Director, Rural Health Initiatives

A.T. Still University's Arizona School of Health Sciences

. Drive operational ownership, project roadmaps, and execution for KCOM’s broader rural health portfolio .

Posted 9/15/2026full-timeKirksville • Missouri • United StatesLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in healthcare operations, grant development, and health policy advocacy, with a strong focus on rural health initiatives and community partnerships. Proven ability to manage complex projects, synthesize operational data, and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Grant DevelopmentHealth Policy AdvocacyProject ManagementHealthcare AdministrationStrategic Communication

ATS Keywords

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Hard Skills

Grant WritingPolicy AnalysisBudget Impact ModelingCost-Benefit AnalysisFeasibility AssessmentHealthcare OperationsRural Care Delivery SystemsFinancial ComplianceProject Portfolio ExecutionStatistical Analysis

Soft Skills

Exceptional Written CommunicationConceptual ThinkingInitiative PlanningConsensus BuildingPublic Speaking

Tools & Technologies

Microsoft OfficeGoogle WorkspaceZoom

Industry Keywords

Rural HealthHealthcare LegislationMedical Education PathwaysCommunity-Based Health InitiativesAlumni Engagement

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Drive operational ownership, project roadmaps, and execution for KCOM’s broader rural health portfolio
Support rural clerkship and residency pipeline expansion, curricular enhancements, and community-based health initiatives
Partner with University Advancement and Alumni Relations to mobilize alumni, secure preceptors and clinical training sites, and develop mentorship opportunities for osteopathic medical students
Translate regional readiness assessments and Hub operational data into competitive extramural grant applications and RFP responses
Develop grant and contract proposals to secure external funding for College rural health priorities
Monitor state and federal rural health legislation, CMS regulatory shifts, and Medicaid payment transformation
Deliver executive recommendations and risk assessments based on health policy analysis
Lead state and federal healthcare advocacy initiatives
Conduct a feasibility study for establishing a Center for Rural Health
Assess regional health needs, organizational models, revenue streams, sustainability strategies, and institutional frameworks
Provide administrative guidance, operational backup, and coverage to the RHTP Hub 16 Program Director
Maintain Leadership Board meeting distribution schedules, official decision logs, Community Information Exchange closed-loop referral monitoring, and State Stage Gate reporting deliverables
Develop and strengthen community partnerships across northeast Missouri and beyond
Synthesize initiative outcomes, draft policy briefs, shape conference presentations and posters, and support manuscript development
Promote KCOM’s national visibility as a leader in rural workforce development
Support rural graduate medical education planning, development, and sustainability as needed
Track performance metrics and project spending against approved budgets
Collaborate with Sponsored Programs and Finance to ensure audit readiness and programmatic and fiscal compliance

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Public Policy, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field
Master’s degree (MA, MPH, MHA, MBA, MSW) strongly preferred
Advanced understanding of healthcare operations and policy, rural care delivery systems, medical education pathways and workforce development, and rural healthcare access barriers
Expertise in grant development, health policy tracking, project portfolio execution, and financial/sponsored programs processes
Deep knowledge of state and federal government legislative processes, health policy advocacy mechanisms, and regulatory policy implementation
Expertise in alumni engagement, structured mentorship program development, grant writing, health policy tracking, project portfolio execution, and financial/sponsored programs processes
Minimum of 3 to 5 years of demonstrated experience in strategic project management, healthcare administration/financing, public health leadership, grant writing, and/or policy analysis
Demonstrated track record of conducting health policy analysis, executing feasibility assessments, crafting policy briefs, writing grant/contract proposals, and/or shaping project summaries or scholarly posters
Proven experience managing multi-phase project roadmaps, digital tracking, and deliverable timelines across institutional units
Ability to function as a strategic peer alongside program directors, healthcare administrators, and academic leaders
Strong conceptual thinking, initiative planning, feasibility analysis, and ability to execute complex, multi-faceted projects independently
Exceptional written communication for drafting competitive grant applications, policy briefs, executive summaries, report deliverables, and inter-departmental proposals
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and Zoom
Ability to synthesize operational metrics into strategic insights
Core financial skills for budget impact modeling, cost-benefit analysis, and basic statistical analysis
Advanced communication skills to build consensus across internal administrative units and the RHTP Hub 16 Program Director
Comfortable speaking publicly and representing KCOM in meetings, stakeholder discussions, and conferences
Effective communication with medical educators, healthcare providers, leadership teams, community organizations, and external partners
Comfortable working in evolving environments with multiple collaborators, competing priorities, and changing operational needs

Benefits

Comp & perks

Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverages
Employee-elected benefits, if eligible, begin the first of the month following hire date
Occasional local and regional travel for partner meetings, state policy convenings, and rural health-focused conferences