Managing Director, States, Overdose Prevention Program

Vital Strategies is an international public health organization. Our programs strengthen public health systems and address the world’s leading causes of illness, injury and death. We currently work in 73 countries, supporting data-driven decision making in government, advancing evidence-based public health policies, and mounting strategic communication campaigns. Vital Strategies’ priorities are driven by the greatest potential to improve and save lives. They include non-communicable disease prevention, tobacco control, road safety, obesity prevention, overdose prevention, environmental health, vital statistics systems building and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment research. Our programs are primarily concentrated in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific; the Overdose Prevention Program is our first initiative in the U.S. Please visit our website at www.vitalstrategies.org to find out more about our work.

Vital Strategies is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) organization. We believe our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make our work and workforce more inclusive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, gender, national origin, ancestry, actual or perceived age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, marital status, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity or expression), partnership status, arrest or conviction record, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws.

Read about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Vital Strategies: https://www.vitalstrategies.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-at-vital-strategies/

About the Substance Use Program:

More than 100,000 lives are lost to overdose each year in the United States, and deaths have risen sharply in Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities. Progress must advance interventions oriented towards health and harm reduction, that engage and support rather than criminalize and punish people who are using drugs. As the primary implementation partner in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Overdose Prevention Initiative since its inception in 2018, Vital Strategies funds projects and provides technical assistance tailored to address the overdose crisis in specific U.S. states. We are assisting government and community partners in reforming policy, innovating and scaling programs, and working to strengthen the statewide landscape to achieve an equitable and sustainable reduction in overdose deaths.

Job Purpose:

The Managing Director, States will provide direction, management, and counsel to seven state programs including their managers, advisors, and staff embedded within state agencies. With an eye toward effectiveness and maximizing the impact of the State initiatives, the role will manage and oversee the technical assistance, project development, government partnerships, and programmatic implementation with government and non-governmental partners in our focus states and act as program liaison to select external partners. The Managing Director, States will oversee budget management, and internal and external/donor reporting ensuring strict adherence to Vital Strategies policies and procedures.

The Managing Director, States is a new role and will report to the Vice President, Drug Use Initiatives, and work in partnership with the Overdose Prevention Program’s Technical Director and Knowledge Management Director. The Managing Director will supervise 5 direct reports and will oversee a core team of 13 FTE and an extended team of more than 15 seconded staff working in government agencies in at least 7 focus states.

This role is based in New York City and must follow Vital’s hybrid work environment. We offer highly competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this position is $180,000 USD to $195,000 USD. The candidate must have authorization to work legally in the US at the time of hire.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Management & Leadership -

• Oversee the development and implementation of state-specific activities, including technical assistance engagements, grantmaking, strategic planning, etc. Such activities are planned and implemented by Vital Strategies with government partners, advocacy organizations, service providers, and academic institutions;
• Proactively address emergent issues in focus states with State program leads to optimize program impact and project sustainability, including resolving major bottlenecks in strategy and/or delays in workplan implementation;
• Jointly responsible, with the leadership team, for successfully implementing impactful and sustainable projects in the Overdose Prevention Program;
• Establish and maintain working relationships with government focal point persons in all focus states;
• Serve as point of contact with select partner organizations in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Overdose Prevention Initiative;
• Participate in progress, planning, and check-in calls or meetings with donors and/or representatives from other Overdose Prevention Program partners as required;
• Ensure effective and efficient program development and implementation, including budget management oversight for funding allocations within each focus state and government relations to optimize partnership;
• Apply an intersectional racial justice framework in all program processes;
• Participate and represent the Overdose Prevention Program in Public Health Programs division and organization-wide discussions.

Management -

• Directly supervise and guide five State program leads and ensure appropriate support and supervision of embedded staff;
• Ensure ongoing communication between State leads and government partners in the management and support of embedded staff;
• Ensure managers receive training and support to develop effective supervisory skills;
• Organize and manage state team meetings;
• Promote a team culture of accountability, transparent and inclusive decision-making, knowledge-sharing, promoting change, and innovation;
• Foster respectful collaboration, open communication, and dialogue among team members across the program, and with internal and external colleagues.

Internal & Donor Reporting -

• Working with the Knowledge Management Director and in partnership with the Technical Director and the Vice President, Drug Use Initiatives:
• Guide the development process for all internal reports for monthly, quarterly, annual, and end-of-cycle reporting;
• Support the creation of all external/donor reports for monthly, quarterly, annual, and end-of-cycle reporting;
• In coordination with the Technical Director, provide up-to-date program progress reporting and project financial status;
• Organize quarterly state progress reviews.

Intra-Department Operational Collaboration -

• Coordinate with the Technical Director to collaborate with business partners in Grants and Finance, Human Resources, Operations and Legal;
• Partner collaboratively with Human Resources on any employment relations issues.

Qualifications:

Education and Degree -

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree required.

Skills and Abilities -

• Strong organizational, planning, time management, and project management skills to coordinate effective, efficient, and timely completion of multiple ongoing or long-term projects and efforts;
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver against tight deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as well as autonomously;
• Demonstrated sound judgment, accountable decision-making, and strong analytical, consensus-building, and problem-solving skills;
• Extensive knowledge of drug use/overdose/harm reduction/opioid policy;
• Deep understanding of legislative and regulatory processes and levers of influence and change;
• Ability to provide leadership and coordination to an inter-agency collaboration representing diverse perspectives;
• Ability to navigate various interests and operate in a dynamic and complex political environment;
• Experience supervising and managing a diverse and geographically distributed team with demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, communicate clearly and regularly, monitor performance, and inspire, engage, and motivate staff;
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment;
• Ability to build strong, ongoing, impactful relationships at all organizational levels and across a diverse range of cultural, generational, ethnic, racial, educational, and social backgrounds.

Experience:

Required -

• 15+ years of related work experience;
• 10+ years of full-cycle project/program management experience;
• A seasoned manager, with experience managing all levels of staff, and a minimum of 7 years managing senior-level staff;
• Experience in planning, coordinating, advocating, and achieving meaningful change in state and local policies for people who use drugs;
• Local government or governmental agency work experience;
• Policy advocacy experience;

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• The position may be required to travel domestically up to 30% of the time to attend meetings.