Continuous Improvement Unit Section Manager

State of Montana•Helena, MT

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Section Manager of the Continuous Improvement Unit, you’ll take the lead in shaping how the Employment Standards Division grows and evolves. You’ll guide a skilled, collaborative team dedicated to finding smarter, more effective ways to serve workers, employers, and communities across Montana. Your work will go beyond managing projects—you’ll drive innovation, foster teamwork, and turn great ideas into lasting results. Through strategic planning and hands-on leadership, you’ll help streamline processes, strengthen collaboration, and ensure every improvement aligns with the Division’s mission: supporting fair, safe, and thriving workplaces statewide. This is your chance to make a real difference—cultivating a culture of learning, excellence, and continuous growth within one of Montana’s most impactful public service divisions.

Requirements

Leadership and people management: Principles and practices of leadership, vision setting, mentorship, and human resources management, including recruitment, onboarding, training, development, performance management, discipline, and off boarding, while building trust and strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Strategic, business, and program management: Application of business and management principles to strategic planning, resource allocation, production methods, coordination of people and resources, strategic planning methodologies, and program assessment techniques, including serving as a change agent to implement and reinforce division and bureau objectives.
State regulation and rulemaking: Knowledge of applicable state regulation and rules governing division programs, as well as support for legislative and administrative rule development, processes, implementation, and compliance, and the ability to adapt to an evolving regulatory and work environment.
Project and technology management: Proficiency in project management principles and methodologies, technology systems development and integration across division sections, translating business requirements into functional IT specifications (including the software development life cycle), managing customer and vendor relationships, and serving as an effective liaison between business stakeholders and IT.
Analytical, problem solving, and data skills: Ability to use both traditional and non-traditional analytical thinking to develop innovative solutions, perform cost/benefit analysis, assess business risks, identify success measures, and work with relational databases to gather, analyze, and present numerical data and configure system features and automation.
Communication, negotiation, and customer service: Strong skills in public speaking and written and verbal communication to technical and nontechnical audiences; effective negotiation and collaboration (rapport building, active listening, distinguishing wants from needs, and influencing through reasoned, tactful, and assertive communication); and delivering high quality customer service while coaching staff to maintain a customer focused approach.
Visual Communication: Skilled in developing professional presentation materials that convey complex information in an accessible and visually compelling manner, ensuring audience understanding and engagement.
Presentation Expertise: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in public settings by delivering clear, engaging, and informative presentations tailored to diverse audiences, including staff, leadership, and external stakeholders.
Demonstrated experience supervising or leading professional staff, including responsibility for recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and coaching to support employee development and organizational effectiveness.
Proven ability to plan, manage, and execute projects or initiatives using structured project management methods to meet defined goals, timelines, and quality standards.
Experience applying strategic planning or continuous improvement approaches to align unit operations with division objectives and enhance efficiency or service outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate with technical or information technology teams to translate business needs into effective system, process, or data solutions.
Experience interpreting and applying state or federal laws, administrative rules, or policies within a regulatory, compliance, or program administration setting.
Proficiency in analyzing data and using metrics, financial information, or risk assessments to guide decision making and evaluate program performance.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey complex or technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences through reports, presentations, or facilitated discussions.

Nice To Haves

A degree in business administration, communications, public administration, strategic management or related degree may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage by inspiring and guiding a diverse, high‑performing project team, ensuring their work drives progress toward the Division’s strategic objectives and goals.
Provide effective leadership by fostering a culture of professionalism and respect, promoting collaboration, resolving conflicts constructively, embracing organizational change, and offering expert guidance and technical support to staff.
Oversee daily operations by proactively addressing operational challenges, optimizing resource use, and strengthening cross‑bureau partnerships to enhance communication, coordination, and continuity of operations.
Plan, organize, and monitor work by clearly setting priorities, streamlining processes, leading purposeful staff meetings, and leveraging data and analytics to advance program, Bureau, and Division goals.
Manage staff by leading recruitment, selection, onboarding, evaluation, and performance management efforts, consistently upholding State and departmental personnel policies and standards.
Develop staff by championing professional growth, coordinating meaningful training opportunities, and aligning development plans with organizational needs and employee aspirations.
Provide project management leadership by driving the Division Road Map and other strategic initiatives, applying sound project management practices, and ensuring alignment with long‑term goals.
Plan and facilitate projects by leading dynamic meetings and workshops, maintaining comprehensive project documentation throughout the life cycle, communicating progress and outcomes effectively, and ensuring resources are used strategically to achieve results.
Collaborate with the Technical Services Division by connecting business needs to innovative IT solutions that enhance efficiency, service delivery, and overall performance.

Benefits

Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.
Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP
Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan
Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73%25 - 9.07%25 of your annual salary. A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness
Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth.
State employee discounts at various businesses across the state.
This position may be eligible for a statutory $1.00 an hour base pay increase effective on July 1, 2026.
This position may be covered by a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)