Planning and Health Improvement Associate

Job Description

MEMBER DETAILS

Term of Service: 10/19/2026 to 06/25/2027 (36 weeks)

Slot Type and Minimum Service Hours: Half Time; 900 Hours, 27 hours per week on average

Living Allowance: $11,000 disbursed in equal bi-weekly increments across service term

Educational Award: $3697.50 awarded upon successful completion of hours at the end of service term.

POSITION DETAILS

Host Site: Ingham County Health Department

Position Title: Planning and Health Improvement Associate

Reports To: Anne Barna, Deputy Health Officer - Administration

ABOUT THE HOST SITE

The Ingham County Health Department (ICHD) is a local public health agency serving the residents and communities of Ingham County, Michigan. ICHD works to protect, improve, and advocate for the health and well-being of the community by addressing the conditions that allow all people to achieve their best possible health. The Health Department provides a broad range of public health and health care services, including disease prevention and control, environmental health, maternal and child health, health promotion, community health planning and partnerships, emergency preparedness, and accessible primary health care through Ingham Community Health Centers. ICHD works collaboratively with residents, community organizations, health care providers, schools, local governments, and other partners to identify community needs, address health inequities, and create healthier and more equitable communities.

MEMBER IMPACT

As part of its commitment to continuous improvement and community-centered public health, ICHD is undertaking strategic planning to establish priorities and guide its work for the future. An AmeriCorps Member supporting this effort will have an opportunity to contribute to meaningful organizational and community change while gaining hands-on experience in public health planning, community engagement, data-informed decision-making, and cross-sector collaboration.

POSITION DETAILS

Responsibilities

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• Support the development, implementation, and monitoring of the health department's strategic plan.
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• Assist with coordinating strategic planning meetings, workgroups, staff engagement activities, and community engagement opportunities.
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• Collect, organize, and summarize community health, organizational, and environmental data to inform strategic priorities.
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• Conduct research and environmental scans related to emerging public health issues, community needs, health disparities, and promising practices.
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• Assist with developing and administering staff and community surveys, focus groups, listening sessions, and other engagement activities.
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• Analyze and summarize feedback from staff, community members, and partners and identify common themes and potential areas for action.
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• Assist in translating strategic priorities into measurable goals, objectives, strategies, action steps, and performance measures.
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• Develop and maintain tracking tools to monitor strategic plan implementation and progress.
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• Prepare presentations, reports, data summaries, infographics, and other materials to communicate strategic planning findings and progress.
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• Research strategic planning and organizational improvement practices used by other local and state health departments.
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• Assist with identifying opportunities to strengthen collaboration across health department programs and branches.
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• Support efforts to align strategic planning with quality improvement, performance management, health equity, community health assessment, and public health accreditation activities.
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• Participate in health department meetings, professional development activities, and other learning opportunities that build knowledge and skills in governmental public health.
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• Perform other duties and special projects that support organizational effectiveness and community health improvement.
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Minimum Knowledge and Skills

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• Ability to collect, organize, research, and summarize information from a variety of sources.
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• Basic ability to work with data and identify trends or themes.
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• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
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• Ability to create professional documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and other materials using Microsoft Office or similar software.
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• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple assignments, priorities, and deadlines.
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• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a diverse team.
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• Ability to communicate respectfully and effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
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• Ability to participate in and support meetings, focus groups, surveys, and other staff or community engagement activities.
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Desired Knowledge and Skills

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• Knowledge of basic public health concepts and an interest in governmental public health, community health, strategic planning, or organizational improvement.
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• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and information synthesis skills.
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• Ability to analyze information from multiple sources and identify themes, trends, gaps, and opportunities.
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• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present information clearly to diverse audiences.
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• Ability to facilitate or support group discussions and incorporate diverse perspectives into planning activities.
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• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or similar software, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
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• Ability to conduct research, evaluate information from credible sources, and summarize findings.
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• Ability to work collaboratively, demonstrate initiative, adapt to changing priorities, and build positive relationships with staff, community partners, and stakeholders.
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• Demonstrated interest in public health, community engagement, health equity, strategic planning, or organizational improvement.
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Service Conditions:

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• Hybrid schedule: remote on Monday, Thursday, or Friday, In-Person on Tuesday or Wednesday
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• In-person location: 5303 S Cedar St. Lansing, MI 48911
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• Position will be provided with a laptop computer with Microsoft Office Suite and Canva.
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• In-person environment: a shared office space
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• Members are required to have reliable transportation
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Service Schedule:

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• Exact schedule is flexible: 27 hours per week with at least 1 in person day; remaining weekly hours may be completed via teleservice.
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• Members are required to participate and attend monthly ICHD Public Health AmeriCorps professional development, quarterly ICHD AmeriCorps professional development, participate in events including national service days, and regional and local service projects
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• Sick or personal days are allowed, but members lose possible days to earn the required number of hours needed to successfully complete the term of service. There are additional benefits offered if the member has a compelling personal circumstance
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AMERICORPS PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

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• Participate in monthly ICHD PHA AmeriCorps Training and Professional Development in topics like grant-writing and resume development
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• Participate in National Days of Service (9/11 Day of Service, MLK Day of Service, Russ Mawby Regional Day of Service, Youth Volunteer Day)
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• Attend AmeriCorps orientation at the Ingham County Health Department
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• All members will participate in an end of service performance evaluation
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• All members will be required to submit bi-weekly time sheets, quarterly data reports, and all other data tasks requested by the Host Site
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Public Health AmeriCorps Members should possess:

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• a desire and ability to work with a diverse group of people;
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• a willingness to learn and serve others;
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• an ability to work independently and in a team environment successfully, and
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• strong organizational, writing, and oral communication skills, and a high attention to detail
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AmeriCorps Program Eligibility

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• be 17 years or older at the start of service (no upper age limit)
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• be a U.S. citizen, U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien
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• Agree to and pass a national service criminal history check with eligibility verification in accordance with 45 CFR 2540.202.
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AmeriCorps Commitment and Benefits

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• Loan forbearance and interest repayment available for eligible loans
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• End of Service Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50
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• 80 hours (2 weeks) of personal leave during service term, provided hours are on pace for completion
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• $100 monthly Meijer food gift card for each month of service (up to $900 total)
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• $25 per month allowance for mileage reimbursement during each month of service for service related travel
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• Up to $182 available in professional development funds
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• Member Assistance Program (link to learn more)
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• Hands-on experience in Public Health
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Host Site - Professional Development and Training:

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• The member will have the opportunity to attend professional development opportunities and trainings such as webinars, meetings, and other trainings as available.
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