Job Description
Children’s Environmental Health Program Coordinator
NC Child works to build a strong North Carolina by advancing public policies to ensure that all children—regardless of race, ethnicity, or place of birth—have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
NC Child seeks to build a robust children’s environmental health program, focused on the elimination of childhood toxicants, with lead poisoning prevention as the foundation. Our goal is to end childhood lead poisoning in North Carolina within 10 years, saving North Carolina taxpayers tens of millions of dollars per year in health care, special education and juvenile justice costs. We are fortunate to have a diverse group of partners, including public health and medical professionals, higher education institutions, and coalitions of stakeholders focused on academic success and child well-being.
NC Child is committed to addressing disparities in social determinants of health. While toxic environmental hazards can negatively affect the development of any child in North Carolina, low-income communities and communities of color are at highest risk because of inequities in living conditions based on income, race, and ethnicity. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of health disparities, and a strong commitment to addressing those disparities through policy and practice changes.
| Position Description: | The Program Coordinator will be responsible for all aspects of the Children’s Environmental Health Program. S/he will use advanced training in environmental health science and excellent communication skills to convene partners, shape and advocate for policy solutions, and promote NC Child’s vision of a state where all children have the opportunity to grow up healthy and meet developmental milestones. The Program Coordinator will report to the Policy Director, and will be supported by NC Child’s robust team of child advocates. |
| Reports To: | Policy Director |
Responsibilities
- Serve as the lead staffer in developing a Children’s Environmental Health Program within NC Child, systematically working to eradicate a range of toxicants impacting the health of NC children, beginning with a focus on lead.
- Convene a strategic team of stakeholders and potential allies to craft policy and program solutions that end the use of young children as lead detectors by developing statewide, preventive policy that shifts the burden of lead off children and taxpayers.
- Direct all aspects of NC Child’s Lead Free NC campaign, seeking to end childhood lead poisoning in North Carolina.
- Collaborate with key partners and community-based organizations on outreach and communications in high lead-risk areas of the state.
- Ensure that affected families have a right to know, and the information to understand and mitigate lead and other environmental health hazards, and advocate for their own children’s needs.
- Develop strong working relationships with state and county public health professionals who are the front lines of lead poisoning intervention and mitigation. Serve as a liaison between these professionals and the child advocacy community.
- Evaluate policy proposals for impacts on NC children and families, and interpret the best available science to inform policy-making in NC.
- Recruit and supervise graduate student interns and volunteers who bring specific technical expertise to solving environmental health problems.
- Serve as a technical expert and resource on Children’s Environmental Health to the greater child advocacy community in North Carolina.
- Support the growth of the Children’s Environmental Health program by researching and writing grants, and working with other staff to support fundraising efforts.
Qualifications
- Advanced training in Environmental Health; may include PhD, MS or MPH in environmental health science, maternal & child health, toxicology, or a related field.
- Top-notch communications skills. Must be able to bring highly-technical information to everyday audiences in ways that are relatable and compelling.
- A strong commitment to NC Child’s mission and core values which include strengthening economic opportunity for all children, reducing race and ethnic disparities, and an orientation toward policy solutions that prioritize prevention and early investment.
- Strategic thinker who is able to navigate multiple possibilities to achieve the best possible outcomes for NC’s children.
- Collaborative team player who appreciates and contributes to a diverse work environment.
- Ability to pivot quickly and adjust to an ever-changing political and non-profit environment. The NC Child “small by mighty” team operates in a fast-paced environment. While we have our eyes on a set of long-term goals, the path to achieve those goals is neither straight nor linear (despite our best logic models!). Being successful in navigating that path means being flexible, adaptable, patient, and persistent. It also means being able to multi-task, prioritize and re-prioritize as needed to get the job done.
- A really good sense of humor. This work is hard. It challenges us every day. It can be frustrating and sometimes overwhelming. The ability to find humor in the everyday is recommended as part of the skill set of strong candidates.
- Kindness and compassion for others. NC Child believes that how we go about doing our work is as important as the end results. Demonstrating kindness and compassion with our team members, our allies and stakeholders, and with those who may not always agree with our positions, is part of what makes our agency strong. The ideal candidate will share this value.
Salary and Benefits
NC Child offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid sick days, vacation, family leave, and a commitment to professional development. The salary range for this position is $48,000-$56,000 depending on academic training and experience.
Position Requirements
The Program Coordinator is a full-time position (40 hours/week). However, we recognize that outstanding candidates may not be able to work a full 40 hour week due to family responsibilities, etc. NC Child is amenable to reduced hours to secure the best candidate for this position.
The Program Coordinator must be able to travel to Raleigh regularly and easily. While NC Child encourages staff to work from home whenever possible and is moving to an increasingly “virtual” office in 2017, the Program Coordinator will be needed in Raleigh and at other locations in the Triangle on a regular basis for state-level meetings with allies, with occasional travel around and outside the state.
To Apply
Candidates should apply here. Please submit 1.) a cover letter no longer than one page that describes your interest in the position, 2.) a current resume no longer than 2 pages, 3) a short original writing sample, power point, infographic or other tool that conveys scientific information in everyday terms,[1] and 4.) a list of two professional reference to hello@fawnpattison.com Deadline: close of business on July 3, 2017.
NC Child aspires to foster diversity within our organization. To us, diversity means differing life experiences and backgrounds that may include gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, and age. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
[1] You do not need to be the sole author of this writing sample; however please attribute authorship honestly and completely.
Children’s Environmental Health Program Coordinator Application