Program Manager, Center for Behavioral Health & Wellness

City of Boston Residency Required

Mission Statement

The mission of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is to work in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, especially those impacted by racism and systemic inequities. The BPHC sets an expectation that all staff and leadership commit, individually and as part of the BPHC team, to hold ourselves accountable to establishing a culture of anti-racism and advance racial equity and justice through each of our bureaus, programs, and offices.

Job Description

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), one of the oldest health departments in the United States, is an independent public agency providing a wide range of health services and programs. It is governed by a seven-member board of health appointed by the Mayor of Boston. Public service and access to quality health care are the cornerstones of our mission - To work in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, especially those impacted by racism and systemic inequities. The Commission's more than 40 programs are grouped into six bureaus: Child, Adolescent & Family Health; Community Initiatives Bureau; Homeless Services; Infectious Disease; Recovery Services; and Emergency Medical Services.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The Center for Behavioral Health & Wellness "The Center," established in 2022 at the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), was created in response to the growing need for evidence-based, effective, and meaningful behavioral health resources. The Center aims to promote and coordinate behavioral health and wellness programming across Boston. Envisioning a community where all can achieve their ideal behavioral health and wellness, through just, trauma-informed, and intersectional approaches. The Center focuses on reducing behavioral health inequities by addressing barriers that impede this vision.

JOB DESCRIPTION: The Program Manager will play a pivotal role in driving the implementation of the Center's overarching behavioral health work plan. This role involves strategic oversight, project management, and collaboration to support the Center's mission of advancing equitable behavioral and mental public health outcomes across Boston.

About the Role:

The Program Manager is a strategic, community-focused, and collaborative leader who will work across internal teams, community organizations, and partners to strengthen behavioral health services and initiatives throughout Boston. This role requires a dynamic professional with a passion for addressing behavioral health challenges, advancing equity, and building capacity to improve mental health outcomes citywide.

Key Responsibilities:

• Program and Project Oversight
• Manage multiple behavioral health projects, tracking progress from initiation to completion, including overseeing current and future iterations of initiatives.
• Monitor program performance, outcomes, and deliverables, ensuring alignment with the Center's goals and objectives.
• Oversee project budgets, including reviewing, adjusting, and approving expenditures, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with program priorities.
• Analyze and report on program metrics, budgets, and outcomes to measure progress and identify areas for improvement.
• ARPA Grants and General Grants Management
• Provide oversight of the Center's ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) allotments and other grant-funded programs.
• Support grantees with budget review, metric tracking, and necessary budget adjustments.
• Ensure compliance with grant requirements, monitor progress, and provide technical assistance to grantees as needed.
• Facilitate regular reporting to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring accountability and transparency in grant management.
• Internal Collaboration and Capacity Building
• Manage and advance initiatives that enhance behavioral health knowledge-sharing and collaboration across Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) staff, City Departments, and community organizations.
• Coordinate internal efforts to promote staff behavioral health engagement, including:
• Supporting the BPHC Behavioral Health Collaborative.
• Supporting the planning and execution of staff-focused events, workshops, and speaking engagements.
• Developing and enhancing wellness and behavioral health training programs as needed.
• Strengthen the organization's capacity to address internal behavioral health needs, ensuring staff have access to training, tools, and resources to support both their own well-being and their work with residents.
• External Collaborations and Community Engagement
• Support external partnerships that advance the Center's mission, including collaborations with: The Boston Community Health Collaborative and academic institutions, hospitals, clinics, and other stakeholders.
• Identify, pursue, and support grant opportunities, including writing and coordinating grant applications and assisting with funded initiatives.
• Actively support coalitions addressing behavioral health challenges, such as the Mental Health Crisis Responders Collaborative, and support expansion of new coalition opportunities with City and State departments.
• Facilitate partnerships and initiatives aimed at addressing emerging behavioral health trends, strengthening community resilience, and improving access to mental health services.
• Community-Facing Initiatives and Events
• Engage with community partners, organizations, and residents to advance behavioral health programming and raise awareness of key initiatives.
• Plan, organize, and execute community events, workshops, and activities that promote mental health equity, access, and education.
• Contribute to communication strategies, including developing content for social media platforms and managing relevant City of Boston websites to increase public engagement and visibility of behavioral health initiatives.
• Strong Professional Skills
• Ability to collaborate across multiple team members and stakeholders in developing and implementing program plans
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to create workplans, keep to project and program timelines and to meet deadlines
• Experience with platforms including MSOffice, MSWord/Excel, PowerPoint, and Windows software and design software (such as Canva)
• Strong facilitation and relational skills
• Strong sense of professionalism
• Ability to be flexible and prioritize to meet deadlines and accomplish priority work as well as respond to duties that arise as needed
• Perform other duties as required
• Adhere to BPHC Anti-Racism Policy to help BPHC become an antiracist organization

Additional Helpful Qualifications:

• Knowledge of behavioral and mental health, especially as related to public health, population health and health equity
• Experience working in programs addressing behavioral health, including mental health and/or substance use disorders
• Passionate commitment to health equity and racial/social justice issues
• Demonstrated cultural competence with diverse populations including racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender, sexual orientation and socio-economic groups
• Strong familiarity with Boston neighborhoods and community-based organizations is preferred
• Demonstrated formal or informal social justice advocacy experience and/or community organizing/mobilization experience a plus
• Experience with community engagement
• Experience in trauma-informed approaches

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Public Health, Social Work, Psychology, or a related discipline Bachelor's degree and at least two years of relevant experience - significant work experience may be substituted for the degree requirement
• Minimum 3-5 years of program management experience, ideally in behavioral health, public health, or a related field.
• Proven track record in grants management, project oversight, and/or program implementation.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, budgets, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to foster collaboration across internal and external partners.
• Analytical and data-driven mindset to track outcomes, evaluate programs, and identify areas for growth.
• Proficiency in developing reports, presentations, and communications tailored to diverse audiences (e.g., staff, funders, community members).
• Experience engaging diverse communities, prioritizing cultural competence and equity in behavioral health programming.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with city departments, coalitions, and community-based organizations.
• Knowledge of ARPA funding requirements and processes.
• Proficiency in grant writing and fundraising.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills (preferred but not required)
• Experience in trauma-informed approaches to programming and staff management

Additional Information

• City of Boston Residency Required; Allston, Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown, Dorchester, Downtown, East Boston, Fenway-Kenmore, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mid-Dorchester, Mission Hill, North End, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, South End, West End, West Roxbury, Wharf district.
• A Criminal Offenders Records Information request must be completed for this position. However, a record is not an automatic bar to employment but is reviewed in relation to the job applied for.
• This position requires direct client/patient contact and as a result of such direct contact, certain immunizations will be recommended and/or required prior to commencement of employment duties.
• Any position that requires an advanced degree will be subject to education verification.
• This is a grant funded position.
• The Boston Public Health Commission is an EEO Employer and all applicants meeting the minimum requirements are eligible to apply.
• This position requires the Child Protective Service Background verification.
• The advertised shift and schedule are subject to change at the departments discretion.

Shift

Shift 35 Hours/Week

Hybrid schedule is subject to BPHC's teleworking policy.

Pay Range

$65,000 - $75,000 Annually