Program Specialist

GME Development and Technical Assistance Program Specialist

Application Deadline: Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 11:59pm EST

Position: Program Specialist, GME Development and Technical Assistance

Status: Full-time, Salaried

Reports to: Director of Statewide Graduate Medical Education Programs

Location: Richmond, VA (Hybrid - mandatory 3 days in office)

Compensation Range: $70,000 – $80,000 annually

About VHWDA:

The Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (VHWDA) was established in 2010 as a public body corporate and as a political subdivision of the Commonwealth by the General Assembly. VHWDA plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Commonwealth of Virginia has a skilled and robust healthcare workforce. The VHWDA conducts research to identify gaps and needs in the workforce, collaborates with educational institutions to create programs tailored to these needs, and partners with various stakeholders to implement solutions. By fostering strategic collaborations and implementing solution-focused initiatives, VHWDA aims to ensure Virginians receive quality healthcare through a stable healthcare workforce.

Position Overview:

The Graduate Medical Education (GME) Assistance and Workforce Development Specialist serves as the operational partner to the Director of Statewide GME Programs at VHWDA. This role is the engine of VHWDA’s growing GME portfolio and will include responsibility for assisting with the building and running of the Commonwealth's first statewide GME Technical Assistance Center (TAC), managing the day-to-day administration of Virginia’s DMAS/VHWDA supplemental GME funding program, and supporting the full lifecycle of GME workforce development initiatives. The candidate will bring a deep working knowledge of GME, including financing, ACGME accreditation standards, and residency program development. They are driven, self-motivated, and energized by the complexity of building something new, in a lean, mission-driven environment.

Position Responsibilities:

1.GME Technical Assistance Center

●     Assist with the day-to-day design, launch, and ongoing operation of VHWDA’s GME TAC, translating the strategic vision into an active service infrastructure.

●     Develop and manage a portfolio of TAC service offerings, including: GME Program feasibility assessment for new and developing programs, accreditation readiness consulting aligned with current ACGME institutional and program requirements, GME finance consulting (Medicare/IME/DGME/Medicaid supplemental and others), and rural training site development and support.

●     Build and maintain a curated resource library - templates, toolkits, feasibility frameworks, financial models, and accreditation checklists for use by GME partners statewide

●     Develop and deliver educational content, including webinars, workshops and one-on-one consultations for Program Directors, DIO’s, GME Coordinators, hospital administrations and community partners.

●     Cultivate and manage relationships with residency program directors, DIO’s, DMAS, academic heath systems, AHECs’, FQHC’s and other community partners.

●     Track and evaluate TAC utilization, client outcomes and impact metrics. Produce evaluation reports for internal leadership and external stakeholders.

●     Identify and support pursuit of federal and philanthropic funding to sustain and expand the TAC, including HRSA RRPD, Teaching Health Center Planning and Development, COGME-aligned grants and foundation opportunities.

2. DMAS/VHWDA Supplemental Funding - Program Administration

●     Assist with the management of application cycle for Track A and Track B supplemental innovation funding: application creation and release, application outreach and technical assistance, review coordination, award documentation and compliance monitoring.

●     Maintain current working knowledge of CMS Medicaid GME regulations, state plan requirements, and the Virginia-specific DMAS/VHWDA program structure

●     Coordinate with DMAS staff on program structure, regulatory changes and program requirements.

●     Serve as a knowledgeable point of contact for program inquiries from applicants, stakeholders, DMAS and community-based organizations.

●     Maintain program data in support of VHWDA’s biannual VHWDA reporting to the Virginia General Assembly and external stakeholders.

3. Statewide GME Workforce Strategy

●     Assist with the maintenance and expansion of VHWDA GME workforce data infrastructure

●     Monitor national GME Policy developments from CMS, HRSA, ACGME, COGME and AAMC

●     Assist with the production of accessible data summaries, policy briefs and dashboards for internal leadership, state government audiences and the General Assembly.

●     Support the development of evidence-based policy recommendations

4. Virginia Rural Health Leaders Program

●     Assist with the operational components of the program including virtual onboarding, annual convening planning and logistics

●     Assist with the tracking of alumni for downstream engagement with loan repayment programs and future VHWDA opportunities

●     Evaluate program effectiveness and recommend enhancements to the Director as needed

5. Organizational & Administrative Support

●     Support strategic planning, stakeholder communications and leadership-facing deliverables

●     Represent VHWDA at state and national convenings including GME conferences, rural medical education conferences, state and federal convenings pertinent to GME development and support

●     Contribute to VHWDA’s biennial performance reporting, General Assembly briefings and assist in the creation of communications to the GME Advisory Board and VHWDA Board.

●     Assist with planning and development of the Graduate Medical Education Summit.

●     Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

●     Bachelor’s degree in health services, public health, policy, business, or another related field.

●     Minimum of 4 years of progressive workforce experience in graduate medical education administration, health workforce development or health policy with direct GME relevance.

●     Demonstrated knowledge of GME financing mechanisms, ACGME accreditation standards, and program development processes.

●     Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs with compliance, reporting and budget components

●     Strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to translate complex GME policy for non-specialist audiences

●     High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and comfortable with artificial intelligence tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

●     Master’s degree in Public Health, Health Administration, Health Policy, or closely related field (or equivalent professional experience at the intersection of GME and health workforce policy).

●     Experience building consulting or advisory services within a health workforce or GME context.

●     Familiarity with HRSA RRPD or THCGME programs.

●     Prior work with AHEC programs, State offices of rural health, state GME oversight bodies or Teaching Health Center.

●     Familiarity with CMS Innovation Models and their implications for community-based GME.

Required Competencies & Attributes:

●     Self-directed execution - thrives in a lean, build-phase organization and can independently drive projects from concept to completion without heavy oversight

●     Collaborative team player - equally comfortable working autonomously and contributing in a close, ideas-forward team environment with shared ownership of outcomes

●     GME content fluency - able to speak credibly with DIO’s program directors, and hospital administrations

●     Systems thinking - understands how GME financing, accreditation, state police and workforce outcomes are interconnected, and can work across all of these dimensions simultaneously

●     Stakeholder fluency - capable of building relationships across academic medicine, state government, rural health systems, FQHC”s and community organizations

●     Data translation - able to move from raw workforce data to clear, compelling policy narrative accessible to non-specialist audiences

●     Equity orientation - genuine commitment to addressing physician workforce disparities in rural and underserved communities

●     Organized and detail-oriented - able to manage multiple concurrent projects and program cycles.

Work Environment & Travel:

·     Minimum 3 days in office

·     Some travel is required for site visits, stakeholder meetings, convenings and rural partner engagement.

·     Occasional travel required for national GME conferences.

Compensation & Benefits:

●     $70,000 - $80,000 annually, commensurate with experience

●     VHWDA provides a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental and vision insurance, as well as a participatory retirement plan.

Application Process:

Email your cover letter, resume, and a reference list to employment@vhwda.org. For your reference list, please provide contact details for three professional references, including one former or current supervisor (name, title, relationship, email, and phone number). Applicants will be notified before references are contacted. Application deadline Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 11:59pm EST.