Director of Community Engagement

Description

Job Title: Director of Community Engagement

Department: Administrative Services

Reports to: Chief Administrative Officer

Job Classification: Exempt, full-time

Job Summary:

The Director of Community Engagement leads community engagement and needs assessment efforts that support and strengthen HealthSource Integrated Solutions' statewide services. The Director will be responsible for ensuring alignment of community engagement efforts with the organization’s strategic goals and mission. The role will take a data-driven and evidence-based approach to increasing awareness of existing services and evaluating opportunities to align the services of HealthSource, and our partners, with the needs of the community at-large.

The Director will lead HealthSource's community engagement and outreach efforts and work collaboratively with internal and external partners to ensure appropriate representation of statewide services at relevant local, state, and national events. The position will serve as a bridge between HealthSource and the communities it serves, bringing forward community feedback, emerging needs, system gaps, and partnership opportunities to inform program strategy, improve service accessibility, and strengthen the overall system of support.

The Director will also lead and coordinate Community Needs Assessment (CNA) services provided by HealthSource to Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) across Kansas. The position will work collaboratively with participating organizations to assess community behavioral health needs, engage stakeholders, identify service gaps and access barriers, evaluate community assets and resources, and develop actionable findings that support CCBHC planning and service delivery. The Director will help establish a consistent and scalable CNA approach that supports participating organizations in meeting applicable CCBHC requirements while remaining responsive to the unique needs and characteristics of their communities.

As HealthSource and its statewide service systems continue to develop, the Director will help establish the relationships, processes, tools, and infrastructure necessary to build sustainable community engagement and CNA functions. As funding and programming needs permit, the position may also supervise or coordinate additional staff supporting this work. Statewide travel will be required as needed.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Community Engagement & Stakeholder Relations – 30%

• Lead targeted engagement with priority populations and communities, particularly those that may experience barriers to awareness, access, or use of contracted statewide services.
• Build and maintain a statewide network of community contacts that supports ongoing communication, engagement, and understanding of community needs.
• Work with HealthSource’s quality and data professionals to collect, analyze, evaluate, and implement customer, community, and stakeholder feedback, to inform continuous quality improvement, program strategy, and organizational decision-making.
• Identify system gaps, emerging needs, and partnership opportunities that can strengthen coordination, expand access to services, and improve the reach and effectiveness of statewide services.
• Ensure representation of HealthSource's statewide services in relevant coalitions, workgroups, professional associations, community forums, meetings, and other stakeholder settings, serving as the representative when appropriate and identifying other HealthSource staff and leaders as needed.
• Build collaborative relationships with service providers, state agencies, suicide prevention organizations, emergency response systems, rural and frontier communities, Tribal communities, veteran-serving organizations, schools and youth-serving organizations, healthcare providers, and other key system partners.

Education, Awareness & Community Participation – 30%

• Develop and coordinate community education and awareness activities that increase understanding of HealthSource's statewide services and how to access and use them.
• Identify opportunities to expand awareness and engagement among communities and populations with limited awareness of or access to available services.
• Coordinate presentations, informational sessions, community conversations, outreach activities, and other opportunities for public education and engagement.
• Collaborate with marketing, state agencies, and other appropriate stakeholders to align community-facing activities with messaging, branding, and statewide awareness efforts.
• Create and support meaningful opportunities for individuals and organizations to participate in education, outreach, volunteer, advisory, workforce development, and other community engagement activities.
• Support the development and use of educational, promotional resources and other community-facing materials.

