Innovator Agent for Central Oregon and South Willamette Valley (Operations & Policy Analyst 4)

Initial Posting Date:

10/02/2024

Application Deadline:

10/31/2024

Agency:

Oregon Health Authority

Salary Range:

$6,901 - $10,161

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Innovator Agent for Central Oregon and South Willamette Valley (Operations & Policy Analyst 4)

Job Description:

Attention current State of Oregon employees: To apply for posted positions, please close this window and log into your Workday account and apply through the Career worklet.

Please attach a current version of your resume and a cover letter that addresses the points listed under the section titled What We Are Looking For.

PLEASE NOTE: Resumes, cover letters and all other documents must all be uploaded at one time. When uploading a resume, please upload any other documents in the same area/field. 

The Oregon Health Authority has a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Innovator Agent to join an excellent team. This is a Full-Time, Permanent, Exempt position with the Ombuds Program and Innovator Agents-ERD Division.

What you will do!

SB 1580 required the Oregon Health Authority to assign an Innovator Agent (IA) to each Coordinated Care Organization (CCO). IA’s have worked with CCO’s since 2012. Since beginning the second phase of innovation with CCO 2.0 in 2020, they are advancing local work with CCO’s with a focus on health equity, Tribal relationships, mental health and substance use delivery services through our behavioral health system, integrating health and social determinates of health work, and emerging statewide initiatives such as Oregon’s new 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver. By having IAs in local communities throughout Oregon, the OHA assures that local voice, via a broad variety of partners, is elevated and captured to affect statewide policy and legislation, incorporating local understanding, engagement and implementation  across a variety of communities. 

Innovator Agents understand the health needs of the region, the strengths and gaps of the health resources in the CCO and articulate these needs and gaps to OHA to ensure statewide and local policy and legislation development, systems change and coordination. They look at best practices and strategies for health care transformation in Oregon and nationally and support uptake and innovation of these practices on the local level through policy and practice research and implementation, advancing equity-based local decision making and facilitation of cross-agency and cross- partner efforts. They prioritize elevating Oregon Health Plan member voice within CCO’s operations and, within the OHA, connecting OHA to better understand local community strengths, needs, and gaps and linking CCO – OHA – and community initiatives.

IA’s act as quasi local experts in the communities where the CCO they work with are located. They use relationships to connect OHA, local community organizations, and the CCO’s they work with and ensure coordination across these groups. They help good news travel faster by sharing innovation and successful practices with other CCO’s, with the OHA, and with national audiences. They play a key role in leading OHA’s strategic priority of eliminating health inequalities by taking this statewide priority and working with CCO’s and local communities to translate statewide priorities to local adaptation and implementation. In particular they elevate and ensure that communities in Oregon who face health inequalities because of their race, ethnicity, language, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, social class, intersections among these communities or identities, or other socially determined circumstances are engaged in CCO and community health work.

Additional Information:

Innovator Agent positions are field-base and regional, tied to specific CCO regions and require extensive travel through the regions assigned. This position is actively recruiting for candidates living/working and with experience in the Central Oregon, Columbia Gorge, and Willamette Valley communities

Counties of particular Consideration: Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Hood River, Lane, Marion, and Wasco

What's in it for you?

We offer a workplace that balances productivity with enjoyment; promote an atmosphere of mutual respect, dedication, and enthusiasm. You will collaborate in an open office with a team of bright individuals to work with and learn from. We offer full medical, vision and dental with paid sick leave, vacation, personal leave and eleven paid holidays per year plus pension and retirement plans. If you're driven by the passion to do something meaningful that changes lives, the Oregon Health Authority is the place for you.

This position falls under the Operations and Policy Analyst 4 classification. The Oregon Health Authority is committed to developing and promoting culturally and linguistically appropriate programs and a diverse and inclusive workforce representing the diversity, culture, strengths and values of the people of Oregon. Click here, to learn more about OHA’s mission, vision and core values. OHA is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, genetic information or any other protected class under state or federal law.

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

A Bachelor's Degree in Business or Public Health/Administration, Behavioral or Social Sciences, Finance, Political Science or any degree demonstrating the capacity for the knowledge and skills; and five years professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work.

