Career Stage: Director

Organization Summary

Upstream USA is a fast-growing, national nonprofit working to expand opportunity by reducing unplanned pregnancy across the U.S. Upstream partners with states to provide training and technical assistance to health centers, increasing equitable access to the full range of contraceptive options. Our transformative approach empowers patients to decide when and if they want to become pregnant, a critical step towards improving outcomes for parents and children. 

Upstream is growing rapidly and is on track to achieve nationwide impact. After launching our first statewide initiative in Delaware in 2014, we have since launched projects in Washington state, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Rhode Island. By 2023, Upstream will have partnered with health centers that serve over one million women of reproductive age annually across these states.

Upstream is funded primarily through philanthropic individuals and foundations, and does not accept funding from pharmaceutical companies. Upstream’s budget has grown from $1.7 million just four years ago to approximately $51 million in 2021. Upstream’s work has also garnered attention from many leading publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CNN, Vox, Forbes, and Marie Claire.

Position Summary 

The Director of Expansion will take on a key leadership role on Upstream’s Growth, Strategy and Partnership Success (GSP) team. The Director will work cross-functionally develop a clear process by which Upstream will assess and pursue opportunities to grow its impact beyond its current state initiatives. The Director will also actively engage external stakeholders from new communities - ensuring that Upstream is well positioned to deliver upon its mission in new communities. Reporting to the Vice President of Growth, Strategy, and Partnership Success, the Director will be an experienced relationship builder and strategic thinker who enjoys launching new initiatives. They will need to build a deep understanding of new healthcare landscapes in diverse geographies and develop and execute against plans that help Upstream simultaneously build strong relationships in new communities while evaluating the potential impact of expanding to those communities. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Work cross-functionally to shape Upstream’s process for evaluating opportunities to expand beyond its existing state initiatives - from conducting landscape analysis to making a go/no-go decision to enter a new community.

• Partner with Upstream’s Strategy, Partnerships, Policy, and Development functions to analyze the U.S. healthcare landscape, develop “archetypes” for the kind of settings Upstream may enter into, and to prioritize where Upstream may be best positioned to have impact.
• Work and manage contracts with third-party groups and individuals that help Upstream gain insight into particular communities we want to explore and/or pursue further.
• Develop and execute against action plans for assessing specific communities - eventually leading to recommendations to invest in expansion (or not). Key actions include (but are not limited to) collecting and analyzing data to identify priority health centers and building strong relationships and buy-in with a diverse range of local stakeholders (e.g. public sector officials, local healthcare leaders, peer organizations, prospective health center partners).
• Work with Upstream’s Strategy and Partnerships functions to develop strategic plans (including partnership targets, policy pursuits, financial and staff resources required, etc.) for new communities that Upstream decides to expand to.
• Partner with Upstream’s other functional teams (e.g. Partnerships, Policy, Program) to effectively “hand off” key relationships to other Upstream staff that will execute against the expansion plan. Help onboard new Upstream staff hired to support and/or lead Upstream’s work in new communities.
• Similar to work outlined above with new communities, work cross-functionally and externally to assess and pursue opportunities to develop partnerships that span multiple geographies and/or have impact outside traditional inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Manage one direct report (Expansion Manager) with potential to grow Upstream’s Expansion team over time.

Required, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability

Minimum of 8 years experience in relationship building and/or partnership development. Experience working in public health, reproductive health, and/or with mission-driven and public sector organizations is highly preferable.

• Experience working in service of communities facing health disparities and inequities is highly preferable.
• Skilled communicator and influencer. Skilled writer and developer of presentations for executive-level audiences. Excellent verbal communicator.
• Some experience in and knowledge of policy and advocacy (and state and/or local level) is preferable.
• Strong project and people manager. Experience delegating responsibilities and managing up. Ability to manage multiple, competing deadlines.
• Goal oriented. Demonstrated ability to operate with a high-degree of self-motivation and a commitment to high-quality work.
• Commitment to Upstream’s mission and to mission driven work
• Ability to effectively deliver and receive both positive and constructive feedback
• Proficiency with Google and/or Microsoft Suites
• Sense of humor
• Works effectively in remote, virtual, and/or hybrid environments.
• Able to travel for work frequently (e.g. one trip a month) 
• Able to attend work related in-person meetings and functions as needed (Upstream employees are required to be fully vaccinated to attend in-person work-related activities. Reasonable Accommodations will be made for individuals with a sincerely held religious belief or disability who are not vaccinated)  

Upstream Benefits

Upstream USA offers a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long and short term disability, 401K with a match, generous vacation, personal, sick and holiday time off, parental leave, professional development and a fitness and cell phone allowance for all full time employees and part time employees who work a minimum of 24 hours per week.  

Upstream Careers 

At Upstream, we embrace diversity. We nurture it and we thrive on it because it benefits our organization, our partners, and our community. Our goal is to attract, develop and retain exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential.  Upstream is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, genetic information, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. Learn more  about working at Upstream, our values, and our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Upstream USA participates in E-Verify.

Upstream Headquarters:

2 Oliver Street, Suite 402, Boston, MA 02109

www.upstream.org

No phone calls please.

Be advised that we do not ever conduct hiring interviews via text or email. Please protect yourself by learning more about our hiring practices and common red flags to look out for.