How to hire a quality improvement specialist

How to hire a quality improvement specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step quality improvement specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a quality improvement specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new quality improvement specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a quality improvement specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The quality improvement specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A quality improvement specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, quality improvement specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents quality improvement specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Quality Improvement Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Quality Improvement Specialist		$22-46
   Operations Coordinator	An operations coordinator's role is to oversee the progress of various departments in a company or organization, ensuring that all operations meet the set goals and adhere to the company's policies and regulations. An operations coordinator may also be responsible for supervising the procurement of supplies, contract negotiations, sales monitoring, and even maintenance operations within the company... Show more	$14-27
   Principal Consultant	A principal consultant is responsible for evaluating business' needs and opportunities, identifying potential leads to create project proposals, and maintaining strong business relationships that would generate revenues and increase the organization's profitability. Principal consultants must be up-to-date with the current market trends to ensure that the business adapts to the industry's changes... Show more	$43-72

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Performance Improvement
   • Quality Improvement
   • Data Collection
   • Patients
   • Patient Safety
   • Process Improvement
   • Patient Care
   • Data Analysis
   • CMS
   • Project Management
   • Corrective Action
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Oversight
   • Data Entry

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage action planning as it relates to the RCA process.
   • Design, run, and manage the HEDIS data review process/claim encounters to ensure accuracy and integrity of data.
   • Lead company-wide preparation for NCQA accreditation.
   • Assist organization in achieving strategic quality/resource consumption goals and JCAHO accreditation.
   • Design and manage an internal SharePoint site utilize compliance with RESPA guidelines
   • Manage investigations using applicable methodology focuse on root cause analysis and CAPA identification / implementation.

   More quality improvement specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the quality improvement specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A quality improvement specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a quality improvement specialist in Georgia may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level quality improvement specialist. Additionally, a quality improvement specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average quality improvement specialist salary

   $67,474yearly

   $32.44 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level quality improvement specialist salary

   $47,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average quality improvement specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$85,527	$41
   2	Massachusetts	$85,310	$41
   3	New York	$78,748	$38
   4	Pennsylvania	$76,841	$37
   5	Texas	$75,230	$36
   6	New Jersey	$73,424	$35
   7	Michigan	$70,587	$34
   8	Delaware	$68,797	$33
   9	Minnesota	$66,548	$32
   10	Illinois	$66,479	$32
   11	Wisconsin	$65,447	$31
   12	Ohio	$64,807	$31
   13	Colorado	$63,966	$31
   14	Oregon	$63,891	$31
   15	Washington	$62,214	$30
   16	Maryland	$61,560	$30
   17	Indiana	$60,958	$29
   18	Nebraska	$60,472	$29
   19	North Carolina	$59,887	$29
   20	Missouri	$58,889	$28

   Average quality improvement specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	TechnipFMC	$99,804	$47.98	1
   2	Novo Nordisk	$96,205	$46.25	1
   3	Pfizer	$92,132	$44.29	12
   4	Regeneron	$92,064	$44.26	13
   5	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$86,620	$41.64	97
   6	Cargill	$85,632	$41.17	25
   7	Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital	$81,764	$39.31
   8	Children's Hospital of Michigan	$81,186	$39.03
   9	Northwell Health	$81,082	$38.98	16
   10	Lowell General Hospital	$80,807	$38.85
   11	Novelis	$80,806	$38.85	7
   12	Park Nicollet Medical Center Inc	$78,657	$37.82
   13	Yale New Haven Health	$78,612	$37.79	1
   14	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	$78,524	$37.75
   15	Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey	$78,492	$37.74
   16	TreeHouse Foods	$78,457	$37.72	19
   17	Kaleida Health	$78,120	$37.56	2
   18	Johnson Controls	$77,272	$37.15	14
   19	Mount Sinai Health System	$77,209	$37.12	7
   20	UC Santa Barbara	$76,719	$36.88

4. Writing a quality improvement specialist job description

   A quality improvement specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a quality improvement specialist job description:

   Quality improvement specialist job description example

   The Quality Improvement Specialist I will help our communities thrive by promoting a continuous quality improvement of documentation and network curriculum. This program will include responsibility to monitor the quality control of standardized documentation and process across markets. We are a culture that is unabashedly driven by purpose. We are making a difference to our patients and providers while growing at an accelerated rate. Every day, we support the health journey of patients by authentically living our core values: Purpose Driven, Relationships Matter, Serve Others First, and Inspire Creativity. If you love serving others and would like to make a material difference in an industry-transforming organization, then we invite you to apply to this role. We are recognized as one of the Top 100 Places to Work by The Dallas Morning News, and we have been awarded as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies by SMU Cox. Core Functions
   • Assists in developing Network curriculum, provider manuals, guidelines, and onboarding process & documentation.
   • Monitoring of standardize documentation and workflows.
   • Promote and perform continuous quality improvement monitoring.
   • Compiles data for trend analysis and reporting so quality action plans can be developed and implemented.
   • Monitors the Quality Action Plans and reports back to the Program Manager.
   • Coordinates meetings as required to meet targets related to department and company goals.
   • Continuous mindset toward efficiency and process improvement - how to apply technology and processes to improve delivery and efficiency from both the Provider Group and internal perspective.
   • Responsible for coordinating meetings with performance advocates
   • Review policies, procedures and workflows, recommending revisions when necessary to comply with regulatory and accreditation standards (HIPAA, DOL/ERISA, UM & CM URAC, NCQA, etc.), and facilitating completion and implementation of revisions. Monitors that staff comply with the established written policies and procedures.
   • Participate in accreditation initiatives and assist with completion of activities.
   • Assist in developing and updating URAC, Departments of Insurance and NCQA compliance materials with documentation to demonstrate compliance with regulations/standards.
   • Assist in completion and submission of accreditation applications.
   • Maintains team audits, competencies, and curriculum and test inventories.
   • Performs other related duties as assigned. Qualifications and Education Requirements
   • Associate degree or equivalent experience required.
   • Minimum of 2 years' experience in healthcare
   • Working knowledge of Quality Improvement principles and incorporating them into daily functions.
   • Proficiency in computer and software programs (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel).
   • Effectiveness in communication style (written and verbal), with proven ability to positively influence behavior toward a positive outcome.
   • Self-motivated with the ability to work independently, as well as within a team environment.
   • Proficient in data analysis, error discovery and resolution.
   • Ability to adapt and quickly learn electronic programs utilized for research.
   • Positive, service-oriented attitude. High level of integrity.
   • Ability to multi-task and work closely with all associated in data capture and analysis.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right quality improvement specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with quality improvement specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit quality improvement specialists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your quality improvement specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit quality improvement specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit quality improvement specialists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new quality improvement specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the quality improvement specialist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new quality improvement specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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