Career Center

Are you passionate about improving the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is seeking a dynamic and dedicated individual to develop and manage initiatives and programs aimed at promoting healthy mental development, with a specific focus on integrating mental health care into pediatric care settings. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Mental Health Programs, you will have the opportunity to engage with a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders, including pediatricians, subspecialists, mental/behavioral health clinicians, community and school leaders, parents, and youth. Your work will manage the education, technical assistance, and provide support to pediatricians and other health professionals regarding the identification, assessment, and treatment of mental health symptoms, as well as expand AAP's organizational portfolio of mental health programs, research, and policy initiatives. If you are a proactive, highly organized, and collaborative individual with a passion for improving mental health outcomes for young people, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding opportunity and make a meaningful impact.

Some tasks include:

1. Manage the development, administration, and implementation of assigned programs, including cultivating and maintaining partnerships for AAP strategic priorities.
2. Manage and oversee program development activities, including work plan design, resource development, promotional campaigns, trainings and technical assistance, meetings, and educational offerings. Ensure proper staffing on related activities.
3. Staff the applicable expert panels, working groups, and other related project teams providing project management. Lead appropriate follow-up with funders, staff, contractors, members, and partners.
4. Lead and manage the development and review of program materials (eg, evidence-based resource materials, training curricula and tools, project protocols, web-based technical assistance), interactive programs (eg, Learning Collaboratives and small grants) and promotional materials (eg, newsletters and listservs, articles, flyers) and implement applicable communications plans and awareness-building activities.
5. Develop and enhance partnerships with national, regional, and state organizations and their respective constituents and stakeholders. Work collaboratively to ensure timely completion of shared/joint projects and cross-promotion of appropriate resources, educational opportunities, and other materials.
6. Ensure proper communication and collaboration with national medical organizations, AAP Chapters and member groups, and relevant staff to facilitate alignment of content on issues related to healthy mental development across the AAP.
7. Supervise and mentor assigned staff. Encourage a work environment that promotes inclusion and belonging of all staff. Support ongoing staff development, help set objectives, evaluate performance, and promote and enhance staff capacity in skills necessary to achieve goals. Ensure staff operate in a fiscally prudent manner, maintain confidentiality, operate with the highest ethical standards, and provide excellent service to members and volunteers.
8. Initiate and oversee relationships with subcontractors and consultants on assigned grants. Ensure contractor deliverables and reports are completed on time and in alignment with AAP expectations.
9. Develop and manage program operating budgets and prepare financial/management reports for funders. Make recommendations on needed budgetary and programmatic adjustments to team leadership and internal/external stakeholders as appropriate.
10. Respond to inquiries and correspondence from program collaborators, AAP fellows, other health professionals, governmental agencies, national medical/health organizations, educational institutions, and other organizations as related to project activities.
11. Collaborate with departmental leadership, AAP Department of Development, and external funders to design and implement concept notes, grant applications, and work plans to expand the AAP’s mental health portfolio.
12. Initiate and prepare concept notes, grant applications, grant continuation materials, reports, and other written materials. Oversee the maintenance of appropriate systems to track and evaluate program activities.

Qualifications needed:

1. Bachelor’s degree in public health, health administration, health policy, health education, health communication or related discipline or an equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience required.
2. At least three years’ related experience managing public health programs required, including developing educational materials/resources; fostering partnerships with key partners; collaborating with various external constituents and partners; editing/drafting communications; budget management; drafting correspondence and reports; and supervising staff or serving as a team lead. Experience writing and managing grants and related grant budgets strongly preferred. Experience in health education, healthcare quality improvement, program evaluation, adolescent health, or mental health initiatives highly desirable.
3. Excellent organizational, project management, interpersonal, negotiation, diplomacy, critical thinking, and written/verbal communication skills required. Must be able to take initiative, manage multiple projects simultaneously, manage projects within tight deadlines, handle a heavy workload, work both independently and as part of team, think creatively, pay close attention to detail, collaborate effectively with various internal and external constituents, and promote and maintain a positive and cooperative team-oriented work environment with a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Strong technical acumen essential with proficiency in MS Office and the ability to learn and apply new technologies; experience with web maintenance /document collaboration platforms (eg, SharePoint), virtual meeting platforms (eg, WebEx, Teams), and budgeting software (eg, Acumatica) preferred. Some travel and evening/weekend work required, along with the need for flexibility in arranging work schedule to accommodate physicians’ availability.

Hybrid working arrangement of 40% on-site at our Chicago suburb headquarters in Itasca, IL.

To learn more about the organization, see a full job description, and/or apply for the position, please visit: https://www.aap.org/employment.

The AAP offers an excellent work environment, competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package. As a reaffirmation to our employee-focused culture, since 2005 the AAP has been named one of the 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Chicagoland area. Additionally, we are an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities, Females, Individuals with Disabilities, and Veterans that values the strength diversity brings to our workplace.

Reasonable Accommodation: Individuals with a disability in need of a reasonable accommodation regarding the job application process may call 630-626-6297. Please note, only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will receive a response.

About American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a membership organization of 67,000 pediatricians and approximately 475 staff committed to the optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. The AAP promotes pediatrics and advances child health priorities by developing policy, conducting research, building coalitions, raising public awareness, funding community-based projects, and supporting training and professional education for our membership.

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