Program Specialist, Violence Prevention Initiatives

General Summary

The Program Specialist will play a role leading in advancing community health and engagement initiatives across Chicago. This position will lead collaborative efforts with internal and external partners to identify health priorities, support the development innovative strategies, and advocate for equitable access to resources and services for marginalized populations. Responsibilities will include project management, relationship cultivation, program operations, communications, evaluation, and mentorship.

This position provides support to ensure success of the department’s annual goals and Lurie Children’s community health strategy and organizational mission.

Lead collaborative efforts with internal and external partners, including community leaders, healthcare professionals, researchers, and public health practitioners to identify current and emerging health priorities and develop innovative community health and engagement strategies. Provide project management expertise in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of community health and engagement initiatives, programs and events within the Magoon Institute, ensuring tactical alignment with community priorities community health strategies and organizational mission.

Serve as a key liaison for Lurie Children’s with community partners, residents and marginalized populations across Chicago neighborhoods, advocating for equitable access to resources and services for those disproportionately affected by health inequities. Cultivate and strengthen relationships with community-based organizations educational institutions, faith-based groups, businesses, and service providers. through engagement, collaboration, and capacity-building activities. Facilitate the planning and implementation of community and city-wide convenings and action planning, including designing and coordinating training sessions, workshops, forums and curricula that promote inclusive participation and diverse perspectives.

Manage program operations and logistics, financial stewardship, expenditure tracking, and resource allocation to ensure efficient and effective utilization of resources, while maintaining high-quality deliverables and timely reporting on project progress, outcomes and impact. Support administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, booking conference rooms/space, making copies, preparing meeting supplies, taking notes and compiling key takeaways, decisions and action items. In collaboration with manager and dept leadership, develop and implement communications, marketing, and social media strategies for community health and engagement initiatives and education with the aim of raising awareness, promoting engagement and amplifying impact, including delivering engaging presentations and representing the organization in various forums.

Manage program evaluation efforts by designing robust data collection mechanisms, analyzing programmatic outputs and outcomes, and synthesizing findings to inform strategic decision-making and continuous quality improvement. Facilitate connections between Lurie Children’s healthcare providers and community partners, leveraging relationships to enhance access to health education, resources, and services for children and families, while actively engaging organizational leadership and partners in community health efforts.

Support the development of grant and philanthropic applications and reporting, as well as other collaborative fundraising efforts under the guidance of manager and dept leadership. Provide mentorship, guidance, and support to program assistants, program coordinators, students, interns and volunteers. Represents Lurie Children’s and Magoon Institute on community…