Program Manager, Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)

Harris County; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris County Public Health seeks a Program Manager for the Medical Reserve Corps to strengthen regional healthcare response through volunteer recruitment, training, and community education. This grant-funded role collaborates with PHPR, HCOHSEM, and local partners to meet community needs and improve emergency preparedness.

The position oversees day-to-day MRC activities, develops mission objectives, and ensures compliance with grant requirements while coordinating with multiple stakeholders to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Experience in communications, program planning, and volunteer management.
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to train and engage volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Plan and coordinate recruitment and initiatives for MRC volunteers.
• Oversee grants, reports, and program development.
• Coordinate volunteer trainings, drills, exercises, and community outreach.
• Develop training and exercise plans with PHPR team.
• Maintain volunteer credential database and regular activity reports.
• Lead policy updates and program evaluation for the MRC Program.
• Collaborate with emergency managers and local partners in incident response.

Skills

MS Office

Public speaking

Technical writing

Volunteer management

Communication

Leadership

Emergency planning

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job description

Position 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.

This is a grant-funded position.

Position Overview

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) program establishes a network of medical and non-medical volunteers to strengthen public health and emergency response by building community resilience and better equipping residents to respond to terrorist attacks and other threats faced by the region. The MRC Program Manager is responsible for enhancing the region's healthcare response capabilities by recruiting healthcare professionals and non-medical volunteers in supporting roles, matching volunteers' skills to address community needs, training volunteers to respond effectively to local emergencies, and improving awareness of individual and community preparedness through outreach and education. Under the supervision of the Community Resilience Manager of the Public Health Preparedness and Response (PHPR) Division, the MRC Program Manager will work closely with the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM), the cities of Harris County, the State MRC program, and the National MRC program developing the mission objectives, recruitment criteria, program documents, training, and exercise programs that will meet the needs for Harris County. This involves the necessary administrative and operational activities associated with the community-based grant program designed to organize and utilize volunteers who want to donate their time and professional skills. This position will supervise the day-to-day activities of the MRC Team, and together they will be responsible for coordinating local MRC volunteers and all activities with the local emergency response plans and teams. The position will be an active member of the incident management team and, as such, will participate in the HCPH all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Plans, implements and coordinates the ongoing recruitment and program initiatives for medical and non-medical MRC volunteers
• Oversees and manages grants, grant applications and reports, as well as program development and evaluation
• Identifies opportunities for volunteer activities, and promotes and coordinates volunteer involvement in emergency trainings, drills, exercises, and other volunteer opportunities throughout the area
• Develops and maintains the HCPH MRC’s Training and Exercise Plan in conjunction with HCPH PHPR Training and Exercise Team
• Maintains a database of Medical Reserve Corps members and verifies volunteer credentials, as well as develops regular reports summarizing MRC membership and activities
• Leads PHPR efforts in plan development, policy creation and updating, and program evaluation on a biannual basis for the MRC Program
• Maintains a high degree of proficiency within the incident management framework, and other duties as assigned, including special tasks involved in preparing for and responding to an emergency event.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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

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.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university

Experience

• At least one (1) year of experience with any of the following:
  • Communications, public speaking, and technical writing
  • Program planning, implementation, and evaluation
  • Community engagement, outreach, and volunteer management/organizing community volunteers
  • Community engagement with faith-based organizations, educational institutions, healthcare, and non-profits

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Proficient in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Excellent communication skills (verbal & written)
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information
• Knowledge of the principles and practice of emergency response planning, training, and exercising
• Must possess ability to work effectively and collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders both internal and external
• Must have ability to demonstrable leadership skills in previous work experience
• Knowledge of volunteer management, recruitment, training, retention and recognition
• Ability to conduct presentations and speak in public
• Ability to implement program policies, rules, regulations and procedures
• Ability to work outside normal business hours (evenings and weekends)

Core Competencies

• Data Analytics and Assessment Skills: Ability to use data to analyze community health needs and support decisions that improve community health outcomes.
• Policy Development and Program Planning Skills: This competency focuses on developing, implementing, and improving policies, programs, and services that support effective public health strategies and 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.
• Management and Finance Skills: This competency focuses on managing human and financial resources, promoting equity and collaboration, and optimizing organizational performance to support effective public health programs.
• Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills: This competency focuses on aligning stakeholders, fostering innovation, and managing change to implement effective public health initiatives that strengthen community health.

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.

General Information

Position Type, and Typical Hours of Work

• Full-Time | Grant Funded
• Monday – Friday | 8 am – 5 pm
• Others days and hours as necessary.
• May be required to work long and irregular hours, including weekends and holidays.

Work Environment

• This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. Recruitment, response, outreach, training, and exercise activities could be outdoors or in a warehouse with various public health response equipment, partners, and volunteers. Work will require initiative and good judgment regarding the office's programmatic activities. Work in many disaster response environments, including outdoors during potentially stressful emergencies. Must be able to perform duties assigned during emergencies competently. Must be able to adapt to other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to work extended hours for a minimum of 96 hours. The incumbent must be able to work in the field when required. Persons in this position frequently lift, carry, push and pull objects weighing up to 10 lbs. They also occasionally move objects weighing up to 20 lbs., and sometimes, but rarely, up to 50 lbs.

Work Location

• Harris County Public Health (1111 Fannin, Houston, 77002)