Public Health Program Manager II - Substance Use Strategist

About the role

The Pima County Health Department is seeking a Substance Use Strategist to join the Community Mental Health, Addiction, and Injury Division. This position supports community-wide efforts to address fatal and non-fatal overdoses and strengthens local responses to substance use disorders.

Responsibilities

• Supports community-wide efforts to address fatal and non-fatal overdoses and strengthens local responses to substance use disorders.
• Serves as a liaison among local jurisdictions, healthcare providers, community organizations, public safety agencies, and individuals with lived experience to develop and implement strategies that improve prevention, treatment, harm reduction, recovery services, and overall health outcomes.
• Collaborates with stakeholders throughout Pima County to identify gaps in services, inform shared strategies, and strengthen systems that connect individuals and families to needed resources.
• Supports local jurisdictions in enhancing referral networks, improving access to care, integrating overdose prevention efforts into existing public health programs, and promoting equitable, culturally responsive services that address health disparities.
• Builds and maintains partnerships across sectors, assists with opioid settlement reporting requirements, and prepares data-informed recommendations that support evidence-based interventions and policy development.
• Works closely with public health teams, local jurisdictions, and community partners to advance collaborative solutions that reduce overdose-related harms and support healthier outcomes for Pima County residents.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in healthcare administration, public health, public or business administration or a related field as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment AND four years of related experience managing public health programs, clinics and/or community-based initiatives INCLUDING two years of direct supervisory experience.
• Three years of experience with Pima County as a Public Health Program Manager, Public Health Nursing Manager or other related management or supervisor level job classification as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment.
• Experience working with opioid settlement-funded initiatives, substance use disorder systems, public health policy, behavioral health systems, or cross-jurisdictional public sector initiatives.
• Minimum four (4) years of lived or living experience relevant to behavioral health, substance use, recovery, or overdose prevention may substitute for some or all of the required work experience.
• Minimum three (3) years of experience convening and facilitating multi-sector stakeholder groups, coalitions, advisory committees, or community collaboratives to develop shared priorities, strategies, and action plans.
• Minimum three (3) years of experience developing strategic plans, policy recommendations, funding priorities, or systems-improvement initiatives related to public health, behavioral health, or social services.
• Experience managing, monitoring, administering, or reporting on public funding sources, grants, settlement funds, or government-funded initiatives, including performance measurement and outcome reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in healthcare administration, public health, public or business administration or a related field as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment AND four years of related experience managing public health programs, clinics and/or community-based initiatives INCLUDING two years of direct supervisory experience.
• Three years of experience with Pima County as a Public Health Program Manager, Public Health Nursing Manager or other related management or supervisor level job classification as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment.
• Experience working with opioid settlement-funded initiatives, substance use disorder systems, public health policy, behavioral health systems, or cross-jurisdictional public sector initiatives.
• Minimum four (4) years of lived or living experience relevant to behavioral health, substance use, recovery, or overdose prevention may substitute for some or all of the required work experience.
• Minimum three (3) years of experience convening and facilitating multi-sector stakeholder groups, coalitions, advisory committees, or community collaboratives to develop shared priorities, strategies, and action plans.
• Minimum three (3) years of experience developing strategic plans, policy recommendations, funding priorities, or systems-improvement initiatives related to public health, behavioral health, or social services.
• Experience managing, monitoring, administering, or reporting on public funding sources, grants, settlement funds, or government-funded initiatives, including performance measurement and outcome reporting.