Program Manager, Pathway Initiatives & Volunteer Opportunities

The Salvation Army•Oakland, CA

About The Position

Job Description Summary: This position provides leadership and strategic oversight for institutional pathway initiatives designed to expand access to healthcare careers for underrepresented youth. These include internship programs, conferences, field trips, and school visits. This position is responsible for developing, executing, and evaluating multi-year pathway strategies that align with university priorities, workforce development needs, and health equity goals. The role includes oversight of complex programs, volunteer engagement systems, external partnerships, and grant-funded initiatives. This position manages cross-departmental initiatives, and ensures measurable outcomes that support institutional mission, enrollment goals, and community impact. Duties and Responsibilities: Job Duties and Accountabilities: An Asterisk () denotes an “essential job function” for ADA purposes. Program Management: Oversee the development and implementation of pathway programs designed to engage underrepresented youth in healthcare career exploration. This includes coordinating workshops, field trips, career fairs, mentorship opportunities, and educational resources. This position will also oversee grant programs related to pathway building and health equity. 45% Volunteer Coordination & Strategy Building: Develop and oversee a university-wide volunteer engagement strategy that supports curricular and co-curricular learning, community engagement, and institutional service goals. Build sustainable systems for recruitment, training, deployment, and recognition of volunteers. Provide consultation to academic programs seeking to integrate volunteer or community engagement components. Supervise volunteer cohorts during CCE/EHI events and serve as a subject-matter expert on effective volunteer utilization. 30% Community Partnership Building: Cultivate and strengthen partnerships with community organizations, schools (including Community Colleges), and healthcare institutions to build pathways that support youth engagement in healthcare careers and promote diversity in the healthcare workforce. This includes working in collaboration with the SMU Office of Admissions to build solid pipelines for future SMU students who are underrepresented in the healthcare field. This position also involves the coordination of internal groups, including student clubs whose missions involve pathway building, to align with the CCE/EHI’s and the broader university’s mission around pathway building. 15% Program Evaluation: Track and assess program outcomes, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, and providing regular updates on progress to stakeholders. 5% Other duties as assigned 5% Skills and Abilities: Program Management: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple pathway programs and ensure their successful execution. Volunteer Management: Experience recruiting, training, and managing volunteers, with the ability to create a positive and productive environment for volunteers; think strategically about volunteer engagement strategy. Youth Engagement: Ability to engage with underrepresented youth, fostering relationships and providing support for career exploration and professional development. Community Partnership Building: Strong networking and relationship-building skills to cultivate partnerships with schools, community organizations, and healthcare institutions/community clinics. Event Coordination: Experience planning and coordinating events, ensuring smooth logistics and positive participant experiences. Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively work with youth, volunteers, community partners, and stakeholders. Cultural Responsiveness: Deep understanding of the challenges faced by underrepresented youth in pursuing healthcare careers and a commitment to equity. Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Ability to think creatively and strategically to overcome challenges and enhance the effectiveness of programs. Education and/or Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in public health or a related degree is required, with a minimum of five years of experience. Master’s degree preferred. Experience in community education and outreach, pathway building, program planning and evaluation, and a thorough understanding of health equity issues required. Leadership experience as a program or project director Experience with grant management and reporting. Physical Efforts: Physical ability to lift 25 pounds Employee Status: Regular Exemption Status: United States of America (Exempt) Time Type: Full time Job Shift: Pay Range: $88k to $95k annually Samuel Merritt University currently provides base salary ranges for all positions-on job advertisements-in the United States based on local requirements. Individual compensation will ultimately be determined based on a variety of relevant factors including but-not limited to qualifications, geographic location, and other relevant skills. SMU is a health sciences institution offering high-quality instruction, outstanding faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities. We have a deep commitment and proven track record of preparing professionals to address today’s healthcare needs. Our Mission We educate students to become highly skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals who positively transform the experience of care in diverse communities. Our Vision Samuel Merritt University will become nationally recognized as a premier, multi-specialty health sciences institution. Expert faculty and staff will shape an inclusive learning environment where all students experience best teaching practices and state-of-the-art learning approaches. The University will select and support students who will flourish in the rigorous academic programs, learn to practice expertly, and pass licensure or certifications examinations on their first attempt. Our Philosophy of Teaching and Learning We see faculty and students as partners in the teaching and learning process. Our programs, curricula, and courses are designed to encourage active, experiential learning as well as collegial, scholarly, and effective communications. We believe that clinical and practical applications, including interprofessional education, provide a critical foundation for learning in the health professions. SMU graduates use sound reasoning, evidence-based care, and clinical expertise to respond to the needs of the people they serve. Community and Diversity We're more than a top health professions university. SMU is committed to training students in the importance of social determinants of health and how to care for patients from diverse backgrounds with integrity and compassion. Our Values If you're interested in transforming the care experience in diverse communities, SMU could be the place for you. SMU students learn to advance health equity and make a lasting impact on individuals' health and community well-being. At the core of our educational values are hands-on, experiential learning; the promotion of diversity and inclusion; and community-service outreach, locally and globally. We embrace: A learning environment where we challenge ourselves and our students to think critically, seek mastery, and act compassionately A collegial environment where we are fair, respectful, and behave with integrity A collaborative environment where we partner with one another and with others in the community An innovative environment where we take reasoned risks and move nimbly A results-oriented environment where we provide and expect exceptional performance and service The Employee Polygraph Protection Act prohibits most private employers from using lie detector tests either for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment. Details can be found on our website at: https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/employee-polygraph-protection-act

