Program Associate – Tobacco Treatment & Prevention
Grade Level: 3
Anticipated Salary: $52,000 - $56,000
Reporting Relationship: Program Manager
Reporting to the Program Manager, the Program Associate – Tobacco Treatment & Prevention is a member of the HCCA team and works with other HCCA staff and community partners to implement Maine Prevention Network and Maine Cancer Foundation program objectives throughout Kennebec County, Maine, and statewide. This position is responsible for the delivery of a school-based commercial tobacco treatment initiative in select schools throughout Kennebec County and actively engages with the Central District Maine Prevention Network Team to cultivate and strengthen prevention infrastructure within the Central Public Health District.
The Program Associate partners with schools to deliver youth-focused tobacco treatment services aimed at preventing tobacco-related diseases. Working closely with school leadership and student support teams, the Program Associate plans and implements strategies that promote successful quit attempts among youth actively using commercial tobacco and nicotine products. The position provides one-on-one and group counseling to students, helping them understand nicotine dependence, develop quit plans, and connect with available tobacco treatment resources.
The Program Associate also supports quality improvement efforts through data collection, tracking, and evaluation activities to ensure programming effectively meets the needs of participating youth. In addition, the position helps organize and implement Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) strategies designed to reduce youth initiation of nicotine products, promote school and community engagement, and support positive youth outcomes.
This position implements It’s Worth The Try (IWTT), a youth-focused tobacco treatment curriculum that provides individual and group support for youth seeking to quit tobacco and nicotine product use. The Program Associate facilitates a statewide advisory council, provides technical assistance and support to project partners, recruits and trains facilitators, and collaborates with evaluators on activities such as focus groups, key informant interviews, and participant surveys.
The successful candidate will possess strong relationship-building, facilitation, communication, and organizational skills, as well as the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with schools, community organizations, and statewide partners to advance tobacco treatment and prevention efforts.
LOCATION AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: This position is hybrid remote and based in Hallowell, Maine. Regular travel throughout Kennebec County is required, including frequent work within local high schools and youth-serving organizations. Occasional statewide travel may be required for meetings, trainings, conferences, and partner engagement activities.
Experience
Bachelor’s degree in health-related field is preferred; however, equivalent related work experience may be considered. Experience working in a non-profit setting and with grant-funded projects is a plus. Training in counseling and/or social work is also a plus.
Skills
Ability to work collaboratively with varied project partners, consumers, community partners, and providers of health and behavioral health care
Comfort and ability to present to, facilitate, and engage diverse audiences, including youth and older adults
Ability to work independently
Ability to meet deadlines
Ability to communicate professionally both verbally and in writing
Knowledge and skill in the management of data-driven projects
Ability to monitor and provide oversight of external local partners' progress towards deliverables
Ability to plan, coordinate, implement, and manage multiple activities at once
Ability to gather, synthesize, and summarize a variety of information from many sources
Experience developing error-free, audience-specific communication materials and messages including flyers, brochures, booklets, social media, etc.
Understanding of coalition-building strategies
Experience using Microsoft Office suite and Google Workspace
Valid Maine driver’s license and reliable transportation
Must be eligible to work in the United States
Knowledge of evidence-based tobacco use prevention and treatment strategies is a plus
Knowledge and comfort navigating public schools is a plus
List of Job Duties
The Program Associate – Tobacco Treatment & Prevention will:
Deliver evidence-based youth tobacco treatment strategies in Kennebec County high schools and other settings statewide.
Work closely with school staff and leadership to recruit and refer youth for tobacco treatment services.
Conduct focus groups with youth and key informant interviews with adults.
Facilitate and lead a quarterly advisory council.
Provide ongoing technical assistance and support for local and statewide project partners.
Recruit and train partners on the tobacco treatment support curriculum.
Facilitate in-person and/or virtual youth tobacco quit support groups.
Assist evaluation efforts for the tobacco quit support curriculum.
Provide technical assistance to community partners to develop model tobacco use prevention policies that support smoke- and vape-free environments, and that align with state tobacco- and smoke-free laws.
Develop and advocate for policies that promote smoke-free and tobacco-free environments.
Provide presentations and training (in person and virtually), and promote via relevant communication channels, to relevant partners and interest holders on evidence-based best practice strategies for tobacco treatment to increase knowledge of and access to the Maine QuitLink, My Life, My Quit, and other available tobacco treatment options and strategies.
Collaborate with school partners to implement systems changes that integrate tobacco treatment and restorative responses to behavioral health challenges.
Serve as a spokesperson for tobacco use and exposure prevention, and HCCA by providing education through webinars and in-person presentations to schools and youth-serving organizations on tobacco-related public health issues and the evidence-based best practice strategies to address these issues.
Attend required meetings and training sessions.
Participate in appropriate professional development opportunities, such as MaineHealth’s Center for Tobacco Independence’s (CTI) basic skills and intensive skills training, and motivational interviewing.
Attain Tobacco Treatment Specialist certification.
Attain Certified Prevention Specialist certification.
Track workplan activities and ensure required data is collected and entered in online and other required reporting systems in a timely manner.
Utilize written and electronic media for a variety of community awareness strategies.
Protect confidential information about program participants.
Assure the required data is collected and entered in online and other required reporting systems.
Assist with grant reporting requirements for reports to be accurate and submitted on time.
Work closely with the HCCA Program Manager and Finance Manager to ensure project activity meets budgetary expectations.
Promote positive relationships between and among HCCA and all potential collaborating partners by meeting with various community interest holders (schools, youth-serving organizations, age-friendly community groups, etc.) and finding opportunities to network and establish new relationships with potential partners to expand or enhance HCCA’s tobacco treatment and prevention program.
Be a member of HCCA’s team of public health professionals working collaboratively to implement primary prevention programming and supporting the organization’s broad public health goals.
Perform other duties as assigned.
