National Council for Mental Wellbeing Project Director, Practice Improvement

Accountabilities Lead project strategy and execution: Define, implement, and continuously refine the project's strategy throughout its lifecycle in partnership with department leadership, ensuring alignment with federal grant objectives and organizational priorities.

Translate priorities into actionable plans: Develop annual training and technical assistance plans that respond to federal funding requirements, evaluation findings, and the evolving needs of providers and grantees across the integrated care landscape.

Oversee project delivery and performance: Manage project scope, work plans, timelines, budgets, deliverables, and quality standards, monitoring progress against milestones and implementing corrective actions when needed.

Manage federal grants and compliance: Serve as the primary liaison to federal project officers, maintain regular communication with funding stakeholders, oversee required progress reporting, and ensure adherence to grant terms, conditions, and regulatory requirements.

Oversee financial planning and sustainability: Collaborate with Finance to monitor project budgets, incorporate supplemental funding and emerging federal priorities, contribute to grant proposals, and identify strategies to maximize available resources and support continued funding.

Manage external partnerships and contracts: Oversee a broad network of partner organizations, consultants, and specialist firms, including procurement, contract development, scopes of work, budgeting, performance monitoring, and contract closeout.

Strengthen partner capacity and reach: Identify gaps in expertise, service coverage, or audience reach and recruit appropriate partners to address emerging needs, including specialized support for children, youth, and families.

Drive evaluation and continuous improvement: Lead or oversee project evaluation, quality improvement, and performance measurement activities, using data and lessons learned to refine strategies and strengthen outcomes.

Provide decisive project team leadership: Synthesize multidisciplinary team input, establish clear priorities, delegate responsibilities, and maintain accountability to ensure timely, high-quality execution.

Support team development and collaboration: Coach team members on project-related responsibilities in coordination with dedicated people managers, foster connection within a remote team, and encourage effective cross-functional collaboration.

Manage risk and adapt to changing priorities: Anticipate challenges related to federal policy, funding changes, stakeholder expectations, and project delivery, developing mitigation strategies and adapting plans as circumstances evolve.

Represent the initiative externally: Present findings, strategies, and project updates to broad audiences while building productive relationships with federal agencies and other stakeholders involved in integrated care.

Requirements

Extensive project leadership experience: At least eight years of experience managing complex, large-scale projects, including substantial responsibility for federally funded initiatives and multidisciplinary project teams.

Expertise in integrated care: Strong knowledge of whole-person care and the integration of primary care and behavioral health, consistent with established federal integrated care frameworks. Deep expertise gained through direct work in integrated care settings or leadership of federally funded integrated care projects is strongly preferred. Experience limited to integrating mental health and substance use treatment services alone does not meet this specific requirement.

Federal grants and contracts management: Demonstrated experience overseeing large federal grants or contracts involving training and technical assistance, including direct communication with federal project officers and responsibility for compliance and reporting.

Partnership and subcontract management: Experience managing numerous external partners, subcontractors, consultants, and organizations, including procurement processes, contract negotiations, scopes of work, budgets, and performance oversight.

Strategic and operational leadership: Proven ability to guide multidisciplinary project teams, synthesize complex stakeholder perspectives, make timely decisions, and maintain accountability in matrixed organizational environments.

Evaluation and quality improvement: Experience developing or overseeing project evaluation frameworks, quality improvement initiatives, performance measurement, and data-informed program enhancements.

Federal and public-sector stakeholder engagement: Experience presenting to broad audiences and collaborating with federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Adaptability in complex environments: Comfort working at a fast pace within a nationally visible organization subject to evolving federal priorities, complex stakeholder requirements, and a high degree of public and institutional scrutiny.

Education: A bachelor's degree in project management, business, public health, mental health, or a related discipline is required.

Communication skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear strategies, recommendations, and actionable plans.

Integrated care implementation knowledge (preferred): Familiarity with integrated care models, implementation strategies, quality improvement methodologies, and financing and sustainability considerations.

National organization experience (preferred): Previous experience working within or alongside a national membership organization, nonprofit, or comparable multi-stakeholder institution.

Advanced qualifications (preferred): A master's degree or a professional project management certification such as PMP or PRINCE2.

Project management tools (preferred): Proficiency with project management platforms such as Microsoft Project, Jira, or Asana, as well as methodologies including Agile and Waterfall.

Remote collaboration: Ability to work remotely from within the United States and accommodate core Washington, D.C. business hours of approximately 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time when required.

Benefits

Competitive salary: Annual salary range of $140,000–$160,000 USD , with placement based on experience, education, and internal equity.

Comprehensive health coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance options.

Insurance protection: Life insurance and disability coverage.

Retirement savings: Access to a 403(b) retirement plan with employer contributions after one year of service.

Paid time off: Vacation, sick leave, personal days, floating holidays, bereavement leave, and observed federal holidays.

Family-building and parental support: Adoption, fertility, and surrogacy reimbursement benefits, plus two weeks of paid parental leave.

Professional development: Free, unlimited access to Relias professional development courses, along with annual professional development funding and tuition reimbursement.

Wellbeing resources: Access to Calm Premium to support mindfulness, stress management, and personal wellbeing.

Fully remote work: Work remotely from an approved location anywhere within the United States.

Mission-driven impact: Contribute to a national initiative advancing the integration of primary care and behavioral health and improving access to comprehensive care.

Collaborative work environment: Join a multidisciplinary, remote-first team that values inclusion, reflection, accountability, and shared learning.

Strategic leadership opportunity: Guide a nationally significant, multi-year federal project while influencing program strategy, partnerships, and long-term sustainability.

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