The M.P.H. Program Specialist assists the Program Director with recruiting, admitting, communicating with, and advising M.P.H. students on the successful completion of program requirements. The M.P.H. Program Specialist is also responsible for all communications and coordination between external public health practice sites, preceptors, assigned students, and program faculty for applied public health practice rotation-related issues. The position reports to the Program Director.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Program Coordination

• Provides support to the Program Director in problem solving, project planning and overall management of the public health program
• Serves as the primary point of contact for students in the M.P.H. degree program; coordinates quarterly meetings and advocates student issues with Program Director and faculty
• Responds to inquiries from prospective students; provides timely information about M.P.H. degree program and coordinates site tours for prospective students and interested parties

• Evaluates program effectiveness and recommends changes to program policies and procedures

Recruiting, Admissions and Advising

• Support efforts to recruit and retain a diverse student body by building collaborative relationships
• Compiles and identifies completed applications to M.P.H. Admissions Committee members for scoring and maintains database of applicants and admitted students by cohort
• Prepares informational correspondence directed to newly admitted students and coordinates student ambassadors, to ensure smooth registration and matriculation to the M.P.H. Program
• Processes academic credit transfer requests for Program Director approval
• Coordinates with other Midwestern University programs regarding coursework eligibility for elective M.P.H. credit and enrollment of non-M.P.H. students in program courses
• Attends recruitment events to include but not limited to: career and graduate school fairs and internal and external informational sessions
• Coordinates the M.P.H. marketing process from development through printing and distribution of recruitment materials; maintains and generates new web-based materials
• Plans, compiles, and edits content as needed for M.P.H. online presence, including social media accounts and website
• Advise students in coordinating their academic course of study to ensure satisfactory completion of M.P.H. requirements; maintains and tracks coursework progress to degree completion

Public Health Education Coordination

• Takes initiative in solving problems, understands student needs, and recommends solutions
• Meets with students as needed to assist with selection of a suitable public health site; arranges interviews and matches student interest with rotation sites
• Identifies, assigns and monitors successful completion of applied public health practice rotations for M.P.H. students at both Midwestern campuses
• Develops reports for internal and external bodies, including external accrediting bodies, and tracks student progress through the M.P.H. curriculum
• Provides support for the accreditation process of public health programs, including tracking competencies across program courses and maintaining necessary documentation
• Manages design and development of program databases; compiles & analyzes data; prepares reports
• Serves as the public health program liaison for site preceptors
• Coordinates scheduling of rotations with student, site preceptor, M.P.H. program faculty, and for dual degree students, with the clinical education coordinator in the relevant College or program
• Maintains a list of approved public health practice rotation sites for accreditation purposes and supports the updating and maintenance of affiliation agreements and other contractual agreements
• Processes agreements for new rotation sites at the request of students and faculty
• Updates, revises, conducts searches, and generates reports using data contained within the rotation management system (RMS)
• Sends out and tracks return of public health practicum plans, preceptor and student evaluations, and final public health portfolio items produced during rotations
• Serves as the course coordinator for the Public Health Practicum course; compiles and tracks course data, evaluations, activity logs, web-based assignments, and final course grades
• Interfaces with Program Director concerning findings on student evaluations of preceptor sites or other issues related to rotations
• Assists in the development of new public health practice rotations through relationship development and maintenance
• Attends department meetings as necessary or requested
• Other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no supervisory responsibility.

Qualifications 
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to plan work, set priorities, and respond to pressures, deadlines, and changes in schedules and priorities. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This individual must exercise judgement and initiative, work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner, and must have regular, predictable, in-person attendance.

Education and/or Experience 
A Bachelor’s Degree is required, preferably in public health or a related field.  Master’s Degree in Public Health preferred. Must have a minimum of 3-5 years relevant working experience. Prior experience working in public health settings or program coordination is highly desired. The ability to build positive rapport with many groups of internal and external stakeholders is required to be successful in this position. Experience planning and implementing large-scale programs. Experience working in a team and customer service-oriented environment. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Computer Skills 
Computer proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook). Ability to independently construct diverse computerized documents and reports which includes spreadsheets, tables and macros.

Language Skills 
Intermediate skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Reasoning Ability 
Intermediate skills: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Mathematical Ability
Basic skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to interpret bar graphs. 

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to sit, talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and /or move up to 10 pounds.

Work Environment 
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Midwestern University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not discriminate against an employee or applicant based upon race; color; religion; creed; national origin or ancestry; ethnicity; sex (including pregnancy); gender (including gender expressions, gender identity; and sexual orientation); marital status; age; disability; citizenship; past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services; genetic information; or any other protected class, in accord with all federal, state and local laws, including 41 C.F.R. 60-1.4(a), 250.5(a), 300.5(a) and 741.5(a). Midwestern University complies with the Smoke-Free Arizona Act (A.R.S. 36-601.01) and the Smoke Free Illinois Act (410 ILCS 82/).  Midwestern University complies with the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 and Arizona Equal Pay Acts.