Community Needs Assessment Development – 25%

• Lead and coordinate Community Needs Assessment (CNA) services provided by HealthSource to CMHCs and CCBHCs across Kansas.
• Develop and maintain a consistent, scalable CNA methodology that supports participating organizations in meeting applicable CCBHC requirements and informing local service planning and organizational strategy.
• Work directly with participating CMHCs/CCBHCs to establish the scope, timeline, stakeholder engagement strategy, data needs, and deliverables for each CNA.
• Coordinate the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative information, including demographic and population data, behavioral health indicators, service utilization information, community resources, access barriers, service gaps, and other relevant community-level information.
• Design and facilitate stakeholder engagement activities, including surveys, focus groups, listening sessions, interviews, community forums, and other methods appropriate to the communities being assessed.
• Ensure meaningful opportunities for individuals with lived experience, families, community organizations, healthcare providers, schools, law enforcement and emergency responders, social service organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to inform CNAs.
• Support participating CMHCs/CCBHCs in identifying and engaging populations that may experience disparities, barriers to care, or limited access to behavioral health and crisis services.
• Analyze and synthesize community input, available data, and stakeholder feedback to identify behavioral health needs, service gaps, community assets, access barriers, workforce considerations, and emerging priorities.
• Develop professional CNA reports and related deliverables that clearly communicate methodology, findings, identified needs, community assets, service gaps, and opportunities for participating organizations.
• Present CNA findings to CMHC/CCBHC leadership, boards, staff, community stakeholders, and other audiences as appropriate.
• Assist participating organizations in translating CNA findings into actionable priorities that may inform CCBHC planning, service delivery, community engagement, partnerships, outreach, and other organizational strategies.
• Maintain documentation, templates, tools, data resources, engagement methods, and other infrastructure necessary to provide consistent and efficient CNA services across multiple organizations and communities.
• Monitor applicable CCBHC requirements and guidance related to CNAs and incorporate relevant changes into HealthSource's CNA methodology and services.
• Identify opportunities to improve, expand, and strengthen HealthSource's CNA service offering.
• Collaborate with organizational leadership and other internal resources to ensure CNA services are appropriately staffed, scheduled, documented, evaluated, and delivered.
• As demand, funding, and organizational capacity permit, coordinate or supervise staff and other resources supporting CNA and community engagement activities.

Organizational Support & Other Duties – 15%

• Participate in organizational initiatives, meetings, training, and other activities that support the mission and effective operation of HealthSource.
• Complete documentation, reporting, planning, and administrative activities reasonably related to the position.
• Collaborate with organizational leadership on planning, evaluation, resource development, and special initiatives that support the growth and sustainability of community engagement, strategic partnership, and CNA services.
• Perform other duties consistent with the scope and purpose of the position as assigned.

Position Expectations

This position requires a high degree of initiative, professional judgment, relationship-building, collaboration, and independent follow-through. The Director is expected to represent HealthSource professionally, maintain appropriate confidentiality, work effectively across diverse communities and systems, and support the organization's commitment to accessible, responsive, and coordinated behavioral health and crisis

• Prior computer experience and basic computer fluency, as well as the ability to pull, interpret, and data to current practices and future initiatives;
• Demonstrates ability to learn and use new technologies, including computer programs and phone systems;
• Maintains effective, cooperative working relationships with people, both internally and externally, as it relates to the operations and business of HealthSource;
• Demonstrates an energetic and positive approach to the rapidly evolving changes and challenges of a complex workplace;
• Must successfully complete all required background checks.

Physical Demands:

• Frequently required to speak, write, and memorize.
• Constantly required to talk, read, problem solve, see, hear, and sit.
• Push, pull, lift, or carry 20 pounds.
• Occasionally required to bend, twist, squat, kneel, stand, walk or balance.

Additional Duties:

Additional duties and responsibilities may be added to this job description at any time. The job description does not state or imply that these are the only activities to be performed by the employee(s) holding this position. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related responsibilities as requested by their supervisor

Benefits:

• A full list of HealthSource Employee Benefits can be found in the Employee Handbook.

Requirements

Preferred Job Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a relevant field such as public health, behavioral health, social work, psychology, sociology, communications, community development, human services, or a related discipline.
• Three or more years of progressively responsible experience in community engagement, outreach, stakeholder relations, program coordination, or a related field, particularly involving behavioral health, suicide prevention, or crisis services.
• Experience developing and managing partnerships or collaborative initiatives involving multiple organizations, public agencies, community systems, or other stakeholders, particularly with priority or underserved populations.
• Experience conducting or coordinating community needs assessments, community health assessments, environmental scans, or similar planning and evaluation activities, preferably within behavioral health, public health, human services, or the CCBHC environment.
• Experience collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing quantitative and qualitative information and translating findings into actionable recommendations for organizational or community planning.
• Experience facilitating stakeholder engagement processes such as surveys, focus groups, interviews, listening sessions, and community forums.
• Experience leading community education, outreach, awareness, or engagement initiatives and using stakeholder or program information to inform strategy, improve outcomes, and strengthen community or system engagement.
• Experience working within or across behavioral health, crisis response, suicide prevention, public safety, emergency response, child welfare, education, or related systems.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public health, behavioral health, social work, psychology, sociology, communications, community development, human services, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• At least two years of experience in community engagement, outreach, stakeholder relations, program coordination, behavioral health, public health, human services, or related fields.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain productive relationships with diverse communities, organizations, agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal, written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with individuals and groups representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple priorities, coordinate activities, meet deadlines, and follow through on commitments.
• Ability to organize and synthesize information from multiple sources and communicate findings clearly to internal and external audiences.
• Ability and willingness to travel statewide as needed, with a valid driver's license and reliable transportation when travel is required.