Program Manager – South Cook County

Women, trans, gender non-conforming and queer folks, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Live4Lali is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate by race, age, sex, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability in its procedures and policies. Involvement in the criminal justice system is not an automatic disqualifier. Live4Lali does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, complies with the Illinois Human Rights Act, and provides reasonable accommodations as required by law.

Substance use disorder continues to be a devastating public health crisis. Americans die from drug overdoses at a rate of roughly 210 to 300 people per day. In 2023, there were 105,007 total drug overdose deaths in the United States. In Illinois, 3052 residents died from an accidental drug overdose in 2023, which is more than twice the number of fatal motor vehicle accidents and more than twice the number of homicides. The increase in the number of fatalities is attributed to the rise of synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. Since 2013, synthetic opioid deaths in Illinois have increased 3,341%.

Live4Lali has been serving suburban Chicagoland for nearly sixteen years providing critical prevention, education, treatment access, support programs, community solutions-building initiatives, harm reduction, and overdose prevention services to decrease the devastating toll of the opioid epidemic. mission is to reduce stigma and prevent substance use disorder among individuals, families, and communities, and minimize the overall health, legal and social harms associated with substance use.

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The Program Manager - South Cook oversees and coordinates resources for all Live4Lali programs across South Cook County and is based out of our South Holland office with travel across Suburban South Cook County. The Program Manager - South Cook will also participate in program design, operations, measurement and reporting, grant support, and staff training and management.

Under the direct supervision of the Director of Programs, the Full-Time (40 hours on-site) will be part of the Live4Lali team, engaged in the following activities:

Core Responsibilities

• Develop, design and implement Live4Lali’s Harm Reduction program across Cook County County;
• Manage all current and future Live4Lali outreach grants and initiatives—including IDHS, Mobile Outreach, and new programs—overseeing grant compliance, reporting, data collection, and performance management;
• Management of virtual and in-person Peer Support Programs including SMART Recovery Meetings;
• Management of Overdose Prevention and NARCAN Training Programs, including conducting educational programs and trainings for an audience;
• Management of Education and Awareness Programs;
• Supervision and coaching for three Outreach Coordinators including on-boarding, training and continuing education and management;
• Program resource management including supply management, usage monitoring and budgeting;
• Utilize and analyze accessible data to identify trends based on hotspots in consideration of program promotion and provisioning of harm reduction services;
• Identify community coalitions, networks and partnerships and participate in advocacy initiatives aligning with the organizational philosophy and provision of harm reduction services.
• Identify, communicate and coordinate available resources to staff for participant engagement and use;
• Conduct community needs assessments and work collaboratively with local partners to co-develop programming and initiatives, while communicating plans, projects, and progress with key stakeholders;
• Collaborate in the evaluation of current and creation of new programs;
• Assist in data collection and program reporting;

Desired Qualifications

The Program Manager - South Cook will be a person with at least 2 year’s experience with program creation and management. Being bilingual in Spanish is a plus. They will preferably also have a minimum of three years of relevant work experience in substance use disorder, mental health, public health or social work, and/or be a person of lived experience with at least two years in recovery/remission from substance use disorder. This candidate will demonstrate the following qualifications:

• Direct service delivery experience in the community social services sector with a demonstrated working knowledge of community-based programs and community support systems;
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with a diverse range of clientele including individuals who are actively using substances and living with significant health challenges;
• Demonstrated experience to identify, develop and manage community partnerships
• Proficiency in technology, including but not limited to Google Drive, Zoom and Microsoft Office Suite;
• Demonstrated attention to detail and strong organizational skills;
• Demonstrated knowledge in the areas of safer drug use, addictions, safer sex, sex work, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, mental health, etc.;
• Demonstrated knowledge of social justice, health promotion and public health approaches and models of social support and health care;
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to harm reduction principles and practices;
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with a diverse range of clientele including individuals who are actively using substances and living with significant health challenges;
• Experience managing hostile interactions, utilizing non-violent communication and diffusing techniques;
• Ability to problem solve with creativity, flexibility and assertiveness in dealing with complex issues;
• Ability to work as part of a team, to prioritize and handle multiple tasks, and to work independently in a high-pressure environment. CPR and Basic first aid certified preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to work effectively with co-workers, clients, community, and other service providers;
• Strong working knowledge of local health and social services;
• Must have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance and reliable inter-suburban transportation;
• Must comply with all Live4Lali policies and procedures, including, but not limited to the Risk Management Guidelines.

Work Environment and Schedule

The Program Manager - South Cook position is based out of our Arlington Heights office and requires regular travel to multiple community locations. Due to the dynamic nature of street-based and mobile outreach work, this role operates on a flexible and evolving schedule that does not follow a traditional 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. workday. Hours may include evenings or weekends and will adjust as programs expand and community needs shift. The position requires a full-time commitment of 40 hours per week, with days and times adaptable and open to negotiation for the right candidate.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $50,000.00 - $58,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Application Question(s):

• Please describe your experience with harm reduction, the war on drugs, the opioid epidemic or working with individuals in active use of substances.

Work Location: In person