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Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.
This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.
POSITION SPECIFICS
Introduction
The Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA) in the College of Health and Human Development, at the Pennsylvania State University is seeking candidates for Director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH). This role also comes with a faculty position as Assistant or Associate Research Professor. The Director provides leadership and administrative oversight for all PORH activities to ensure fulfillment of federal and state mandates and to advance the mission of improving health and access to care for rural Pennsylvanians. This position reports to the Department Head in the Department of Health Policy and Administration and collaborates with external agencies; additional university units; and other local, state, and national partners.
Primary Job Responsibilities
Primary job responsibilities of this position include:
- Direct and coordinate statewide rural health initiatives, including technical assistance, community needs assessments, information dissemination, and applied research.
- Serve as the Principal Investigator/Director of national, state, local, and other grants and contracts.
- Identify and pursue external funding opportunities; prepare grant proposals to support program operations and special initiatives.
- Provide supervision and leadership for PORH staff, including project management oversight and support for staff development.
- Manage the PORH budget, including contract negotiation, project approval, expenditure oversight, and long-term financial planning to ensure program viability.
- Represent PORH on university, state, and federal committees, boards, task forces, commissions, and work groups related to rural health.
- Collaborate with university departments, other institutions of higher education, state and federal agencies, and state and national partners to support rural health priorities.
- Mentor students and interns interested in public health and health care administration; serve as a guest lecturer on topics related to rural health.
- Serve as lead on designated projects and ensure compliance with program objectives and reporting requirements.
- Support statewide efforts related to primary care practitioner recruitment and retention, rural health partnerships, and information clearinghouse functions.
Qualifications
Qualifications for this position include:
• A minimum of a master’s degree or doctoral degree in a health or business-related field.
• Minimum of five years of progressive management experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of health policy issues, legislative and congressional processes, rural health systems, health care delivery, and reimbursement structures.
• Experience in developing and submitting national, state, and other grant applications and fulfilling grant requirements.
• Experience in budget development and management.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including public speaking.
• Proven organizational, leadership, and consensus building abilities.
• Ability to facilitate group processes and work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Willingness and ability to travel within Pennsylvania and nationally
Supervisory Responsibilities
This position assumes overall responsibility for the supervision of all full-time PORH staff positions, and, by extension, all part-time staff, including select undergraduate and graduate students.
Application Instructions
To apply, please upload a resume/curriculum vitae, a cover letter outlining your interest in the position, and contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin on May 1, 2026 and will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Questions related to the position can be addressed to Ronald McConnell at [email protected].
Our campuses are located on the original homelands of the Erie, Haudenosaunee (Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora), Lenape (Delaware Nation, Delaware Tribe, Stockbridge-Munsee), Monongahela, Shawnee (Absentee, Eastern, and Oklahoma), Susquehannock, and Wahzhazhe (Osage) Nations. As a land grant institution, we acknowledge and honor the traditional caretakers of these lands and strive to understand and model their responsible stewardship. We also acknowledge the longer history of these lands and our place in that history.
BENEFITS
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional wellbeing. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.
For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
