Community Affairs Associate

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.

The Community Affairs Associate will partner with the Director of Strategy and Innovation and the Bureau Director within Strategic Partnerships by advancing community health initiatives, especially organizing local health coalitions and implementing community outreach and overdose prevention programs. This role will engage directly with community partners and stakeholders, periodically offering direct services to community members who experience issues related to housing and substance use.

In the role, the Community Affairs Associate will provide guidance and training to various grantees in the Community Affairs portfolio, such as programs funded by opioid settlements. The position will support grantee management, including collaborating with programs around invoicing, data collection, field inspections, and addressing ongoing opportunities and challenges.

The ideal candidate is someone with experience and strong interest in community health and organizing and advocacy, as well as the subject areas of substance use and harm reduction. The position will also join the Community Affairs Manager in periodically providing direct support to community members experiencing substance use and housing-related issues, such as referring them to services and shelter options.

Therefore, RSB values any candidates who also have direct services/clinical experience in addition to the macro experience. An educational background in social work or public health will prepare an individual to succeed in the role, but experience and education in other related fields may also apply.

Duties

Works to help BPHC advance as an antiracist organization by meeting or exceeding the standards set by the BPHC Anti-Racism Policy.

Community Organizing and Engagement

• Contribute to managing a local health coalition, supporting collaboration and engagement among community partners, service providers, and stakeholders
• Organize convenings and co-facilitate stakeholder dialogues, manage followup actions, and track deliverables for community health projects and activities
• Partner with the Director of Strategy and Innovation and the Bureau Director in liaising with neighborhood leaders, both gathering and communicating information about resources and emerging trends

Direct Client Support

• Provide support to community members impacted by substance use or housing, leveraging skills like motivational interviewing and active listening
• Refer community members to services and shelter options, maintaining an understanding of the landscape of Boston programs
• Performing "warm handoffs" to better ensure individuals are connected to services
• Periodically conduct follow ups with some clients who have acute needs, checking in on their success and connecting them with any other supports as needed

Grantee Management

• Align with the Director of Strategy and Innovation and the Bureau Director's vision for how the BPHC-funded programs can be successful, both within their individual scopes and also in collaboration
• Organize and communicate with community partner programs around invoicing, data collection, and field inspections, including programs funded by opioid settlements
• Provide ongoing guidance and training as defined by the grantees and Director of Strategy and Innovation and the Bureau Director
• Contribute to community partnership initiatives by exploring beneficial partnerships

Evaluation

• Collaborate with the Director of Strategy and Innovation and the Bureau Director to collect and analyze data from a range of community affairs projects, including performance metrics, events retrospectives, and listening sessions or surveys
• Develop written deliverables and presentations for internal and external stakeholders

Perform other duties as required

Education and Experience

• Master's degree in Social Work, Public Health, or a related field with a strong focus on community health and substance use recovery OR a bachelor's degree and two years of experience OR five years of experience.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn about the role of public health in addressing racism, the social determinants of health, and inequities in health outcomes as well as strategies to advance racial justice and health equity.
• Commitment to health equity and racial/social justice issues
• Experience working with diverse community stakeholders, especially Black and Latinx communities
• Experience in community organizing, advocacy, grant management, and/or public health programming
• Experience…