About this role
POSITION OVERVIEW
West Central District Health Department (WCDHD), in partnership with Community Connections, is seeking a motivated, collaborative, and community-minded professional to serve as our Substance Abuse Prevention System (SAPS) Coordinator/Health Promotion Program Coordinator.
This is a unique shared position designed to bring together the strengths of two established community organizations with a common goal: preventing substance use, reducing overdose, and improving the health and well-being of our communities.
The successful candidate will be a full-time employee of WCDHD and will work a 40-hour workweek from the Community Connections office. Approximately 32 hours each week will be dedicated to the Community Connections Substance Abuse Prevention System (SAPS) Coalition and substance use prevention efforts in Lincoln County, with the remaining 8 hours dedicated to WCDHD overdose prevention and health promotion activities.
The SAPS Coalition has been working to reduce and prevent substance misuse in Lincoln County since 2004 through community collaboration, evidence-based prevention strategies, and the Strategic Prevention Framework. This position will play an important role in continuing that work while helping connect prevention efforts across organizations and throughout the community.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Lead Community Substance Use Prevention
The majority of this position will focus on coordinating the Community Connections SAPS Coalition and strengthening the community-wide substance use prevention system. The Coordinator will bring together schools, healthcare organizations, law enforcement, businesses, community organizations, families, and other stakeholders to identify needs and implement strategies that prevent substance misuse before it begins.
Responsibilities will include coordinating coalition activities, facilitating meetings, maintaining strong relationships with coalition members and community partners, and helping partners identify opportunities to incorporate prevention into their own organizations and initiatives.
The Coordinator will work collaboratively with coalition members to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive prevention plan based on community needs, available data, evidence-based strategies, and the Strategic Prevention Framework.
Turn Prevention Plans Into Action
This position is about more than developing plans. The Coordinator will help move those plans forward.
The Coordinator will organize and support prevention initiatives, trainings, community events, educational campaigns, media outreach, and other activities designed to increase awareness and reduce substance misuse.
This includes coordinating activities across multiple partners, keeping projects moving forward, monitoring progress, identifying challenges, and adjusting strategies when needed.
Support Overdose Prevention
Approximately eight hours each week will be dedicated to WCDHD's overdose prevention and related health promotion efforts.
Working as part of the WCDHD team, the Coordinator will assist with planning, implementing, promoting, evaluating, and reporting on overdose prevention activities and other assigned grant-funded initiatives.
This may include community education, outreach, partnership development, distribution or promotion of prevention resources, data collection, program evaluation, presentations, and coordination with organizations working to reduce overdose and substance-related harms.
This portion of the position provides a unique opportunity to connect upstream substance use prevention with overdose prevention, helping create a more coordinated approach to substance use across the community.
Build Strong Community Partnerships
Relationships are at the heart of this position.
The Coordinator will develop and maintain productive relationships with public and private organizations, schools, healthcare providers, law enforcement, businesses, community leaders, families, and other partners.
The ideal candidate will be comfortable bringing different perspectives to the same table, facilitating conversations, building consensus, and helping partners work toward shared goals.
Educate and Engage the Community
The Coordinator will help make prevention understandable, relevant, and visible throughout the community.
Responsibilities may include developing educational materials, coordinating trainings and awareness activities, preparing presentations, supporting social media and other communication efforts, attending community events, and representing prevention initiatives at meetings and community activities.
Communication should be grounded in health literacy principles and emphasize hope, prevention, dignity, and the belief that individuals and communities can grow and thrive.
Use Data to Guide the Work
Effective prevention requires understanding what is happening in the community and whether our strategies are making a difference.
The Coordinator will help collect, maintain, analyze, and report program and community data; conduct surveys and evaluations; track program outcomes and deliverables; and use results and community feedback to strengthen prevention strategies.
The position will also prepare required reports and documentation for funders, stakeholders, organizational leadership, and appropriate government agencies.
Support Grants and Program Sustainability
Because much of this work is supported through grant funding, the Coordinator will help ensure activities meet applicable grant requirements, work plans, timelines, and deliverables.
Responsibilities may include maintaining program documentation, assisting with budgets and tracking program expenses, preparing grant reports, researching funding opportunities, and assisting with the development and submission of grants and other funding proposals.
The goal is not simply to implement today's prevention activities, but to help build a prevention system that can remain strong and sustainable into the future.
HOW THE PARTNERSHIP WORKS
The individual selected for this position will officially be an employee of West Central District Health Department and will receive compensation and employee benefits through WCDHD. Community Connections will provide the primary workspace, day-to-day SAPS program supervision, training, and operational leadership.
The Executive Directors of WCDHD and Community Connections will work collaboratively to support the position and the continued success of this shared staffing model.
This partnership was intentionally developed around the organizations' longstanding relationship and shared commitment to substance use prevention, opioid prevention, and broader community health improvement.
WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for someone who sees prevention as more than a program or grant requirement. The right person will understand that meaningful community change happens through relationships, collaboration, consistency, and the ability to turn good ideas into action.
A strong candidate will be:
• A natural relationship-builder who enjoys connecting people and organizations.
• Comfortable facilitating meetings and conversations with diverse groups.
• Organized and able to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and grant requirements.
• A strong written and verbal communicator.
• Able to work independently while also functioning as part of two collaborative teams.
• Comfortable speaking to groups and representing programs in the community.
• Able to review and interpret data, policies, grant guidance, and program requirements.
• Proactive, flexible, and solutions-oriented.
• Committed to treating all individuals with dignity, fairness, and respect.
• Passionate about prevention and improving the health of the community.
• Comfortable working with schools, families, healthcare organizations, law enforcement, businesses, media, community organizations, and other partners.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, social media, and other technology used for communication, reporting, and program management.
A bachelor's degree and at least one year of experience in prevention, public health, health promotion, community engagement, coalition work, or a related field is preferred. Knowledge of Lincoln County and local community resources is also a plus.
WHY THIS POSITION IS DIFFERENT
It isn't often that one position provides the opportunity to work alongside two organizations that bring different strengths to the same mission.
Through Community Connections, this individual will help lead a well-established community coalition and prevention system. Through WCDHD, they will have the opportunity to contribute to public health and overdose prevention efforts that address substance use from another important perspective.
For someone who is passionate about prevention, community partnerships, and making meaningful change, this position offers the opportunity to see how those pieces fit together, and to help make those connections even stronger.
One position. Two strong community partners. One shared commitment to prevention and healthier communities.