Practice Area Senior Director – Community Health
Arlington, Virginia, United States /
Altarum Institute – Population Health/Community Health /
Full-time
/ Hybrid
Altarum is seeking a Practice Area Senior Director to support our Community Health Practice Area in our Population Health Division. Practice Area Senior Directors serve a set of functions essential to Altarum’s long term organizational success and achieving its impact on advancing health and healthcare.
Responsibilities include operational oversight, supervision and mentorship of practice areas leaders, financial oversight, developing relationships with funders and partners and setting and executing strategy that builds the Practice Area’s capabilities, offerings, and brand in the market. The role of Senior Director provides a great degree of independence and comprises significant organizational accountability. The Senior Director is to execute their duties in the spirit of collaboration and always act in the best interests of Altarum, which at times can mean making decisions that put Altarum’s interests over those of an individual Practice Area.
The Community Health Practice Area Senior Director will oversee a portfolio of work focused on Maternal and Child Health, Reproductive and Sexual Health, Food and Nutrition and Behavioral Health.
Portfolio Management & Operational Oversight
- Work with Practice Area leaders and staff to ensure that all project plans are accurate, up-to-date and reflect the most efficient use of available resources.
- Support project leaders in ensuring project goals and objectives are accomplished in accordance with priorities, time, and funding limitations.
- Maintain a culture of open communication and risk mitigation across project portfolio.
- Proactively monitor performance across project portfolio to ensure broad client satisfaction.
- Seek to maximize project margins and minimize the risk of cost overruns or project funds going unspent.
- Counsel and mentor staff on organization and Practice Area level policies and preferred operational practices.
- Support the building of effective teams within the Practice Area by demonstrating accountability and working across Practice Areas and Divisions.
- Proactively assess financial progress, vulnerabilities, and risks to large programs. Identify weaknesses and support development of contingency plans.
- Lead subcontractor oversight activities across project portfolio.
- Contribute to and support roll-out of preferred operational practices across Practice Area staff.
- Participate in strategic planning and visioning sessions and lead ad hoc strategic efforts.
- Monitor and ensure achievement of KPIs (key performance indicators).
Project and Client Oversight
- Lead and contribute to projects within the Division and Practice Area (i.e. Project Director, subject matter expert, facilitator)
- Develop, maintain and encourage productive relationships with clients.
Financial Performance
- Support development of Practice Area FY (Fiscal Year) budgets and tracking of performance vs budget.
- Manage Practice Area activities to meet or exceed quarterly top line, net revenue, gross margin objectives.
- Manage Practice Area activities to meet or exceed quarterly indirect spending and contribution margin objectives.
- Closely monitor and forecast financial performance and to proactively take steps to mitigate risks, alter indirect spending and right-size teams when necessary.
- Embrace fiduciary responsibilities and model behaviors that demonstrate the professional pursuit of Altarum’s long-term financial health.
Business Development
- Aggressively pursue Practice Area business development that is aligned with and advances Altarum’s mission.
- Attain yearly sales goals for the Practice Area.
- Actively pursue and build robust relationships with existing clients, potential funders, and partner organizations.
- Identify and leverage existing relationships found among staff in the Practice Area and the leadership of other Practice Areas for business development pursuits.
- Serve as primary liaison between the Practice Area and external parties (e.g., Universities, health systems, provider organizations, health insurers, health departments) particularly in relation to market positioning and capture planning for research, philanthropic and commercial pursuits.
- Lead and/or support proposal efforts, teaming, and strategic pricing.
Staff Development
- Supervise Practice Area staff, maximize productivity and identify and address performance concerns in a timely manner.
- Mentor and provide constructive feedback and guidance.
- Provide constructive feedback and guidance.
- Discuss and document professional development goals and progress.
- Address performance issues and discuss areas for growth.
- Identify projects and opportunities and structure tasking to provide growth and professional development.
- Coach on problem solving to address issues as needed.
- Objectively identify top performers and work to provide new opportunities to support retention.
- Pursue interesting work to attract top talent and retain high-performing staff.
- Recruit and retain mission-oriented staff to further develop a culture of purpose across Division activities. Work with the Practice Area leaders to coordinate project staffing to maximize opportunities for full staff utilization and career development.
- Identify internal and external candidates to strengthen Altarum leadership pipeline.
Qualifications
- Master’s degree, with 7+ years of relevant work experience in health and health care, management of federal and state contracts, and leadership.
- Assertive and persuasive communication (written, verbal, and listening) and ability to communicate technical concepts, and ideas succinctly to partners, funders and senior level executives.
- Experience with government contracting and leading teams to respond to RFP/RFI/RFQ for Federal, State and Philanthropic opportunities.
- Proven ability to work effectively across internal and external organizations.
- Expertise in community health related work particularly in Maternal and Child Health
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Ability to travel on ad hoc basis for internal and external meetings.
- People management and leadership skills to mentor staff for personal development and encourage team-oriented collaboration.
- Strong financial acumen and negotiation skills.
Logistical Requirements
- At this time we will only accept candidates who are presently eligible to work in the United States and will not require sponsorship.
- Our organization requires that all work, for the duration of your employment, must be completed in the continental U.S. unless required by contract.
- If you are local to our offices in Arlington, Silver Spring, Ann Arbor, or Portland this role will be hybrid.
- Must be able to work during eastern time unless approved by your manager.
ABOUT ALTARUM:
Altarum is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the health of individuals with fewer financial resources and populations disenfranchised by the health care system. We work primarily on behalf of federal and state governments to design and implement solutions that achieve measurable results. We combine our expertise in public health and health care delivery with technology development and implementation, practice transformation, training and technical assistance, quality improvement, data analytics, and applied research and evaluation. Our innovative solutions and proven processes lead to better value and health for all.
In addition to the meaningful and challenging work, Altarum offers an outstanding benefits program that includes paid time off, tuition reimbursement, 401k (3% employer contribution plus opportunity for gainsharing), a flexible work environment, and much more. We invite you to explore exciting and rewarding career opportunities with us.
Altarum provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
