The Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) is seeking an energetic and well-organized team member to provide support and leadership for various activities of the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity and to launch a healthy lifestyles technical assistance program focused on worksites and schools. IPHI convenes and supports the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity, Illinois’ statewide obesity, nutrition and physical activity focused policy, systems and environmental change coalition. The position is full-time, 37.5 hours per week and the candidate will report to the Director of the Center for Policy and Partnership Initiatives.

Description of Illinois Public Health Institute

The Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) is a partnership of public, private and voluntary organizations that seeks to maximize health, wellness and quality of life for the people of Illinois. IPHI administers partnership-driven projects which address specific program areas through the Center for Health and Information Technology, the Center for Community Capacity Development, and the Center for Policy and Partnership Initiatives. Current projects in the Centers include: leading the national coordinating office of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Data Across Sectors for Health initiative; providing training and technical assistance on community health needs assessment and accreditation and quality improvement in local health departments; and convening and managing the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity, advancing physical education in schools and providing technical assistance to communities promoting healthy lifestyles.

Healthy Lifestyles and Obesity Prevention Program Specialist

The full-time Program Specialist will work approximately half time to provide day-to-day program execution, coordination, communication, and research to support IPHI’s new Healthy Lifestyles Technical Assistance Center in partnership with Illinois Department of Public Health through its Chronic Disease and School Health Grant. The other half of the specialist’s time will be spent supporting the work of the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity, including supporting the Nutrition in Community Settings Workgroup and it’s healthy vending initiative, and other IAPO workgroups and activities.

Duties and Responsibilities
• In conjunction with partners, staff and consultants, coordinate planning for the new Healthy Lifestyles Technical Assistance Center
• Work with partner health departments in Northern Illinois to identify technical assistance needs for healthy lifestyle promotion in schools, workplaces and child care centers.
• Provide or leverage experts to provide technical assistance as identified
• Research, collect and disseminate Healthy Lifestyle resources, tools and materials to local health department technical assistance sites.
• Develop on-line and in-person training events on Healthy Lifestyle topics
• Leverage Technical Assistance Center resources and capacity to serve additional communities across Illinois.
• Coordinate and support the work of advisory committees, councils, task forces, teams and research partnerships, including scheduling meetings, communicating with participants and producing pre- and post-meeting materials.
• Plan and execute in-person and online events by organizing and managing logistics, coordinating presenters and facilitators, developing and producing event materials, and conducting meeting follow-up.
• Draft and edit reports, white papers, background documents, presentations, fact sheets, newsletters, and other organizing and communications messages and materials and funder reports.
• Draft, edit and post information, materials and updates on the IPHI or IAPO web sites; develop and utilize social media strategies as appropriate.
• Develop and execute a limited media relations strategy, including development of press materials and developing media strategies.
• Draft or participate in drafting grant proposals
• Maintain and nurture relationships with partners at state agencies, local health departments and community partnerships, provider and stakeholder organizations, and funders.
• Participate in community/stakeholder meetings; assist with facilitation of group discussions with partners and stakeholders.
• Respond to stakeholder inquires and communications.
• Maintain project-related performance and evaluation data and prepare and submit periodic, special and annual programmatic reports.
• Coordinate participation of external consultants and administrative staff in support of these tasks.
• Other duties and tasks as may be needed and identified during the project.

Qualifications:
• The ideal candidate will have a minimum of three years work experience in healthy lifestyles related initiatives, chronic disease prevention or other public health interventions.
• Master’s degree in public health, nutrition or another field related to the position duties. Equivalent professional experience is also acceptable.
• Experience in some combination of project management, meeting planning, stakeholder engagement, community organizing and professional/technical writing is desirable. Knowledge of nutrition, health promotion, and policy, systems and environmental change strategies is required.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills are required; must be thorough and detail-oriented within a big-picture, vision-oriented framework.
• Candidates should have the ability to work independently and as part of project teams; must be able to work with minimum supervision in the conceptualization, planning, management, and implementation of organizational and program activities.
• The successful candidate will be able to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously, be comfortable in a fast-paced environment, and able to adapt to change and growth.
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, electronic mail, and web page and social media development is required.
• IPHI has a collegial, team-oriented culture where a sense of humor and a passion for work is highly valued.

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications and related experience, competitive benefits

Location: The position is located in Chicago at IPHI’s West Loop office.

Starting date: Immediate

Application instructions:
Please submit a resume, cover letter comparing your experience and skills with the job responsibilities, and writing sample by Friday, May 8, 2015 to be considered for this position; electronic submission preferred to jobsearch@iphionline.org. The cover letter should compare your qualifications and experiences to the duties and responsibilities of the position. Visit www.iphionline.org for more information about IPHI’s mission and work.

Illinois Public Health Institute
ATTN: Job Search
954 W. Washington Blvd, Suite 405
Chicago, IL 60601
jobsearch@iphionline.org
No phone calls, please.