OR;

Any combination of experience and education equivalent to eight years of experience that typically supports the knowledge and skills for the classification.

Requested Skills:

Preference may be given for:

• Candidates from the following areas:
  • the Central Oregon in Deschutes, Jefferson, or Crook and;
  • the Willamette Valley in Marion, Polk, or Lane
  • the Columbia Gorge in Hood River or Wasco counties

• Spanish-English and/or other bilingual skills or candidates speaking other of the top languages spoken by Oregon Health Plan members such as Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Ukrainian, Arabic, Somali.

• Experience in social work, child-welfare, communication, or organizational development and/or training and/or program development focused on social justice, diversity and inclusion, universal access and the ADA, dismantling institutional privilege, social determinants of health and equity.
• Personal, professional, or other experience working directly with diverse populations, specifically racially, ethnically, culturally, linguistically, gender and ability diverse community members.

• Personal, professional or other experience working with American Indian/ Native Alaskan communities

Requested skills:

• Knowledge of health services delivery systems, particularly the Oregon  Health Plan/ Medicaid Administration in Oregon, government health benefit programs, Coordinated Care Organizations and community based organizations in Oregon, and client rights related to those programs.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to persuade and communicate across a variety of forms and to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work across public and private partnerships with OHA, CCOs, and community partners for collaborative and shared outcomes and goals.
• Demonstrated ability to build and steward positive relationships with diverse community groups including communities of color, immigrant groups, the disability community, and other traditionally marginalized communities.
• Excellent networking skills, ability to collaborate to find common ground, and establish and maintain broad contacts and trust throughout organizations.
• Effective delivery of culturally responsive and inclusive services, including fostering ongoing personal cultural awareness and humility. Experience promoting a work environment with values of cultural humility.
• Experience developing, implementing policies and programs that promote equity and inclusion and reduce disparities. Experience advancing state and community-based programs on initiatives that promote equity and reduce disparities.
• Demonstrated impact in developing culturally and linguistically competent communications that are effective in engaging diverse audiences and stakeholders
• Ability to understand and communicate data and evidence-based programs within health care; familiarity with state and local best practices that can help to advance health care in Oregon.

Working Conditions:

• Extensive statewide travel is generally required on a weekly basis, particularly within the regions in which you are working. Some out-of-state travel may be required.
• Requires the ability to attend in-person community and contractor meetings, work remotely and participate in remote and in-person meetings; occasional on-site meetings required.

How to apply:

• Complete the online application
• Upload Resume
• Upload Cover Letter

This recruitment announcement will be used to establish a list of qualified candidates to fill the current vacancy and may be used to fill future vacancies as they occur.

Please ensure you’ve provided a thorough and updated application as it pertains to the position for which you are applying. Your application materials will be used to determine salary based on a pay equity assessment.  For further information, please visit the Pay Equity Project homepage.

Need Help?

If you have questions about the position or its role in the Oregon Health Authority or need assistance to participate in the application process, including an accommodation request under the American with Disabilities Act contact: Scott Lee at 971-372-1972 or Scott.H.Lee@Oha.Oregon.gov.

Additional Information

• Please monitor your Workday account, as all communication will be sent to your Workday account. You must have a valid e-mail address to apply.
• If you are a veteran, you may receive preference. Click here for more information about veterans’ preference. If you checked that you are a veteran, we will ask you for your documents later in the process.
• We do not offer VISA sponsorships or transfers at this time – unless specifically noted. Within three days of hire, you will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security's I-9 form confirming authorization to work in the United States.
• If you are offered employment, the offer will be contingent upon the outcome of an abuse check, criminal records check and driving records check, and the information shall be shared with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Office of Human Resources (OHR). Any criminal or founded abuse history will be reviewed and could result in the withdrawal of the offer or termination of employment.
• Please only attach documents that are related to the position. Additional documents that are attached will not be reviewed.
• Applicant Help and Support webpage.

The Oregon Health Authority is committed to fair employment practices and non-discrimination, including pay equity for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class (race, sex, veteran status, disability, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation) in the payment of wages or screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. We determine salary by completing a review of your application materials to evaluate your related education, experience, and training for this position.

The Oregon Health Authority is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to work force diversity.