and issuance of purchase order - Project End Date: Undetermined - Due date for Resume submission: 27th March 2026

No. of Openings: 1 - No. of Maximum Submissions: 1

Project Overview: The Arizona Department of Economic Security (ADES), Division of Benefits and Medical Eligibility (DBME), is seeking consulting support to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Payment Error Rate (PER) through targeted policy review, operational improvement, and performance optimization. The selected vendor will provide advisory support across three key workstreams: policy and regulatory analysis, workflow and process redesign, and workshops with metrics-driven improvement. The engagement is milestone-based and requires strong governance, quality assurance, and delivery oversight.

Mandatory Requirement: Minimum 8+ years of total professional experience with: 4+ years in process improvement, operations consulting, business analysis, or service delivery redesign; 3+ years in public sector, human services, eligibility operations, or similarly regulated high-volume environments; Demonstrated experience leading at least two workflow/process improvement engagements, including development of As-Is and To-Be process models; Proven ability to identify: process inefficiencies, redundancies, and non-value-added steps; Handoff gaps, control breakdowns, and workflow bottlenecks; Strong experience facilitating cross-functional workshops and stakeholder sessions with leadership, supervisors, and frontline staff; Experience translating qualitative and quantitative findings into actionable process improvement recommendations; Demonstrated ability to support operational transformation initiatives, including workflow redesign and implementation planning; Experience working in or with government, human services, contact center operations, or eligibility-driven environments. Must not be limited to: Manufacturing-only Lean/Six Sigma roles without service operations relevance; Training-only roles without process redesign ownership; IT business analyst roles without operational workflow experience.

Job Description: Lead execution of Operational & Process Optimization activities, focusing on improving SNAP eligibility workflows and reducing administrative burden while maintaining program integrity. Conduct a comprehensive review of current workflows to identify: redundancies and inefficiencies; non-value-added steps; gaps impacting accuracy, compliance, and processing timelines. Develop As-Is and To-Be process maps, clearly illustrating current state challenges and future state improvements aligned with program goals. Collaborate with ADES stakeholders to validate findings and co-develop optimized workflows, ensuring practicality and adoption. Support identification and implementation of operational improvements that contribute to reducing SNAP error rates and improving overall efficiency. Facilitate workshops and working sessions across all organizational levels, including executive leadership, management, and frontline staff. Contribute to benchmarking efforts, leveraging best practices from other states or programs to inform recommended improvements. Work closely with the SNAP Policy SME to ensure alignment between policy requirements and operational workflows. Support data collection and analysis efforts, incorporating performance metrics and stakeholder feedback into process improvement recommendations. Contribute to development of deliverables, including: process maps and workflow documentation; improvement recommendations and implementation considerations; workshop summaries and stakeholder insights.

Skill set info: Strong expertise in business process improvement, workflow analysis, and service delivery optimization. Experience working in human services, eligibility operations, or high-volume case processing environments, preferably within government settings. Proven ability to develop As-Is and To-Be process maps, using tools such as Visio, Lucidchart, or similar platforms. Strong facilitation skills, with experience leading interactive workshops and stakeholder sessions across diverse groups. Ability to identify and quantify process inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and control weaknesses, and translate them into improvement opportunities. Experience integrating qualitative insights (interviews, workshops) with quantitative data (performance metrics, KPIs). Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or similar process improvement methodologies, including waste reduction and continuous improvement principles. Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with focus on practical, implementable solutions. Effective communication skills, including ability to develop clear process documentation, presentations, and recommendation materials. Preferred experience includes: direct exposure to SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, or other eligibility-based programs; change management or adoption support experience (e.g., Prosci or similar); experience benchmarking or adapting practices across multiple agencies or jurisdictions.

Education: Bachelor's degree required in Business, Public Administration, Industrial Engineering, Operations, Organizational Development, or a related field. Relevant certifications such as Lean Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt or change management certification (Prosci or similar) preferred.

Work Hours: General

Work authorization required: US Citizen & GC

Relocation is accepted: N/A

Remote work: Yes

Additional Notes if any: Hybrid