RHTP Initiative Lead

State of Maine • Augusta, ME

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About The Position

The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a major statewide initiative administered by DHHS, aiming to build a resilient, integrated rural health system that delivers accessible, high-value care and improved outcomes for all Mainers. The RHTP is a grant opportunity administered by CMS that provides $50B to states to transform rural health. Maine was awarded approximately $1B of funding (~$190M/year) across five years to deliver transformative change in rural health. Maine has set forth five key initiatives in the RHTP: Population Health, Workforce, Access, Innovation, and Sustainable Rural Health Ecosystems. Because each of these initiatives involve complex federal requirements, extensive cross-agency coordination, and management of multi-million-dollar contracts and vendor relationships, dedicated Initiative Leads are necessary to maintain compliance, support implementation, and work across a broad set of partners to align “boots on the ground” work with vision of the grant. Candidates hired into these positions will be responsible for managing implementation of all of the activities within the RHTP initiatives mentioned above. The Initiative Leads will work closely with rural health providers and systems, key rural health stakeholders, health programs, vendors, and Maine State employees and programs. Additionally, the Initiative Leads will: Serve as the central coordination point between implementation activities within their assigned initiative(s) and the RHTP management team. Provides strategic direction and alignment for activities for their assigned initiative(s). Provide cross-Departmental direction to and oversight over state staff that are involved with activities under their initiative(s). In partnership with DHHS Office leadership, provide functional support and leadership for activities within some Initiatives, including Access and Sustainable Rural Health Ecosystem. Report to the RHTP Director. DHHS will be hiring up to three (3) candidates to fill Initiative Lead positions within the RHTP that are currently not filled. Candidates should consider which of the open Initiative Lead positions (Population Health, Access, and Sustainable Rural Health Ecosystems) they are best qualified or suited to fill.

Requirements

• A 9-year combination of education, training and experience in public health, 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 healthcare finance, payment reform, hospital operations, program evaluation, managing population-health, behavioral-health initiatives, healthcare analytics, government administration or a related field.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with health care payment models, policy and rural health economics.
• Knowledge of Maine’s health-information environment and provider networks.
• Experience designing , implementing and/or managing alternative payment models.
• Experience with the financing of community-based care models.
• Knowledge of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reporting requirements and State-level health data systems.
• Experience with administration of Medicaid programs and payments/claims systems.
• 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
• Experience managing programs impacting population health.
• 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

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. 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.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($12,845.82 - $15,112.76 annual value), depending on salary.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%.
• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($395.72 annual value).
• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 18.91% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed