Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Technical Assistance Coordinator (RHTP TA Coordinator)

Job Description

Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Technical Assistance Coordinator

Basic Job Purpose: The Michigan Center for Rural Health (MCRH), Michigan’s State Office of Rural Health, is seeking a dedicated and skilled professional to serve as the Rural Transformation Technical Assistance Coordinator. This role exists to ensure that rural health providers and organizations across Michigan have the guidance, tools, and hands-on support they need to successfully apply for, and ultimately implement, grant funding available through the State of Michigan’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).

Background relevant to the position: The MI RHTP is a $173 million, five-year investment in rural health system redesign. Funding is deployed through a sub-granting process administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), through which eligible rural entities can apply directly to the State of Michigan. RHTP encompasses more than 25 distinct funding pathways organized across four pillars. Rural organizations have the motivation and the mission to pursue RHTP funding, but many lack the internal capacity to navigate the process. This position was created with this need in mind. The RHTP TA Coordinator will be a trusted partner who can sit alongside rural organizations, helping them articulate their need, shape a compelling project concept, build the right partnerships, develop a sound budget, plan for sustainability, and submit a strong application to MDHHS. The coordinator will work directly with rural stakeholders across the state, providing individualized support throughout the RHTP application process. The goal is to ensure that every eligible rural organization, especially the smallest and most under-resourced, has a genuine opportunity to access RHTP funding and lead meaningful transformation in their community.

Supervision Received: Reports directly to the Director of Programs & Services.

Typical Working Conditions: Hybrid Schedule: One in-office day per week minimum; flexibility considered for exceptional candidates. Statewide travel required for site visits, provider meetings, and partner convenings across Michigan’s rural counties.

Typical Physical Demands:

• Prolonged periods of sitting.
• Ability to hear and communicate within a normal range.
• Ability to prepare reports and operate computer and phone equipment.

Performance Expectations & Core Competencies

• Passion for Rural Communities: Demonstrates genuine commitment to improving health access and equity in Michigan’s rural communities and brings energy and persistence to help under-resourced organizations succeed.
• Technical Assistance Expertise: Skilled at meeting organizations where they are, assessing their readiness, and providing practical, actionable support.
• Grant Navigation & Application Development: Able to guide organizations through the full arc of a grant application, from concept to submission, translating complex state requirements into clear, manageable steps.
• Professional Communication & Relationship Building: Engages rural providers, MDHHS staff, and community stakeholders with clarity, professionalism, and cultural sensitivity. Communicates complex information in accessible terms.
• Project Management: Effectively manages a caseload of organizations at varying stages of readiness, balancing multiple deadlines and competing priorities with follow-through and accountability.
• Customer Service Excellence: Treats every organization and individual with responsiveness and respect, knowing that for many small rural providers, this may be their first experience pursuing state grant funding.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Works cooperatively within MCRH and across external partners to share knowledge, avoid duplication, and advance shared rural health goals.
• Commitment to MCRH: Aligns personal goals and professional conduct with MCRH’s mission, values, and culture.
• Continuous Learning: Actively seeks to deepen knowledge of RHTP pathways, state funding processes, rural health systems, and best practices in technical assistance delivery.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Direct Technical Assistance to Rural Stakeholders: The primary focus of this role is providing hands-on, individualized support to rural organizations applying to MDHHS grant funding opportunities under RHTP. This includes:

Serve as a dedicated TA advisor for rural stakeholders pursuing RHTP sub-grant opportunities through MDHHS.

Conduct organizational readiness assessments to determine where each entity stands and what support they need to develop a competitive application.

Guide organizations through each stage of the application process, including:

• Needs identification and priority setting, helping organizations articulate the specific rural health challenges they are positioned to address
• Project concept development, shaping a clear, compelling, and RHTP-aligned program design
• Partnership development and governance structure, identifying the right collaborators and formalizing roles, responsibilities, and decision-making
• Budget development: building realistic, well-justified budgets that align with state requirements and reflect true project costs
• Narrative writing support, coaching organizations through the writing process, providing feedback on drafts, and helping align language with MDHHS expectations
• Data and evaluation planning: helping organizations identify meaningful outcomes, measures, and data collection approaches
• Sustainability planning: supporting organizations in thinking beyond the grant period to long-term program viability
• Facilitate individual and group technical assistance sessions, including virtual office hours, one-on-one consultations, and in-person site visits.

Coordinate TA outreach to ensure equitable support across the state, with particular attention to smaller, rural, and under-resourced organizations that may face the greatest barriers to participation.

Track all TA engagements, provider needs, and support outcomes using MCRH’s internal systems (including Salesforce), maintaining clear documentation of the organizations served and support provided.

Statewide Engagement & Partnership

Maintain a positive working relationship with MDHHS to stay current on RHTP funding opportunities, application requirements, timelines, and any changes to program guidance.

Represent MCRH and rural provider needs in statewide RHTP-related forums, advisory groups, and coalitions.

Identify emerging barriers and needs among rural providers and communicate findings to MCRH leadership and MDHHS partners to inform program design and policy.

Qualifications & Requirements

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong understanding of rural health systems in Michigan, including the operational, financial, and workforce challenges facing CAHs, RHCs, EMS agencies, FQHCs, behavioral health providers, and community-based organizations.
• Experience navigating state or federal grant application processes, with the ability to translate complex requirements into clear, accessible guidance for diverse organizations. Specific preference for experience with the State of Michigan system, EGrAMS.
• Demonstrated skill in providing technical assistance or coaching to organizations.
• Experience with grant development, including narrative writing, budget development, evaluation planning, and sustainability strategy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to engage effectively with rural providers, state agency staff, and community partners across a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage a caseload of organizations at varying stages, meet deadlines, and maintain organized records.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; comfort with data tracking and reporting platforms (Salesforce experience a plus).
• Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in public health, healthcare administration, health policy, rural health, social work, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of three (2) years of experience in technical assistance, grant development, program management, or community health work.
• Experience working with or on behalf of rural health organizations.
• Familiarity with MDHHS programs, state grant processes, or Michigan’s rural health landscape is a significant advantage.
• Experience in health care or public health settings with multiple partner types (hospitals, clinics, community organizations) is highly valued.

Additional Information: This position is funded for an initial 24-month term (June 2026 – May 2028). In the spirit of transparency, MCRH is committed to being upfront with candidates: this is a term-limited position currently, contingent on available funding. However, it is both MCRH's philosophy and genuine intent to retain high-performing term-limited staff, and the organization actively pursues funding to make that possible. The tools, systems, relationships, and institutional knowledge developed in this role are designed to be lasting contributions to MCRH's statewide technical assistance infrastructure, and so is the person who builds them.

Accommodation: MCRH reserves the right to adjust job duties and responsibilities based on organizational needs.

Compensation & Benefits

MCRH offers a competitive compensation package and a comprehensive suite of benefits, including:

·      92% employer-covered healthcare premium for employees and their families

·      160 hours of paid time off (PTO)

·      8 paid holidays

·      Vision and dental benefits

·      403(b) retirement plan

·      Hybrid work environment

·      Flexible scheduling

·      Summer Friday policy supporting work-life balance

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter, including salary expectations, to Crystal Barter (View email address on ziprecruiter.com) by June 12th. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

This description will be reviewed and updated as needed during the annual performance review process. MCRH is an equal opportunity employer.