Project ECHO has an amazing opportunity for a new Training Specialist to join our New Mexico Peer Education Program (NMPEP) team! The NMPEP Team provides 40-hour in-person training to inmates who then educate their peers. The Training Specialist will play a pivotal role in the support of the NMPEP Team’s training programs. This position will facilitate develop and deliver trainings and evaluate training effectiveness.   

Your responsibilities as a Training Specialist will include:

• Leading 40-hour “Train the Trainer” sessions for inmates in all 11 New Mexico prisons, with follow-up training using the ECHOnomics manual.
• Conducting virtual/in-person trainings to New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) staff on utilizing peer educators effectively.
• Providing educational opportunities for inmates on communicable diseases, substance use, and reentry.
• Designing and refining training curricula or recommending existing prison programs that align with instructional goals.
• Recommending and implementing NMCD reentry programs that suit facility needs and peer educator skills.
• Overseeing and managing logistics, scheduling, materials, and paperwork for training programs.
• Maintaining data systems in Box and Smartsheet, streamlining processes and ensuring accurate record-keeping.
• Providing leadership and training to staff, student employees, and interns on NMPEP procedures and systems.
• Mentoring inmate peer educators in adult learning theory, motivational interviewing, and persuasion.
• Creating multimedia presentations and reference materials for training and ECHO sessions.
• Developing health promotion materials and evaluating the effectiveness of training programs through assessments and observation.
• Conducting needs assessments in collaboration with peer educator groups to refine curriculum.
• Providing performance reports for peer educators to management.

Project ECHO is unique and innovative center based within a vibrant academic community at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Our mission is to democratize implementation of best practices with a goal of helping 1 billion people lead better lives by 2025.  We are looking for mission-driven high performers who share similar values to join our team and help us achieve this goal.

Project ECHO is committed to democratizing implementation of best practices in healthcare, education and other areas where first mile professionals need support.  We do this by training universities, nonprofits, and dedicated individuals on facilitation skills and how to set up robust virtual communities of practice to be able to scale their own expertise and missions to the benefit of their local communities.  Over the past 20 years, Project ECHO and our partners have trained more than 1,000 partners who make up our global network of Universities, ministries of health, and NGOs around the world. Examples of programs we and others run include infectious disease control (Hepatitis C, HIV), mental health and addiction treatment, literacy, math, climate mitigation and many more. 

Project ECHO is funded in part by philanthropic grants and gifts from organizations such as the GE Foundation, the Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, the Merck Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the US Government.  Additionally, for programming benefitting New Mexico we receive support from the NM Legislature, the New Mexico Human Services Department and the New Mexico Department of Health.

Project ECHO prides itself on being a values-based organization and inclusive place to work.  Our seven values include: Service to the Underserved, Democratization of Knowledge, Mutual Trust and Respect, Teamwork, Excellence and Accountability, Innovation and Learning and Joy of Work.  We strive to find individuals who can embrace and exemplify these values.  In addition, Project ECHO was named one of Albuquerque’s Top Three Best Places to Work in 2023. This award recognizes organizations of all sizes with exceptional climates, team atmospheres, benefits, and employee engagement. For more information and a brief overview of benefits available please visit Project ECHO Newsroom.

We work with partners all over the world and work hours outside of normal business hours may be required. We are fortunate to have access to advanced technology, which will require some teleworking.

See the Position Description for additional information.

Successful completion of at least 60 college-level credit hours; at least 5 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

• Personal or professional experience with justice system
• Ability to obtain NMCD security clearance
• Ability to travel to locations across New Mexico
• Experience facilitating adult learning

Only applications submitted through the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job advertisement on a 3rd party site, please visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.