Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. At HHSC, your contributions matter, and we support you at each stage of your life and work journey. Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, numerous opportunities for career advancement and more. Explore more details on the Benefits of Working at HHS webpage.

Functional Title: SERG Program Manager 
Job Title: Manager III 
Agency: Health & Human Services Comm 
Department: BHS Central TX Flood SERG Admi 
Posting Number: 14684 
Closing Date: 03/23/2026 
Posting Audience: Internal and External 
Occupational Category: Management 
Salary Range: $5,425.33 - $8,886.16 
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-24 
Shift: Day 
Additional Shift: Days (First) 
Telework: Eligible for Telework 
Travel: Up to 30% 
Regular/Temporary: Temporary 
Full Time/Part Time: Full time 
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt 
Facility Location:  
Job Location City: AUSTIN 
Job Location Address: 4601 W GUADALUPE ST 
Other Locations: Austin 
MOS Codes: 0203,0207,0302,0520,0602,0802,1802,5502,6302,6502,7202,7208,7210,7220,111X,112X,113X,114X,16GX,41AX 
611X,612X,631X,632X,641X,648X,86M0,86P0,8U000,9G100,SEI15 
 
 

This position is a temporary, time-limited grant-funded position in response to the 2025 Central Texas Floods declaration.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides the SAMHSA Emergency Response Grant (SERG) program is a grant opportunity, inclusive of mental health and substance use prevention, response, and recovery services, that authorizes SAMHSA to act immediately under emergency circumstances that create a behavioral health crisis, where the crisis overwhelms the behavioral health system or creates behavioral health service needs that do not fit existing behavioral health resources.  

The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) administers the SERG program using a bifurcated structure, comprising both programmatic and fiscal components. Under the direction of Disaster Behavioral Health Coordination's (DBHC) Associate Director, the Program Manager will support the efficient and effective administration of SERG. This position acts as lead coordinator and manager for the delivery of mental health and substance use services, training services and is the main point of contact for SAMHSA. 

This position oversees staffing, training, reporting, development and implementation of data procedures, data analysis, and program monitoring; and works with other disaster service agencies to ensure coordination of the state’s behavioral health response with no duplication of services. In addition, this position shares the responsibility of representing the SERG at high-level meetings in the community, with the press, and at state leadership meetings with the DBHC director and HHSC leadership.

Essential Job Functions:

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy.

Administrative – 30%

Provides direct supervision to HHSC's SERG staff, conducts performance evaluations, approves leave requests, encourages professional development, and manages other human resource related matters.  In coordination with the Associate Director of Response and Recovery, this position develops and maintains positive relationships and effective communication with SAMHSA, service providers, internal, and external stakeholder partners to ensure successful project implementation.

Oversees the full life cycle of the SERG grant and coordinates programmatic and fiscal obligations, including compliance, and reporting essential for achieving project goals. Manages project planning, scheduling, defines project goals, timelines, standards, and performance evaluation. The position acts as the primary liaison the grantor SAMHSA, HHSC, Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) and other SERG fiscal agents communicating potential issues, negotiating budget or scope changes, ensuring proper utilization of funds, meeting project goals and adhering to all regulatory requirements.

Directly supervises a team responsible for examining recommendations that address policy and program-related matters related to the implementation, enhancement, expansion, or reduction of federal disaster funding initiatives. Drafts and coordinates information and communications related to legislative responses and reports, public presentations, correspondence, and memoranda for internal and external representatives.

Fiscal – 30%

Monitors budgets, ensuring allowable costs, tracking expenditures, and managing subawards to avoid overspending. Develops and establishes goals and objectives to meet SAMHSA requirements. Manage financial reports and recommend appropriate modifications. Identifies the need to revise targets. Provides clear explanations of program and agency statutory requirements. Finalizes all financial reconciliations, reporting, and documentation to close out the award.

Develops, reviews, and approves budgets impacting federal disaster funding. Analyze program operations to identify problems and prepare reports that include findings and recommendations for improvements. Review results of special federal disaster investigations, internal audits, research studies, forecasts, and modeling exercises to provide direction and guidance. Responsibilities may encompass collaboration with community and professional groups to coordinate, improve, and secure financial support for federal disaster funding.

