Senior Program Manager I - RCCA Program Manager

The Illinois Regional Care Coordination Agency (RCCA) administers and manages sub-awards related to opioid settlement funds, supports related public-facing websites, and helps coordinate regional opioid response efforts in Illinois. The RCCA supports equitable implementation of state resources for communities affected by the opioid crisis.

The Senior Program Manager I will lead an assigned portfolio of subrecipient programs. This role is accountable for performance monitoring, deliverable accountability, compliance, complex relationship management, and sound program decisions. The position requires the ability to coordinate work across teams through influence rather than supervisory authority.

The role requires independent judgment. The ideal candidate can interpret governing authorities, assess risk, monitor performance and fiscal compliance, resolve issues within delegated authority, and escalate matters that exceed that authority. They also bring experience with procurement, stakeholder coordination, competing priorities, and program monitoring.

About the Position
This is a remote position based in Illinois. The position requires travel throughout the state and to AHP's Chicago Office for meetings and training.

The Senior Program Manager I for will demonstrate knowledge, skills and abilities including, but not limited to the following:

Knowledge

Grant Compliance and Funding Administration:

• Working knowledge of federal grants management under 2 CFR Part 200 and Illinois grants administration under GATA, including the ability to apply requirements in practical situations.
• Working knowledge of the grant funding structures, including the roles and responsibilities of awarding agencies, pass-through entities, and subrecipients.
• Knowledge of contracting processes and statement of work construction, including key performance indicators, scope, and schedule.
• Working knowledge of nonprofit fiscal operations, documentation requirements, and reimbursement processes sufficient to review subrecipient invoices.

Substance Use Policy and Program Implementation:

• High-level knowledge of the Illinois substance use policy and service systems, including opioid settlement funded initiatives, prevention, treatment, recovery supports, and harm reduction.
• Intermediate knowledge of implementation science and its application to subrecipient technical assistance, sufficient to select interventions that address cause rather than symptom.

Training and Technical Assistance:

• Firsthand understanding of adult learning principles sufficient to design and deliver effective training and technical assistance at a variety of audiences.

Regulatory Analysis and Monitoring:

• Interpret grant and federal requirements and analyze their application to complex or novel program situations, including circumstances not explicitly addressed in existing rules or guidance, and to elevate such matters to leadership for review and approval before taking action.
• Create monitoring plans that match subrecipient’s level of risk instead of using the same checklist for every organization.
• Review performance and spending data across multiple subrecipients to distinguish one-time issues, trends and needed follow-up from broader program problems.
• Write clear findings, recommended determinations, and escalation summaries that explain the issue, evidence, analysis, and recommended next step.

Communication and Facilitation:

• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with colleagues and partners to address complex issues and achieve meaningful outcomes.
• Communicate clearly with subrecipients, fiscal staff, subject matter experts, and RCCA leadership.
• Independently plan meeting agendas and prepare supporting materials.
• Effectively facilitate productive meetings that keep participants focused on outcomes.
• Prepare high-quality meeting minutes and follow-up documentation in a timely manner.
• Address compliance concerns and difficult or sensitive issues in a professional, respectful, and solution-oriented manner.

Organization and Technology:

• Manage multiple priorities, deadlines, documents, budgets, resources, and timelines with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Use Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Teams, Planner, and SharePoint, to manage budgets, resources, timelines, and documentation.
• Work effectively across grants management, business management, and accounting systems.

Matrixed Team Execution:

• Perform high-impact work across a matrixed team by setting clear expectations, agreeing on timelines, following up consistently, and resolving barriers early.
• Share useful feedback and raise resource or capacity concerns through the appropriate channel.

Abilities
Judgment and Escalation:

• Exercise independent judgment on novel compliance questions, recognize the boundary of delegated authority, and escalate rather than improvise when needed.

• Apply sound reason from principle when no precedent exists, including working through allowability factors to resolve ambiguous questions.
• Maintain compliance expectations while working constructively with partners.

Systems Thinking and Risk Anticipation:

• Identify root causes and recommend practical improvements to support programs.
• Anticipate risks that may affect payments documentation, compliance or program outcomes.

Collaboration and Adaptability:

• Communicate expectations, address concerns constructively, and navigate differing perspectives in a solution-oriented manner.
• Work collaboratively and effectively with individuals and teams, remaining open to constructive feedback and incorporating feedback into future work.
• Exercise sound judgment and adapt to changing priorities or circumstances.
• Recognize potential issues, raise concerns appropriately, and work collaboratively toward solutions.
• Work effectively with diverse groups in complex and demanding situations.
• Demonstrate curiosity, initiative, and willingness to learn new processes, methods, and responsibilities.
• Provide input for standard operating procedures and work breakdown structures.

