Food & Benefits Program Assistant Manager

Harris County; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) seeks a Food and Benefits Assistant Manager to support day-to-day operations of the Food and Benefits Access Program, coordinating food distribution, benefits enrollment, and referral pathways. You will collaborate with the Food and Benefits Program Manager and engage internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful outcomes.

The role emphasizes leadership of staff, program performance monitoring, budget awareness, and continuous improvement in service

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a related field.
• Minimum two years of supervisory/leadership experience.
• Experience with budgeting, grant, and contract management is preferred.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge of public health practices, especially with vulnerable populations.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the day-to-day management and oversight of the Food and Benefits Access Program, including food distribution and benefits enrollment activities.
• Provide leadership and supervision to direct reports; set expectations and coach performance.
• Monitor program performance, track outputs/outcomes, and address issues affecting service delivery.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen access services.
• Assist with data collection, reporting, and routine program summaries for leadership and stakeholders.
• Assist with budget, grant, and contract management; track expenditures and deliverables.
• Support planning, evaluation, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Data Analytics

Communication

Public Health

Teamwork in diverse environment

MS Office Suite

Confidentiality

Leadership/ supervision

Critical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Nutrition, Business, Social Work, or related field

Job description

If you’re looking to be a part of a collaborative environment where your skills can make an impact, explore our current opportunities in creating a better future for public health.

About Harris County Public Health

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) includes a network of more than 1,100 public health professionals working together to improve health outcomes for the third most populous county in the United States. HCPH provides a multitude of services such as medical and dental services, community programming, and health education for the approximately 2.3 million people in unincorporated Harris County. Through its core values of innovation, engagement, and health equity, HCPH strives to bring meaningful solutions to public health issues while keeping Harris County healthy and vibrant.

Our Values:

• Transparency - We share information openly and honestly so that staff, partners, and the community understand our actions and the reasons behind them.
• Integrity - Our actions reflect strong ethical principles, ensuring we remain trustworthy, accountable, and consistent with our mission.
• Respect - We foster a supportive environment by valuing diverse perspectives, listening intentionally, and treating people with dignity in every interaction.
• Impact - We focus our efforts on activities that improve health, reduce disparities, and create meaningful, measurable outcomes for the communities we serve.
• Collaboration - We actively partner across teams, disciplines, organizations, and communities to align our efforts toward common goals.

Position Overview:

The Food and Benefits Assistant Manager will support day-to-day activities and provide operational and administrative oversight of the three primary program service areas in collaboration with the Food and Benefits Program Manager: food distribution; development and implementation of screening and referral pathways to address food insecurity; and public benefits enrollment and resource navigation services provided through the HCPH Connect team. The Assistant Manager will also assist in the assessment, planning, and implementation of all of the Food and Benefits Access operations and work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to foster strong professional relationships to ensure achievement of intended outcomes.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Assist with the day-to-day management and operational oversight of the Food and Benefits Access Program, supporting the planning, coordination, implementation, and execution of food distribution and public benefits enrollment activities in alignment with program goals, organizational priorities, policies, and contractual requirements. Directly covers all program operations in the absence of the Program Manager.
• Provide leadership, supervision, and ongoing guidance to direct reports; establish clear expectations, monitor performance and work assignments, provide coaching and feedback, and hold staff accountable for achieving program goals, performance standards, and assigned responsibilities.
• Monitor program performance and service delivery, including tracking key activities, outputs, outcomes, and performance measures for benefits enrollment initiatives. Work with program leadership to address any issues impacting program performance and/or service delivery.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen food and benefits access services and promote strategic alignment across programs.
• Assist with data collection, management, and reporting, ensuring program data is accurately and confidentially collected, entered, maintained, and compiled. Prepare routine program reports, summaries, and presentations to provide to HCPH leadership and appropriate internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• Assist with budget, grant, and contract management activities. Monitor and track program expenditures and deliverables and maintain supporting documentation.
• Support Program Manager in planning, evaluation, compliance, and continuous improvement. Assess program effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement to support optimal program performance and service delivery.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call [phone] or email [e-mail].

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Nutrition, Business, Social Work, or related field.

Experience:

• At least two (2) years of supervisory/leadership experience with hands-on experience in personnel management, budget planning, and fiscal control.

Licensure/Certifications:

• Valid Texas Driver's License upon hire.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of public health practice, especially as it relates to working with vulnerable or underserved populations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and foster teamwork in a diverse environment.
• Self-directed with a high degree of critical thinking, independent judgment, problem solving ability.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, ability to multi-task, and adjust priorities as needed.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Teams).
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information.

Core Competencies:

• Data Analytics and Assessment Skills: Ability to use data to analyze community health needs and support decisions that improve community health outcomes.
• Communication Skills: This competency focuses on using clear and effective communication to engage audiences, address misinformation, and build trust, supporting informed decisions and stronger public health outcomes.
• Health Advancement Skills: This competency focuses on applying principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to public health, addressing systemic barriers, and promoting fair access to resources for healthier communities.
• Community Partnership Skills: This competency focuses on collaborating with communities to address the systems and policies affecting health, fostering engagement, shared ownership, and sustainable improvements in well‑being.
• Public Health Science Skills: This competency focuses on using public health science and evidence‑based approaches to develop and improve policies and programs, ensuring effective delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• This is a full‑time position.
• Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.
• Must be willing to flex work hours when required, including weekends.
• Able to travel within Harris County as needed.

Work Environment:

• This position operates in both a professional & community environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

• This role requires the ability to lift, carry, push, pull up to 20 pounds and bending & standing for periods at a time.

Work Location:

• Harris County Public Health: Health Prevention & Coordinated Care Division - 1111 Fannin St. Houston, Texas. 77002.