Program – 30%:

Adheres to all Notice of Award (NoA) terms, conducting, and submitting technical/programmatic progress reports, and maintaining audit-ready documentation. Develops and establishes goals and objectives to meet SAMHSA requirements. Establish priorities, standards, and measurement tools for determining progress in deadlines and goals. Tracks project milestones, performance metrics, and goals to ensure timely completion. Supervises the performance of a variety of senior-level fiscal management and technical assistance, training, research, planning, policy, program assessment, and administrative activities for the federal disaster funding. Ensure that program reports and program related correspondence are accurate, complete, and submitted in accordance with guidelines established by HHSC and federal requirements.

Serves as a subject matter expert. Identifies areas of needed change and makes recommendations to improve operations. Establish priorities, standards, and measurement tools for determining progress in deadlines and goals. Analyzes program operations to identify problems and prepare reports that include findings and recommendations for improvements. Reviews result of special federal disaster investigations, needs, research studies, forecasts, and modeling exercises to provide direction and guidance.

Directs the collection, organization, analysis, and preparation of materials in response to requests for federal disaster program information and reports. Supervises effective techniques for evaluating federal disaster programs. Identifies training needs and discusses program effectiveness with leadership. Provides technical guidance for a business function, division, or department. Organizes and prepares materials in response to requests for program information and reports related to the federal disaster funding.

Performs other duties as assigned – 10%

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the overall program, including federal and state, guidelines, regulations, programs, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of federal disaster funding, grant management, contracting processes, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of public administration and management techniques and program management processes. 

Skills:

• Skill in responding to a disaster in a behavioral health environment and working within grant parameters.
• Skill in project management and the ability to lead project teams; work with multiple stakeholders and provide oversight to contracted vendors.
• Skill in using personal computer application software such as Visio, MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, MS Project or similar programs.
• Skill in written and oral communication, including the ability to make public presentations and write technical information in an understandable format.

Abilities:

• Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts; to devise solutions to problems; to conduct sophisticated research; to prepare reports; to develop, evaluate, and interpret policies and procedures.
• Ability to work cooperatively as a team member in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment. Ability to communicate effectively and to train, lead, assign, and prioritize staff workloads.
• Ability to provide senior-level management and technical assistance to manage the federal disaster requirements.
• Ability to function as lead support to state disaster behavioral health response and recovery efforts and maintain contact with SAMHSA and contracted vendors.
• Ability to travel 30%.
• Ability to work hours other than Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 5:00, including nights, weekends and holidays.

Registration or Licensure Requirements:

Current Driver's license

Initial Selection Criteria:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in business administration, public administration, or related field. Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in grant or program management and supervising staff. Proven experience in grants management, including grant budgeting, compliance, and reporting. Graduate education may be substituted for a year-for-year basis. 

Additional Information:

DBHC is currently 100% telework, with occasional, scheduled office visits as directed by leadership. Telework is governed in accordance with agency and division telework policies and is subject to change at the discretion of leadership. This position is not a remote work position. Candidates must live in the Austin Metropolitan area.

Positions advertised with this position description are temporary and filled after a disaster declaration. Management is recruiting qualified candidates who may be hired on short notice to fulfill operational requirements in the event of a federal disaster. The job requires working beyond normal work hours, including holidays and weekends, when necessary, especially in the first months following a disaster declaration.The job requires working beyond normal working hours, including holidays and weekends, when necessary, and frequently following an emergency, incident, or disaster declaration with little to no prior notice. An individual must be able to work in stressful situations and long hours as part of a deployed team. Individuals must regularly monitor program communications via iPhone, text message, and email and promptly respond accordingly.

Only applicants selected for an interview will be notified of selection results.

An in-basket exercise will be given immediately following the interview.

Review our Tips for Success when applying for jobs at DFPS, DSHS and HHSC.

Active Duty, Military, Reservists, Guardsmen, and Veterans:

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified to fill this position. For more information please see the Texas State Auditor’s Job Descriptions, Military Crosswalk and Military Crosswalk Guide at Texas State Auditor's Office - Job Descriptions.

ADA Accommodations:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHSC and DSHS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747. If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.

Pre-Employment Checks and Work Eligibility:

Depending on the program area and position requirements, applicants selected for hire may be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.

HHSC uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work. Download the I-9 Form

Telework Disclaimer:

This position may be eligible for telework.  Please note, all HHS positions are subject to state and agency telework policies in addition to the discretion of the direct supervisor and business needs.