Independent Program Leadership:

• Manage assigned programs independently while engaging colleagues and other teams as needed without relying on supervisory authority.
• Translate AHP’s strategic plan and the CTTAC business unit strategy into program-level decisions.
• Demonstrate a high level of professionalism, accountability, and responsiveness.

Education and Training

A Senior Program Manager I will typically have a bachelor’s degree and 10 or more years of high-complexity applicable work experience or a master’s degree and 7 or more years of complex experience with grants administration, stakeholder engagement, leadership and team building, project implementation, or evaluation. Two or more years of experience with collaborative network establishment, data analysis and evaluation and sustainability practices and principles, and experience applying these to coalition activities is strongly preferred.

Candidates for this position are preferred to possess a master’s degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, operations management, public health, behavioral health, healthcare administration, or a similar field.

Research suggests that women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they do not meet 100 percent of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills to thrive on our team to apply for this role.

Salary Range: $100,000 - $120,000

AHP, in an effort to be transparent with applicants about salary and in compliance with various state pay disclosure requirements, publishes the following information, which is current as of the date of posting. The base salary range above represents the low and high end of the AHP salary range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and may be high or low in the range based on various factors, including but not limited to location, experience, and education. The range listed is just one component of AHP’s total compensation package for employees.

Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, AHP provides a variety of benefits to employees, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, a retirement plan with a 3% match, student loan repayment assistance, employer-paid life and disability insurance, generous paid time off, and much more.

Location
All work must be performed within the United States or its territories. Employees are required to reside in, and carry out their job responsibilities from, a location within the U.S. or a U.S. territory for the duration of their employment. Limited exceptions may be granted for short-term personal or business travel outside of these areas, subject to prior written approval and in compliance with company policy.

Work Authorization Requirement
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis

Work Environment and Physical Requirements
This position is primarily sedentary and requires the ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while operating a computer and other standard office equipment. The role involves frequent communication via video conferencing, email, and other digital platforms. As such, employees must have access to a reliable and secure internet connection that supports remote work responsibilities, including video meetings and the use of cloud-based systems. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.

AHP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Affirmative Action Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

AHP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to access or complete any part of the application process, the interview process, or to perform essential job functions, please get in touch with the Recruitment team at recruitment@ahpnet.com. Accommodation requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may apply depending on individual circumstances and job requirements.

Disclaimer
The statements in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Responsibilities may evolve or change over time to meet organizational needs.

About AHP

Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) is a national consulting firm dedicated to improving behavioral health and human services systems since 1986. Headquartered in Sudbury, MA, with offices in Chicago, IL, Phoenix, AZ, and Pasadena, CA, AHP employs more than 270 staff across nearly 40 states. We partner with federal, state, and local agencies, community-based organizations, and commercial entities to drive change in health and business systems, supporting vulnerable populations from shaping policy to delivering hands-on, ground-level support.

AHP helps organizations and individuals reach their full potential through a suite of services, including professional consulting, research, evaluation, and data analytics, technical assistance and training, as well as virtual solutions, publications, and events. Our areas of expertise span behavioral health, mental health policy and services, substance use disorders, workforce development, homelessness, housing and employment programs, trauma-informed care, criminal justice, women and children’s services, veterans’ support, healthcare reform, and population health management.

AHP is proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work® for ten consecutive years, a recognition based on extensive anonymous employee feedback. We are deeply committed to employee well-being and are actively engaged in fostering a workplace culture that supports work-life balance, self-care, and mental and emotional health. To learn more, visit www.ahpnet.com

We offer a fantastic array of employee benefits - in fact, our comprehensive package was independently rated as "Great" by an independent party that compared our benefits against companies in similar industries, regions, and sizes. This recognition validates that our strong benefits meet the needs of our valued employees.

Mission:

“To transform behavioral health and human service systems so organizations and individuals can reach their full potential.”

Vision:

“Our clients, our staff, and the people we all serve will reach their potential to live full, productive lives.

Our Core Values at AHP

At AHP, our work is grounded in values that guide how we serve our clients, support our colleagues, and drive impact across health and human services. These values shape our culture and reflect who we are:

• Growth fostered through education, innovation, and self-actualization
• Understanding deepened through empathy, compassion, equity, and inclusion
• Integrity demonstrated through authenticity, leadership, and humility
• Dedication seen through commitment, timeliness, and follow-through
• Expertise achieved through passion, precision, and quality

These values aren’t just words; they are principles we live by in every engagement, decision, and collaboration.