Senior Manager, Risk Behavior Prevention

Join Us! 

At Action for Healthy Kids®, we don't just talk about improving student health - we build the networks, tools, and partnerships that make it happen. Join us and take the lead in driving meaningful change that reaches kids, families, and entire school districts. 

If you're passionate about turning evidence-based prevention strategies into meaningful change for young people, we'd love to hear from you. Join a team committed to helping every child live healthier, learn better, and reach their full potential.

About Us 

Action for Healthy Kids is a national non-profit organization raising the bar on the health of the whole child to extraordinary levels across the country. AFHK mobilizes school professionals, families, and communities to take actions that lead to healthy eating, physical activity, and healthier schools where kids thrive. We partner with dedicated volunteers - teachers, students, moms, dads, school wellness experts, and more - from within the ranks of our 140,000+ constituency to create healthful school changes. We are committed to impacting holistic changes, focusing on serving students from under-resourced communities. 

To learn more, please visit us at www.ActionforHealthyKids.org. 

About the Role & Work Structure 

Reporting to the Chief Programs Officer, the Senior Manager, Risk Behavior Prevention leads Action for Healthy Kids' risk behavior prevention programming, with a primary focus on youth tobacco and vaping prevention. In this highly collaborative role, you'll drive the strategy, implementation, and growth of initiatives that equip schools, districts, families, and communities with the tools and support needed to create healthier environments where young people can thrive.

As a key leader, you'll oversee program delivery, manage partnerships, support and develop staff, and strengthen capacity-building efforts that translate evidence-based prevention practices into meaningful action. Working across AFHK's programs and District Impact Network, you'll help advance whole-child health through innovative programming, high-quality resources, and strong community engagement.

This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate public health, prevention, or education professional who enjoys building partnerships, leading impactful programs, and driving sustainable change that improves the well-being of students nationwide

Work Structure & Environment 

• Full-time, exempt
• Remote in Colorado
• Standard business hours (Monday–Friday) with flexibility as needed to collaborate across time zones 

Physical Demands 

• Primarily desk-based with extended seated work 
• Regular computer use and virtual meetings 
• Light items typically handled (e.g., notebooks, reports, small equipment) 

Travel 

• Travel may comprise up to 15% of work time annually and may include overnight stays.

What You'll Do 

• Lead AFHK's youth risk behavior prevention portfolio, serving as the subject matter expert for tobacco and vaping prevention and overseeing key initiatives, including STEPP (State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership), Second Chance, the El Paso Tobacco-Free Schools initiative, and other strategic prevention programs.
• Drive and evolve AFHK's Risk Behavior Prevention Framework, ensuring it reflects current research, emerging youth health trends, and implementation insights while guiding program design, training, technical assistance, and resource development.
• Manage complex programs and grants from strategy through execution, ensuring deliverables are completed on time, within scope, and on budget while maintaining a high standard of quality and impact.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team, providing coaching, direction, and performance support to staff while overseeing contractors and external partners to ensure successful project implementation.
• Strengthen the capacity of schools, districts, and community partners through engaging training, technical assistance, and practical, evidence-based resources that drive sustainable prevention policies and practices.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders, partners, and stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels, representing AFHK externally and helping showcase program impact and success.
• Integrate prevention expertise across AFHK's District Impact Network, contributing tools, training opportunities, and peer-learning experiences that help communities advance whole-child health outcomes.
• Use data and evaluation findings to continuously improve programs, partnering with research and evaluation teams to measure impact, apply lessons learned, and strengthen program effectiveness.
• Advance AFHK's substance use prevention strategy and growth, identifying emerging opportunities, cultivating strategic partnerships, and contributing to proposals, budgets, and funding strategies that expand the organization's prevention impact nationwide.
• Collaborate across teams and initiatives to ensure prevention efforts are aligned with AFHK's mission and contribute to healthier school environments where all students can thrive.

What You'll Bring to the Role 

• Bachelor's degree in public health, education, social work, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Significant experience leading youth tobacco prevention, risk behavior prevention, school health, public health, or related community-based programs.
• Demonstrated success supervising, coaching, and developing staff.
• Strong project and grant management experience.
• Experience developing and facilitating training and technical assistance.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and proactively solve problems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, virtual collaboration platforms, and project management tools.
• Commitment to health equity and AFHK's mission.
• Ability to travel periodically within Colorado and occasionally out of state.

Preferred but Not Required

• Master's degree in public health, education, social work, or a related field.
• Experience supporting school tobacco-free policies, youth vaping prevention initiatives, or alternatives-to-suspension approaches.
• Familiarity with school systems, district-level change efforts, and capacity-building models that support sustainable health and wellness practices.

What Success Looks Like

• In this role, success is demonstrated through consistent, effective execution of core responsibilities and collaboration across teams.
• Programs, resources, and partner support are accurate, responsive, and aligned with evidence-informed prevention practices, organizational priorities, and relevant District Impact Network opportunities.
• Projects are managed proactively, with clear accountability and coordination across contributors, timely completion of all contract deliverables within agreed scopes and budgets, consistent quality, and early communication of risks and recommended solutions.
• Staff and contractors receive clear direction, timely feedback, and support to deliver quality work; communication keeps partners and internal contributors informed and supports reliable follow-through.
• Funder and partner relationships are strengthened through responsive communication, reporting, and delivery.
• Program expertise, partner relationships, and emerging needs inform viable funding and growth opportunities that sustain and expand AFHK's youth prevention work nationwide, in collaboration with Programs leadership and Growth/Development.

What You'll Gain at AFHK 

• Competitive salary: $80,000 - $85,000 annually 
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match 
• Comprehensive benefits: Medical, dental, and vision (all with AFHK contribution); Health Reimbursement Account (AFHK-funded), Flexible Spending Account (health and/or dependent care)
• Additional coverage: Life, disability, AD&D, accident & critical care insurance (premiums covered by AFHK); supplemental life insurance available at the employee's cost
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 
• Transit & parking discounts (Chicago only) 
• Generous time off: Flexible PTO, paid parental leave, holiday closures 
• Annual stipends: Wellness, Connectivity, & Home Office Setup 
• Professional development support 

Equal Opportunity: Action for Healthy Kids is committed to fair and inclusive hiring practices. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or other protected status under applicable law. 

Work Authorization: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor employment visas for this role. 

Employment Terms: This role is offered as an at-will position, meaning employment may be terminated by either the employee or employer at any time, with or without cause or notice, subject to applicable laws.