Executive Director

On Our Own of Anne Arundel County, Inc. (OOOAA) seeks an Executive Director to lead the programming, operating, and administrative functions of the entire organization, guided by the Board of Directors. This position manages multiple contracts, staff, and strategic initiatives to achieve time-specific deliverables, long-term goals, and organizational mission.

As a peer-operated organization, all staff and a majority of our Board of Directors are required to have personal lived experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges. We create hope and connection through comfortable, uplifting environments where individuals can meet others in their community, receive one-to-one peer support, obtain helpful information, and build skills to continue on their individual path to recovery.

In addition to management and administrative duties, Executive Director will also provide frontline direct services as needed, including virtual and in-person peer support, health education, and resource navigation services and programming for Anne Arundel County. The majority of work will be performed onsite at the Wellness & Recovery Center located at 132 Holiday Ct, Suite 210, Annapolis, MD 21401, and we facilitate in-person and virtual programs across Anne Arundel County.

We strongly encourage candidates to become familiar with our mission and our activities by reviewing our website (www.oooannearundel.org) and visiting our center.

Position Specifics

• Reports to: Board of Directors
• Supervisor of: All other staff positions (currently 2 FTE)
• Classification: Regular, full-time (avg. 40 hrs/wk), Exempt
• Compensation: Starting salary is $60,000 - $62,000/year (paid bi-weekly), commensurate with experience and subject to available funding and contract requirements.
• Benefits: Paid time off (holidays, vacation, medical [sick & safe], personal), access to a retirement savings account, and professional development (training, conferences, etc.).
• Schedule: Standard business hours are Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Occasional morning/evening/weekend hours may be required for specific activities.
• Location: Most worked hours will be at OOOAA’s Wellness & Recovery Center located in Annapolis, Maryland. Required in-person activities may take place at locations throughout Anne Arundel County and across the state of Maryland.
• Travel: Statewide daytime travel will be required to meet project and organizational needs. Infrequent overnight or out-of-state travel may be required for specific activities.

Core Duties & Responsibilities

• Management & Administration (35%):
  • Develop, implement, and improve policies, procedures, and organizational development activities to ensure effective and ethical operations.
  • Supervise and support staff to develop, manage, and evaluate high quality programs and services to achieve identified goals and deliverables.
  • Plan, implement, and monitor all financial activities of the organization, including annual operating budgets, fundraising activities, audits, and reporting.
  • Actively manage and maintain compliance with contractual, financial, organizational, regulatory, and legal requirements, including appropriate policies, procedures, risk management, record keeping, and reporting.
  • Lead strategic planning and collaboration to develop new approaches, programs, materials, and activities in response to observed needs and trends.
  • Collaborate with the Board of Directors to enhance governance practices and maintain accountability to the organizational mission, vision, and values.
• Partnerships & Resource Development (25%):
  • Liaise and maintain strong working relationships with behavioral health system stakeholders and other identified key partners in Anne Arundel County.
  • Identify and pursue opportunities to increase partnerships with individuals and agencies to achieve long-term goals through collaborative approaches.
  • Lead efforts to secure diverse and sustainable financial resources, including through fundraising, grants and contracts from public and private sources, and earned income through mission-related activities.
• Direct Services (25%):
  • Assist in providing direct peer support, recovery navigation, self/systems advocacy, and health education services.
  • Design, plan, implement, and evaluate new program offerings to meet the expressed and emerging needs of the community.
• Community Engagement & Public Relations (15%):
  • Participate, serve as public spokesperson, and actively represent the needs, interests, and priorities of OOOAA and the peer community in media opportunities, public events, coalitions, committees, councils, workgroups, advisory bodies, etc.
  • Engage with local and state efforts to assist in the further development, best practices, and expansion of peer-driven services in Maryland.

