Office of Policy Program Coordinator

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS•Austin, TX

About The Position

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Medicaid and CHIP Services (MCS) division seeks a highly qualified candidate to fill the Office of Policy Program Coordinator position (Program Specialist V). This position is selected by and reports to the Senior Advisor to the Deputy Associate Commissioner (DAC) in the MCS Office of Policy. Staff on this team perform various management and operational efforts, including overseeing DAC correspondence and workload, engaging across divisions to implement leadership directed projects, and providing office-wide legislative coordination. This position is highly visible team member and is responsible for coordinating, routing, and reviewing deliverables and communication essential for the proper functioning of the Office of Policy. Examples include but are not limited to external stakeholder requests, ad-hoc agency leadership requests, and DAC review of office created materials like memos, reports, and presentations. The position will communicate and work directly with the DAC by managing internal correspondence, achieving resolution to high priority issues and requests, and helping distill key summary information required for DAC review. This position fosters coordination within MCS and across other divisions in HHSC to produce high quality work. The selected candidate will have considerable opportunity to learn Office of Policy and MCS processes and is positioned to positively impact the administration of one of the largest Medicaid programs in the country, providing services to over 4 million Texans. In addition to gaining a deep understanding of Texas Medicaid processes, the top applicant will be exposed to domains of expertise for specific offices and teams, the ability to interface with Texas Medicaid leadership, and an exciting and demanding work environment. The job is fast paced, and top candidates must have flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to participate as a member of a supportive team. A key function of this position includes tracking, assigning, and responding to correspondence sent to the DAC mailbox under the supervision and direction of the Senior Advisor. This effort includes proactively identifying subject matter experts (SMEs) with knowledge relevant to specific communication or assignments; relaying direction and guidance to SMEs from the Senior Advisor or DAC; reviewing and proposing edits to responses provided to the DAC that require clarity; and tracking and maintaining status summary of multiple projects, many of which may shift mid-stream based on leadership direction. The Program Coordinator must have strong initiative, excellent communication skills, ability to build and maintain strong professional relationships, excellent organizational skills, be highly reliable, and be able to implement direction and expectations laid out by the Senior Advisor and DAC.

Requirements

Knowledge of government organization and administration.
Interpersonal relationships, including the ability to work with people under pressure, negotiate among multiple parties, resolve conflicts, and establish and maintain effective working relationships with various level personnel in governmental entities.
Skill in synthesizing complicated and technical information and translating it into easily understandable and concise summary information for leadership review and understanding.
Effective writing.
Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
Use of Microsoft Office products.
Work cooperatively as a team member in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment and demonstrated ability to work with people under pressure.
Perform work with a high degree of attention to detail and to problem solve.
Communicate professionally and effectively with all levels of staff.
Exercise judgment and work independently with minimum supervision.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university (each year of related experience may count toward the education requirement); Master’s degree preferred.
Experience or expertise in a field focusing on the delivery of healthcare, public health, state government, project management, social work or other related field.
Excellent written communications as observed by detail and completeness of information provided on the state application.
Experience with developing or overseeing advanced (senior-level) deliverables, reports, or other technical writing work products.

Nice To Haves

Medicaid and CHIP knowledge or experience.

Responsibilities

Manages correspondence to the DAC for the Office of Policy.
Assists in the assignment of work to appropriate Office of Policy SMEs and provides input and technical assistance and guidance to staff.
Develops external communication materials and ensures communication to HHS executive leadership, internal, and external stakeholders is consistent with agency standards.
Exercises discretion and sound judgement in the management of correspondence and special projects.
Identifies potential risks and difficulties and designs strategies to mitigate or avoid them.
Coordinates with team members within the Office of Policy, MCS, and other HHS divisions.
Assists the Senior Advisor and DAC with daily operations and with overseeing a variety of administrative functions and specific initiatives.
Prioritizes, assigns, tracks, monitors, and reports on program initiatives, including federal implementation projects, led by peers throughout the various stages of planning and implementation.
Tracks conference attendance by staff.
Prepares responses to public, stakeholder, and legislative inquiries, and performs legislative bill analysis as assigned.
Develops, reviews, and edits materials and conveys processes, procedures, and agency standards as needed.
Proofreads memos and reports.
Identifies process improvement initiatives for Office of Policy, develops procedures accordingly, and trains Office of Policy staff.
Assists the DAC, DAC team or Senior Advisor with special projects.
This includes back-up for the coordination of open records requests, project governance updates, and communications liaison.
Assists DAC team with operational and technology duties as needed.
Collaborates with other organizational areas within MCS and with other HHS agencies.
Prepares quality research, analysis, and written updates, summaries, and other documents as assigned.
Performs other duties, as assigned.

Benefits

comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
defined benefit pension plan
generous time off benefits
numerous opportunities for career advancement
Excellent health benefits.
Lifetime monthly retirement annuity.
Generous leave benefits.
HHSC is a qualifying organization for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which forgives the remaining balance on college student Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments.
Leadership commitment to invest in and foster your professional growth and career advancement.
Having an impact on the lives of millions of Texans that depend on Texas Medicaid and CHIP throughout Texas.
Exposure to the Texas legislative process and multiple domains of the healthcare delivery system, including managed care, fee-for-service, federal/state Medicaid partnerships and other activities related to the administration of the Medicaid program
Joining a team at the forefront of interpreting, implementing, and developing healthcare policy that has statewide impact.