Program Manager, Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)

Harris County•Houston, TX

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) program establishes a network of medical and non-medical volunteers to strengthen public health and emergency response by building community resilience and better equipping residents to respond to terrorist attacks and other threats faced by the region. The MRC Program Manager is responsible for enhancing the region's healthcare response capabilities by recruiting healthcare professionals and non-medical volunteers in supporting roles, matching volunteers' skills to address community needs, training volunteers to respond effectively to local emergencies, and improving awareness of individual and community preparedness through outreach and education. Under the supervision of the Community Resilience Manager of the Public Health Preparedness and Response (PHPR) Division, the MRC Program Manager will work closely with the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM), the cities of Harris County, the State MRC program, and the National MRC program developing the mission objectives, recruitment criteria, program documents, training, and exercise programs that will meet the needs for Harris County. This involves the necessary administrative and operational activities associated with the community-based grant program designed to organize and utilize volunteers who want to donate their time and professional skills. This position will supervise the day-to-day activities of the MRC Team, and together they will be responsible for coordinating local MRC volunteers and all activities with the local emergency response plans and teams. The position will be an active member of the incident management team and, as such, will participate in the HCPH all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
At least one (1) year of experience with any of the following: Communications, public speaking, and technical writing
Program planning, implementation, and evaluation
Community engagement, outreach, and volunteer management/organizing community volunteers
Community engagement with faith-based organizations, educational institutions, healthcare, and non-profits
Proficient in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Excellent communication skills (verbal & written)
Ability to maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information
Knowledge of the principles and practice of emergency response planning, training, and exercising
Must possess ability to work effectively and collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders both internal and external
Must have ability to demonstrable leadership skills in previous work experience
Knowledge of volunteer management, recruitment, training, retention and recognition
Ability to conduct presentations and speak in public
Ability to implement program policies, rules, regulations and procedures
Ability to work outside normal business hours (evenings and weekends)

Nice To Haves

Data Analytics and Assessment Skills: Ability to use data to analyze community health needs and support decisions that improve community health outcomes.
Policy Development and Program Planning Skills: This competency focuses on developing, implementing, and improving policies, programs, and services that support effective public health strategies and improve community health outcomes.
Communication Skills: This competency focuses on using clear and effective communication to engage audiences, address misinformation, and build trust, supporting informed decisions and stronger public health outcomes.
Health Advancement Skills: This competency focuses on applying principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to public health, addressing systemic barriers, and promoting fair access to resources for healthier communities.
Community Partnership Skills: This competency focuses on collaborating with communities to address the systems and policies affecting health, fostering engagement, shared ownership, and sustainable improvements in well-being.
Public Health Science Skills: This competency focuses on using public health science and evidence-based approaches to develop and improve policies and programs, ensuring effective delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services.
Management and Finance Skills: This competency focuses on managing human and financial resources, promoting equity and collaboration, and optimizing organizational performance to support effective public health programs.
Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills: This competency focuses on aligning stakeholders, fostering innovation, and managing change to implement effective public health initiatives that strengthen community health.

Responsibilities

Plans, implements and coordinates the ongoing recruitment and program initiatives for medical and non-medical MRC volunteers
Oversees and manages grants, grant applications and reports, as well as program development and evaluation
Identifies opportunities for volunteer activities, and promotes and coordinates volunteer involvement in emergency trainings, drills, exercises, and other volunteer opportunities throughout the area
Develops and maintains the HCPH MRC’s Training and Exercise Plan in conjunction with HCPH PHPR Training and Exercise Team
Maintains a database of Medical Reserve Corps members and verifies volunteer credentials, as well as develops regular reports summarizing MRC membership and activities
Leads PHPR efforts in plan development, policy creation and updating, and program evaluation on a biannual basis for the MRC Program
Maintains a high degree of proficiency within the incident management framework, and other duties as assigned, including special tasks involved in preparing for and responding to an emergency event.