RHTP Initiative Lead

State of Maine•Augusta, ME

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a major statewide initiative administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), aiming to build a resilient, integrated rural health system that delivers accessible, high-value care and improved outcomes for all Mainers. This program is a grant opportunity administered by CMS, providing $50B to states for rural health transformation, with Maine receiving approximately $1B over five years. The RHTP focuses on five key initiatives: Population Health, Workforce, Access, Innovation, and Sustainable Rural Health Ecosystems. Dedicated Initiative Leads are essential for these initiatives due to complex federal requirements, extensive cross-agency coordination, and the management of multi-million-dollar contracts and vendor relationships. Candidates in these positions will be responsible for managing the implementation of all activities within their assigned RHTP initiatives. Initiative Leads will collaborate closely with rural health providers and systems, key rural health stakeholders, academic and health training programs, vendors, and Maine State employees and programs. They will serve as the central coordination point between implementation activities and the RHTP management team, provide strategic direction and alignment for their assigned initiatives, and offer cross-Departmental direction and oversight to state staff involved in these activities. In partnership with DHHS Office leadership, they will also provide functional support and leadership for activities within certain initiatives, including Access and Sustainable Rural Health Ecosystem. This position reports to the RHTP Director. DHHS is specifically hiring one candidate for the Workforce Initiative Lead position within the RHTP.

Requirements

A 9-year combination of education, training and experience in public health, workforce development, health administration, economics, healthcare administration, community-health administration, epidemiology, biostatistics, public policy or related field.
Experience must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience in health workforce development, program evaluation, managing population-health, behavioral-health initiatives, healthcare analytics, government administration or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Deep knowledge and experience with health care workforce issues, especially in Maine and especially in rural areas.
Familiarity with health care payment models, policy and rural health economics.
Knowledge of Maine’s health ecosystem and provider networks.
Knowledge of regulatory and licensing requirements for various health career pathways.
Familiarity with academic and clinical training programs related to the health workforce.
Proven track record of working within and leading collaboratives.
Experience managing complex, multi-project portfolios with competing priorities.
Experience with federally funded programs, including compliance and reporting.
Experience supporting program evaluation, data collection, and performance monitoring.
Knowledge of health care systems serving rural populations and health system budgets.
Experience leading/contributing to federally funded healthcare transformation projects.
Experience managing cross-cutting initiatives, including facilitation of and coordination across different interest groups.
Strong project management experience.
Vendor procurement and contract management expertise.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and implementation of activities within an assigned initiative.
Oversee contracts, vendors, and programs for each activity.
Develop project plans, timelines, and implementation plans.
Monitor contractor and vendor performance and compliance with 2 CFR Part 200.
Provide leadership and operational oversight of all initiative activities.
Identify risks, operational barriers, and opportunities for improvement.
Ensure initiative activities align with RHTP strategic goals and federal requirements.
Coordinate within and across DHHS Offices and other State of Maine Departments and Offices regarding activities within an initiative.
Represent RHTP on interdepartmental workforce committees and task forces, including the RHTP Advisory Committee.
Facilitate information sharing, data integration, and consistent reporting among partners.
Build and maintain partnerships as needed with internal and external partners like hospitals, rural providers, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies, educational institutions, and community organizations.
Coordinate with partners to align policies, program activities, and reporting requirements.
Support the analysis and reporting of data, and outcomes pertaining to each activity under an initiative, including the identification and development of metrics.
Use data, dashboards, and vendor/staff reports to monitor outcomes and inform decisions.
Prepare reports, briefings, and updates as requested for RHTP leadership, legislators, and federal partners.
Support continuous quality improvement, performance monitoring, and data-informed planning.

Benefits

Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually.
Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($12,845.82 - $15,112.76 annual value), depending on salary for Health Insurance Coverage.
Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%.
The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($395.72 annual value).
The State contributes the equivalent of 18.91% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).
All employees who are welcoming a child—including non-birthing and adoptive parents—receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave.
Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness.
Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.