NAM Senior Program Assistant - Health Equity
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM), established in 1970 under the name Institute of Medicine (IOM), is an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine; the natural, social, and behavioral sciences; and beyond. The NAM serves alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering as adviser to the nation and the international community. The NAM’s mission is to improve health for all by advancing science, accelerating health equity, and providing independent, authoritative, and trusted advice nationally and globally.
The NAM is seeking a Senior Program Assistant (SPA) to support projects that improve health for all by advancing science and accelerating health equity. The SPA will initially support the Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic (Action Collaborative) and the Culture of Health Program.
The Action Collaborative is a public-private partnership model that serves to catalyze public, private, and non-profit stakeholders to develop, curate, and implement multi-sector solutions designed to reduce opioid misuse, and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities affected by the opioid crisis. This initiative brings together diverse stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem to advance the following priority areas: health professional education and training, pain management guidelines and evidence standards, prevention, treatment, and recovery services, and research, data, and metrics. Each of these priority areas is the focus of a working group, each of which has a number of activities and deliverables that collectively support the mission of the overarching Action Collaborative. Overall, this is a dynamic and complex program that aims to catalyze action needed to address the evolving addiction and overdose crisis.
The Culture of Health Program is a multiyear collaborative effort to identify strategies to create and sustain conditions that support equitable good health for everyone in America; with a specific focus on building the evidence to support changes in policies and systems that aid in dismantling structural racism and lead to more equitable health outcomes for populations made vulnerable and marginalized.
The program has four goals that build upon and reinforce each other:
• Lead: Build, inform, and elevate the evidence base, including evidence from the lived experience of health inequity
• Translate: Communicate the evidence in a timely and culturally informed manner
• Engage: Integrate actors, working at every level of the government, in communities, and across disciplines, into the mission of the Program.
• Sustain: Transform culture and create a shared value system to advance health equity
The SPA will be an integral part of these two program teams initially. While the programs are complex and multi-faceted, each team is lean and diligent. The successful candidate will have a strong interest in health equity and a desire to improve outcomes for populations made marginalized. This is an opportunity to develop skills engaging with some of the most critical issues facing the nation and the world. The SPA will bring strong logistical and event management skills to support collaborative interactions with senior leaders and leading experts across many fields and disciplines.
As a part of their work, the SPA will perform much of the clerical and administrative tasks in support of the Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic and the Culture of Health Program’s activities and deliverables. Job Description:
**Please note a cover letter is required to be considered**
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:
1. Performs routine and complex clerical and administrative tasks, including drafting correspondence to health systems and sector and related field leaders, managing membership details, and maintaining extensive tracking sheets.
2. Coordinates logistics and provides administrative support for in-person and virtual meetings with health system and sector and related stakeholders (e.g., sponsors, members, guest speakers and other external stakeholders). Tasks may include: scheduling, managing online event registration, coordinating with vendors (e.g., to live stream a virtual event), arranging travel and catering, etc.
3. With guidance, develops, edits, and formats project materials (one-pagers, presentations, brief reports, etc.) tailored to specific audiences, for example, potential sponsors, members, and general public.
4. Performs basic research activities as needed, including internet research on relevant topics and then organizing and summarizing key information identified.
5. Inputs edits and proofreads reports. Formats text and publications. Coordinates with printers/publishers to have materials printed.
6. Performs basic administrative updates and maintains web pages, as needed
7. Attends meetings, training classes, and workshops.
9. Mentors and trains new support staff. Coordinates temporary help and may supervise work of temporary staff.
10. Updates applicable databases and systems on a timely basis and ensures documents and files are accurately maintained and archived. Maintains email and distribution lists.
11. Mentors and trains new support staff (as needed).
NONESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES
- Related duties and special projects as assigned.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. Ability to plan and support extensive meeting activities. Ability to solve problems with supervisory consultation or by following procedures. Ability to prioritize work and the flexibility to change directions as the job dictates. Ability to work successfully in a team environment. Ability to develop relationships with co-workers and employees in other National Academies’ departments through effective communication. Good communication and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to effectively interact with all levels of employees.
Minimum Education/Training Requirements: High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent knowledge.
Minimum Experience: Four years of related experience or educational equivalent.
Physical Capabilities: Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time. Ability to travel.
Required Licenses, Certification or Registration: None.
Supervisory Responsibilities/Controls: Reports to manager/supervisor. Supervisor is available to organize work, set objectives, and to assist in problem resolution.
Work Environment: Hybrid Office/Telecommute environment with the ability to work remotely up to 50% of the time, with occasional travel between National Academies’ facilities and to off-site meeting/sponsor locations. In accordance with the National Academies’ commitment to provide a safe and healthy workplace, all employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except as otherwise permitted under a reasonable accommodation for medical or religious reasons. Unless granted an accommodation, successful applicants will be required to confirm their vaccination status and proof of vaccination promptly upon beginning employment. Applicants needing accommodations should indicate this in their application; applicants will not be discriminated against in the hiring process on the basis of requesting an accommodation.
The National Academies’ Statement on Diversity and Inclusion: To promote diversity and inclusion in the sciences, engineering, and medicine, we are committed to increasing the diversity of the National Academies’ staff, members, and volunteers to reflect the populations we serve. We pledge to cultivate an environment and culture that promotes inclusion and values respectful participation of all individuals who help advance the mission of the institution. For more information on NAM’s commitment, please find NAM President Victor J. Dzau’s statement on racial equity and the adverse effects of racism here.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
It is the policy of the National Academies to recruit, hire, transfer, compensate, and promote people in all job categories and to administer all other personnel actions, terms and conditions of employment in a manner that is consistent with equal employment, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, medical condition for which a person has been rehabilitated or cured, marital status, family responsibilities, genetic information, political affiliation, personal appearance, matriculation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. It is also the institution's policy to recruit, hire, promote, and provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and covered veterans who are otherwise qualified.
Any qualification to be considered equivalent, in lieu of stated minimum, requires the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Some functions in this description may be specific to a particular unit of the National Academies and not applicable to other units.