Requirements

Program Management: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple pathway programs and ensure their successful execution.
Volunteer Management: Experience recruiting, training, and managing volunteers, with the ability to create a positive and productive environment for volunteers; think strategically about volunteer engagement strategy.
Youth Engagement: Ability to engage with underrepresented youth, fostering relationships and providing support for career exploration and professional development.
Community Partnership Building: Strong networking and relationship-building skills to cultivate partnerships with schools, community organizations, and healthcare institutions/community clinics.
Event Coordination: Experience planning and coordinating events, ensuring smooth logistics and positive participant experiences.
Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively work with youth, volunteers, community partners, and stakeholders.
Cultural Responsiveness: Deep understanding of the challenges faced by underrepresented youth in pursuing healthcare careers and a commitment to equity.
Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Ability to think creatively and strategically to overcome challenges and enhance the effectiveness of programs.
Bachelor’s Degree in public health or a related degree is required, with a minimum of five years of experience.
Experience in community education and outreach, pathway building, program planning and evaluation, and a thorough understanding of health equity issues required.
Leadership experience as a program or project director
Experience with grant management and reporting.
Physical ability to lift 25 pounds

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee the development and implementation of pathway programs designed to engage underrepresented youth in healthcare career exploration.
Coordinate workshops, field trips, career fairs, mentorship opportunities, and educational resources.
Oversee grant programs related to pathway building and health equity.
Develop and oversee a university-wide volunteer engagement strategy that supports curricular and co-curricular learning, community engagement, and institutional service goals.
Build sustainable systems for recruitment, training, deployment, and recognition of volunteers.
Provide consultation to academic programs seeking to integrate volunteer or community engagement components.
Supervise volunteer cohorts during CCE/EHI events and serve as a subject-matter expert on effective volunteer utilization.
Cultivate and strengthen partnerships with community organizations, schools (including Community Colleges), and healthcare institutions to build pathways that support youth engagement in healthcare careers and promote diversity in the healthcare workforce.
Work in collaboration with the SMU Office of Admissions to build solid pipelines for future SMU students who are underrepresented in the healthcare field.
Coordinate of internal groups, including student clubs whose missions involve pathway building, to align with the CCE/EHI’s and the broader university’s mission around pathway building.
Track and assess program outcomes, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, and providing regular updates on progress to stakeholders.
Other duties as assigned