Program Manager, Campus Suicide Prevention

This is a full-time position, housed at the Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services, part of the College of Health and Behavioral Studies at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA. A primarily remote work schedule is feasible for this position, with travel to JMU campus required for relevant meetings and events.

Our mission is to reduce risk for suicide across Virginia’s higher education settings by providing support for strategic planning, consultation, multi-tiered training and related prevention resources. The Center serves 72 institutions (15 public, 24 private and 33 community colleges/universities). Services are available at no cost and are provided through a partnership of the Virginia Department of Health and The Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services at James Madison University.

IIHHS is an anti-racist and anti-discrimination organization which is against all forms of violence and is committed to identifying and dismantling systems of oppression, racist and discriminatory policies, practices, and processes to build healthier and safer communities where all individuals can thrive. IIHHS is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Duties and Responsibilities:

This person will work closely with the Director and Center staff to:

• Build professional relationships with Virginia higher education administrators, faculty, and student support personnel as well as funding agencies, experts in the field, and other stakeholders.
• Plan, develop, and deliver educational programs in suicide prevention and emotional wellness to diverse audiences through webinars, online trainings, videos, in-person presentations, continuing education programs, and listserv communications.
• Provide technical assistance, consultation and support services to campuses in wellness promotion and comprehensive suicide prevention. This may include advising on conducting a needs assessment, selecting or revising a program, developing or revising policies and procedures, strategic planning, and responding to crises.
• Provide expertise in college student emotional wellness and suicide prevention to the wider public.
• Support contact with stakeholders through coordinating and co-hosting biweekly meetings of our statewide intercampus educational network.
• Assist with curriculum planning and administration of professional development credits for relevant programs.
• Provide creative vision to plan and develop novel initiatives that will reach campus professionals.
• Apply knowledge of current strengths, needs and challenges in higher education to suicide prevention planning.
• Compile statistical data to support program goals, share in educational presentations, and demonstrate needs and outcomes to funders.
• Evaluate effectiveness and impact of Center programs and activities.
• Assist with the design of relevant research projects, including participatory research initiatives.
• Contribute to website development through identification of relevant educational resources.
• Apply knowledge of state/federal government policies and procedures to consultations and initiatives.
• Collaborate with media and instructional design experts to create high-quality educational products.
• Travel throughout Virginia to meet with college campus representatives and attend state and regional events and conferences (approximately 5-10% of time)
• Provide ASIST and safeTALK trainings to campus communities throughout the Commonwealth
• Support and supervise part-time staff, interns, and volunteers
• Support grant development and management.
• Support the development of an annual work plan.
• Teach tailored and culturally tuned strategies for suicide prevention to support diverse student populations.

Qualifications:

Experience and Skills Required:

• Experience working in a professional role within a college or university AND/OR experience using a public health approach to prevention and wellness promotion.
• Excellence in written and verbal skills.
• Experience in teaching, training, or public speaking.
• Comfort talking about and addressing the topic of suicide on a day-to-day basis.
• Familiarity with Google applications, Microsoft suite, and survey management software (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Question Pro, Google Forms).

Experience and Skills Preferred:

• Graduate degree in health education (CHES/MCHES optimal), public health, counseling, psychology (applied field), social work or related field.
• Experience in systems-level strategic planning for suicide prevention.
• Experience in instructional design or course design.
• Experience in working with diversity, equity and inclusion on a college campus.
• Experience in strategic planning to support special populations (LGBTQ+, BIPOC, individuals with disabilities, veterans).
• Read, critically analyze, synthesize, and translate scientific research to both written and oral presentation formats for both professional and lay audiences.
• Experience in strategic planning for supporting students who experience mental illness, substance use disorders and/or sexual assault.
• Experience in applying state and/or federal law to higher education practices.

The successful candidate will have strong time management skills, ethical reasoning, and emotional intelligence. They will be highly motivated, organized, able to work independently, innovative in approaching tasks, and creative in identifying ways to make teams’ work more effective and efficient.

To learn more and to apply, go to joblink.jmu.edu and reference posting F1878, or go directly to https://joblink.jmu.edu/postings/11853. Review of applications will begin 6/13/2022. Position is open until filled. Salary is commensurate with experience. 

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.