Skills & Competencies

Required Experience & Education

• Behavioral Health Peer Experience:
  • Self-identify as having personal and direct lived experience with behavioral health (mental health and/or substance use) challenges, services, or systems.
  • Comfortable relating to others and publicly identifying as a behavioral health peer.
  • Sustained recovery from serious mental health or substance use challenges for at least 5 years.
  • Strong interest in issues of wellness, recovery, and personal empowerment.
  • Preferred: Experience with peer support (ex: self-help support groups, mutual aid programs).
• Work Experience:
  • At least 5 years of professional experience and demonstrated success in similar job roles or functions, including staff supervision, project/program management, business administration.
  • Preferred: Experience with community engagement, event planning, health promotion, financial management.
  • Preferred: Experience working in behavioral health services, nonprofit organizations, or in governmental programs or departments.
• Education:
  • At least a High School Diploma/GED.
  • Current and valid certification as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and Registered Peer Supervisor (RPS), or ability to achieve certification within 12 months of hire.
  • Preferred: Associate’s Degree or higher.
  • Preferred: Specific education or training in business administration, organizational development, social work, or other related fields

Required Position-Specific Skills & Knowledge

• Behavioral Health: Strong knowledge, skills, and experience in concepts and competencies related to behavioral health, such as: mental health, substance use, trauma, self-help, harm reduction, stigma, peer support, strengths-based approaches.
  • Preferred: Experience with Maryland’s public behavioral health and/or social services systems. Experience with Maryland’s Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) credentialing process. Experience with peer-run programs and organizations.
• Marketing & Communications: Strong knowledge, skills, and experience in general marketing, communication, and engagement strategies (in person, digital, print). Strong public speaking, written, and verbal communication skills.
  • Preferred: Leadership experience with behavioral health or health-focused public education and engagement campaigns.
• Human Resources & Team Management: Strong knowledge, skills, and experience in team management, team building, and general human resources concepts, standards, and practices.
  • Preferred: Leadership experience in management roles within behavioral health and/or peer-run organizations.
• Project/Program Management: Strong knowledge, skills, and experience managing teams, projects, or programs, including development of goals, deliverables, strategies, resources, budgets, and relationships/partnerships.
  • Preferred: Leadership experience working in nonprofit or behavioral health settings. Experience working with collaborators with diverse life experiences.
• Financial Management: Strong knowledge, skills, and experience managing project, contract, and organizational budgets, bookkeeping, accounting, and audit processes.
  • Preferred: Leadership experience with nonprofit financial management practices and governmental funding sources.
• Advocacy & Social Change: Knowledge, skills, and interest in matters of inclusion, access, and equity in human services and healthcare.
  • Preferred: Leadership experience with community-led initiatives and high-intensity topics.

Required General Skills & Knowledge

• Interpersonal:
  • Positive and collaborative approach to working with people with diverse life experiences.
  • Willing to continually grow and adapt skills and practices in response to identified needs.
  • Responsive to high-intensity situations in a timely, thoughtful, trauma-informed, and solution-oriented way.
  • Preferred: Previous experience working with behavioral health or community empowerment projects.
• Communication:
  • Clearly and concisely communicate accurate information in written and verbal formats.
  • Comfortable giving formal and informal presentations and writing for general audiences (ex: email, newsletters, social media).
  • Preferred: Previous experience interacting with the public for education, advocacy, or engagement purposes.
• Organization:
  • Excellent time management and organization skills with consistent attention to detail.
  • Effectively triage tasks for multiple projects with concurrent deadlines.
  • Preferred: Previous experience working with collaborations, grant-funded projects, and specific quarterly/annual goals and deliverables.
• Productivity:
  • Work independently with minimal supervision.
  • Highly responsive in communication during business hours.
  • Effective and proactive problem-solving based on organizational values, goals, policies, procedures.
  • Preferred: Previous experience working on large-scale or long-term projects.
• Technical:
  • Proficient with office software applications: digital documents, spreadsheets, email, electronic calendars, virtual meeting apps, social media.
  • Preferred: Experience with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Gmail, Calendar, Meet), Zoom.
• Travel & Schedule:
  • Consistently and punctually complete working hours onsite at the OOOAA Wellness & Recovery Center, and attend meetings in Anne Arundel County and across Maryland.
  • Flexible to work hours as needed to achieve project or organizational goals, including infrequent early morning/evening/weekend hours and overnight stays.
  • Maintain a current and valid driver’s license and access to personal vehicle.