Community Engagement Program Manager

brighter NC (bNC) is a North Carolina-based public health and health justice focused organization committed to communities across North Carolina that have been overcriminalized and underserved by previous responses to drugs and drug use. Using a project-based approach, brighter NC is seeking to skill and build a statewide coalition of survivors who are dedicated to reducing the harmful impacts of drugs and drug use in their communities.

Education and naloxone distribution have been proven to reduce overdose deaths in communities with the most access to these resources. Effective overdose prevention relies on intentional outreach and naloxone distribution in the communities that need them most. bNC is currently active in statewide overdose prevention efforts. Using principled frameworks, the Community Powered Overdose Prevention and Survival Awareness Campaign promotes overdose prevention and survival in underserved communities and to populations facing health disparities across the state.

brighter NC is looking to hire a Community Engagement Program Manager to advance the goals of the campaign. Central to the Community Powered Overdose Prevention and Survival Awareness Campaign, this role will drive bNC’s efforts to reduce overdoses, improve health outcomes, and bridge health disparities by guiding a team of Specialized Community Health Workers and fostering intentional connections within communities.

• Advancing bNC’s efforts to provide overdose prevention and outreach to communities across North Carolina with the greatest need.
• Steering the organization’s coalition efforts by leading the work to establish, nurture, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with service providers and other community-based organizations, and assisting with the planning of and guiding implementation of best-practice base-building.
• Liaising with bNC staff, directors, ambassadors, anchors, coalition members, and other key community and practice partners.
• Increasing visibility for the campaign and the organization, acting as the Community Powered Overdose Prevention and Survival Awareness Campaign’s foremost public relations representative.
• Providing oversight and support to Specialized Community Health Workers and other outreach and engagement staff and volunteers and programming.
• Co-coordinating tabling, exhibiting, and vending at community and health-focused events.
• Leading workshop, presentation, and outreach event coordination to enhance bNC’s community impact.
• Co-developing and finalizing resource guides and other outreach materials.
• Co-creating work plans that advance professional and personal growth and development.

• Supervising Specialized Community Health Workers, and managing scheduling and coordination of continued implementation and expansion of community-based overdose prevention and survival outreach strategies proven to reduce the incidence of overdose, both fatal and non-fatal, prioritizing communities across the state with the greatest need.
• Guiding organization’s community engagement efforts.
• Tracking campaign metrics and engagement insights.
• Engaging with and staying connected to community anchors and organization ambassadors.
• Building networks to keep people connected, informed, and organized.
• Ensuring communities served are met right where they are, non-judgmentally and with warmth and positive regard.

The ideal candidate for this role:

• lives in North Carolina,
• is NC CHW certified or has over five years of experience working as a community health worker,
• has experience with project management or coordination,
• skilled at leading small teams,
• familiar with the harms associated with drug use, and knowledgeable about overdose prevention, syringe service programming and other strategies to reduce risks, and applying evidenced-based frameworks
• comes to the role with lived experience and some community connections,
• has strong communication skills and experience with public speaking and presentations,
• is comfortable traveling and providing outreach across the state,
• works well autonomously, and
• is willing to work on weekends.

North Carolinians who have personal or familial experience with drug use, overdose, arrest, incarceration, sex work, HIV, Hepatitis C, disability, marginalization, or otherwise reflect the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.