Technical Assistance Specialist (Program Technician 2) Oregon Rural Health Collaborative

Department Overview

The Technical Assistance Specialist (Program Technician 2) – Oregon Rural Health Collaborative (ORHC) works as part of the Oregon Office of Rural Health’s (ORH) team to contribute to an 18-month initiative (ending September 30, 2027), funded through the State of Oregon’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). This project will bring together and empower rural Oregon communities across eight regions to build thriving, sustainable health care systems and approaches through expert facilitation, targeted technical assistance (TA) and collaborative regional partnerships. To achieve the project goal, the Technical Assistance Specialist – ORHC will manage activities including: 1) Work with the ORH Program Manager – ORHC to understand the themes that arise out of regional in-person and virtual regional meetings, meant to identify needs, assess strengths, build consensus and develop sustainable models for rural health care delivery; 2) Provide and/or engage contractors to provide TA support to develop viable strategic plans, financial/operational sustainability planning, change management guidance, shared governance models and performance improvement frameworks; and 3) Support regions in developing and submitting grant applications to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) at the end of the RHTP Year 2 to fund collaborative projects that will transform rural health care delivery and support via innovative partnerships to sustain these systems for years to come.

This position works closely with ORH’s teams to provide subject matter expertise, evidence-based support and TA to rural Oregon health care-related organizations in support of RHTP efforts across the state.Remote-first with local presence. This role is remote but highly engaged locally, with ongoing in-state travel.

Function/Duties of Position

Provision of Technical Assistance: Aligned with ORH’s scope of work with OHA for the ORHC project, the TA Specialist is responsible for working with the Program Manager – ORHC and meeting facilitators to assess rural health organizations’ TA needs and develop customized support plans for these groups to support the development of regional rural health transformation plans and grant applications. Responsibilities include:

• Provide or arrange for the provision of expert guidance on strategic plan development, including needs assessments, goal setting and business/implementation planning;
• Support regional partners with grant writing activities, including proposal development, budget preparation and compliance requirements;
• Deliver, or work with subcontractors and ORH staff to deliver, one-on-one coaching and group TA sessions on topics that support regional planning focused on financial, operational, population health and quality improvements and technology solutions that support Oregon’s RHTP goals;
• Deliver, or coordinate with subject matter experts, to deliver peer learning opportunities to rural health care-related organizations;
• Track TA engagement and outcomes;
• Maintain detailed records of TA activities for fund attribution and reporting;
• Ensure proper expense reporting related to the project and tracking detailed expense records for fund attribution; and
• Contribute to the preparation of progress and annual reports on project activities and outcomes. 

Strategic Planning: As needed, advises the Director of Field Services and team members on:

• Developing programming, education and partnerships to support this RHTP initiative; and
• Developing community engagement and partnership strategies. 

Communications, Information-Sharing and Partnerships: Responsible for the following:

• Maintain databases of subject matter experts, TA subcontractors and others that engage with the ORHC project.
• Provide content to update ORH webpages as needed.
• Proactively share information and resources with facility and community contacts.
• Proactively develop and maintain relationships and identify areas for collaboration with others, including facilities, associations, policymakers, and more.
• Contributes to ORH’s newsletter and social media posts.
• Contributes to ORH’s annual report. 

Subject Matter Expertise: As requested, or as independently proposed, this position is responsible for researching topics relevant to regional planning for RHTP initiatives. The TA Specialist is also responsible for monitoring and providing updates to ORH staff and rural constituents on policy relevant to the Oregon RHTP. 

 

Organization and Team Support: ORH’s success relies heavily on internal collaboration and a teamwork environment. As such, there is the expectation that other duties may be assigned in ad