Technical Assistance (TA) Specialist (Program Manager)

The Technical Assistance (TA) Specialist will serve as a primary liaison between HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Development (BHWD) grantees, their HRSA Project Officers (POs) and BHE-TAC. The TA Specialist will provide consistent communication, responsive implementation support, and subject-matter expertise to help grantees successfully execute their HRSA-funded projects. This role is central to the TA Center's mission of building capacity, improving grant performance, and ensuring alignment with HRSA's expectations and priorities.

Key Responsibilities
Grantee Support & Technical Assistance (70%)
* Provide individualized and small-group technical assistance (TA) to BHWD grantees for a dedicated program portfolio (i.e. BHWET Pro, BHWET Para, GPE, AMF, OIFSP, and/or ISTP).
* Support grantees in implementing grant activities, including workplan development, budgeting, evaluation, reporting, and compliance with HRSA requirements.
* Facilitate connections among grantees through peer-to-peer mentoring, office hours, and learning collaboratives.
* Assist with conducting a TA priority scan or needs assessments to determine prioritization of TA services tailored to grantees' program, discipline, and geographic context.
* Develop TA and work with grantees and their PO regarding practical resources, toolkits, and guidance documents to address common challenges (e.g., recruitment/retention, supervision/licensure, NPI collection, experiential learning placements).
Communication & Coordination (20%)
* Serve as the primary communication link between grantees, HRSA POs and BHE-TAC to ensure alignment and clarity.
* Participate in HRSA PO bi-monthly calls, capturing trends and emerging needs for follow-up TA.
* Maintain consistent documentation of TA requests, activities, and outcomes in the TA Center's tracking system.
* Support HRSA POs in monitoring grantee progress by providing feedback on implementation challenges and solutions.
Expertise & Resource Development (10%)
* Contribute subject-matter expertise in behavioral health workforce development.
* In coordination with SMEs, develop and deliver universal TA offerings, including webinars, workshops, QuickLearns, and/or other materials and resources.
* Collaborate with TA Center staff to maintain an up-to-date library of resources, ensuring integration with existing federal and partner materials.

Core Competencies
* Relationship building and stakeholder engagement
* Cultural humility and ability to work with diverse communities
* Problem-solving and solution-oriented approach
* Organizational skills and attention to detail
* Flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic environment

Working Conditions
* This position may require occasional travel to grantee sites or HRSA meetings (approx. 10-15%).
* Work may be performed remotely, with regular virtual communication and team collaboration.

• May exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 FTE or equivalent employees

• Monitors the unit or program budget and approves program expenditures

• Determines outreach program needs and the personnel resource allocation plan

• Develops and implements operating policies and procedures to promote the outreach program in alignment with the strategic plan

• Reviews recommendations for and provides input on the design and development of new outreach programs or services

• Supervises the implementation of outreach-program-focused strategic planning initiatives and objectives

At the Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies (CHESS), we are committed to turning research findings into solutions that benefit individuals, families, and communities. Our efforts ranges from improving quality of life for older adults to supporting behavioral health professionals working in addiction and mental health prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

CHESS uses technology to enhance the healthcare journey for patients and their families. Whether we're offering support during treatment, facilitating communication with professionals, or providing tools for coping and resilience, our innovative approaches empower individuals in their health journeys.

The typical starting salary for this position will $80,000 for experienced candidates. Actual pay will depend on experience and qualifications. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays and paid time off; competitive insurance and saving accounts; and retirement benefits.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in workforce development, behavioral health, training, or technical assistance

• Demonstrated experience providing TA or training to organizations, faculty, or program administrators

• Strong knowledge of federal grants management, reporting requirements, and compliance

• Knowledge of recruitment and retention strategies, supervision/licensure processes, or interprofessional training

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with ability to engage diverse stakeholders

• Experience facilitating virtual meetings, webinars, or workshops

• Familiarity with HRSA programs and Behavioral Health Workforce Development (BHWD) initiatives

• Experience working with academic institutions, health care providers, or community-based organizations

• Ability to analyze data and use it to inform TA strategies

• Proficiency in Smartsheets, AirTable, MS Teams, or other collaboration platforms

Required: Bachelor's degree in public health, social work, psychology, counseling, education, or a related field.

Preferred: Master's degree in public health, social work, psychology, counseling, education, or a related field.

Submit cover letter, and resume. In your cover letter, share how you meet the qualifications of this position. Please note, there is only one attachment field. You must upload all of your documents in the attachment field.

Dave Kantor, dkantor@wisc.edu

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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