Recovery Manager - Arlington County, Virginia

This new senior-level management position is with a progressive, coordinated, recovery oriented agency serving clients with mental health and/or substance abuse issues in Arlington County, Virginia. A core value of the agency is that recovery is possible for each individual and, therefore, developing and ensuring a recovery culture and recovery-oriented services is essential to the success of the agency. This position provides leadership to the Behavioral Healthcare Division in furthering the culture and implementing recovery-oriented services.

The person in this position MUST be a consumer of mental health and/or substance abuse services and have lived experience. This person is responsible for all aspects of managing these complex recovery-oriented services and programming that span across both mental health and substance abuse in the Division. Specifically this person will be researching and analyzing current information on the needs of the people served in the Division, planning, expanding, developing, and implementing recovery programming to meet their needs. This involves influencing staff in a positive manner to change the culture of the organization to become a more recovery oriented agency. This position also oversees two significant new contracts in the Division for consumer run programs and services. This individual must work closely with the contractors on all aspects of the contracts, including providing guidance, monitoring their budgets and purchasing additional services as needed. Expansion of consumer run programming is an expectation of the position.

There are four major functions of the position:

1. Contract Management: Serves as the contract manager for the Division in promoting, developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating consumer directed programming.
   Currently, Arlington has two new consumer directed programs operating on contracts. The Recovery Manager will serve as the contract manager and carry out all associated duties including monitoring and evaluating the services provided by the two agencies, developing and overseeing the budgets, working with Purchasing and Financial staff to make contract amendments when needed, planning strategically and working with the contracting organizations to make needed changes. This individual is also responsible for determining the needs of the clients and expanding consumer-run services.
2. Recovery Lead: Serves as the lead in the Division in developing and integrating recovery principles and services throughout the organization:
   The individual in this position chairs the existing Behavioral Healthcare Division Recovery Committee, made up of residents, staff, consumers, family members and contract staff. The purpose of this Committee is to instill recovery principles throughout the agency and actively work to make changes in the current system. These changes include (but are not limited to): having consumers on hiring panels; involving consumers in the review and evaluation of the services that they are receiving and making recommendations for improvement; and promoting and implementing consumer employment within the agency. The person in this position is responsible for actively working to continue developing and implementing the principles and the Division’s Recovery Workplan.
3. Leadership Planning: Serves as the lead for the Division in promoting significant consumer and family involvement in policy making, evaluation of services and strategic planning.
   The Recovery Manager will serve as the lead in bringing consumers and families together to ensure high quality services that are meeting the needs of the people served. The functions associated with this duty include: running consumer and family forums to gather information; conducting client satisfaction surveys; reviewing and implementing evidence- based and best practice services while incorporating the needs of the individuals into the overall Division strategic plan with both short and long term objectives.
4. Recovery Services: Ensure and provide direct recovery education services. This individual will ensure that recovery education activities are available to all clients. The purchase of additional services from existing consumer-run programs will be coordinated by the Recovery Manager and will also be provided directly by this employee. These services include WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plans), recovery education and life skills training.

Minimum Requirements

The person in this position must be a present or past consumer of mental health and/or substance abuse services.

The person in this position must have:

• Extensive knowledge of administrative functions and activities;
• The management skills to effectively oversee contracts and direct the programming and services;
• Effective writing skills to compose and edit reports, proposals, procedures and policies;
• Solid interpersonal skills to influence and interact with Division Chief, supervisors and staff, consumers and families, state personnel, the public, elected and appointed officials;
• Problem solving skills to define problems, collect relevant information and the ability to recommend effective solutions; and
• Financial and budget and contract knowledge and skills.

Education: Completion of the requirements for graduation from an accredited college or university with a BA or BS in Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Health, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing or a related field.

Experience: One and a half years of progressively responsible experience in administration and management in a field of study listed above.

Desirables: A Masters Degree in one of the above fields of study. Education and/or work history in adult mental health or substance abuse environment.

Please send your resume and cover letter to:
Cynthia Kemp
1725 N. George Mason Drive
Arlington, Virginia, 22205

Additional Information:
Work Hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday with occasional evening and weekend work.