Interim State Liaison for the Ballmer Institute in Hawick

Department: Ballmer Institute | Appointment Type and Duration: Interim (OA), Limited | Salary: $70,000 - $90,000 per year (commensurate with experience) | Compensation Band: OS-OA08-Fiscal Year 2025-2026 | FTE: 1.0

Department Summary

The Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health at the University of Oregon Portland establishes a new national model for behavioral healthcare for children and families by creating a first‑of‑its‑kind undergraduate training program in child behavioral health. The institute prioritises the needs of youth who have been historically or persistently underserved and seeks to make real system change by:

• Creating a new mental health profession
• Delivering support in schools and the community
• Training existing youth‑serving professionals
• Developing new approaches to support child behavioral health
• Transforming the Pacific Northwest into a national model of thought and action

Position Summary

The State Liaison for the Ballmer Institute supports the Institute’s mission by advancing the implementation of a new bachelor‑level behavioral health workforce role in Nevada. The State Liaison focuses on translating policy into practice by coordinating across higher education institutions, state agencies, and community partners to support high‑quality, consistent, and scalable implementation of the Ballmer Institute model and the Behavioral Health & Wellness Practitioner (BHWP) role.

This position is a one‑year appointment, currently funded for two years through the grant, with potential renewal for the second year. The State Liaison focuses on state‑level implementation and systems coordination, including aligning training programs across Nevada institutions, supporting workforce pipeline development, and serving as the state liaison to the Ballmer Institute technical assistance and implementation team to ensure consistency in curriculum, supervision, and practice standards.

The role serves as a key connector between Nevada partners and the Ballmer Institute, helping to operationalise the Ballmer Institute model and the BHWP role in real‑world settings. The State Liaison works closely with Nevada’s higher education institutions to ensure consistency in training rigor and standards and partners with state agencies, including Medicaid offices and regulatory boards, to support smooth implementation of the BHWP role within existing systems.

The liaison also supports outreach and field‑building efforts by raising awareness of the BHWP role, engaging stakeholders, and cultivating partnerships that strengthen the workforce pipeline. This includes identifying supervisors, supporting employer engagement, and assisting with coalition‑building efforts in advance of future legislative sessions.

This position involves travel to support relationship‑building across Nevada, including engagement with universities, providers, policymakers, and community organizations. The State Liaison collaborates closely with internal teams and external partners to ensure alignment, troubleshoot implementation challenges, and support statewide dissemination. It is a virtual position based in Nevada with up to 30% travel. The position reports to the Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Ballmer Institute.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, public health, behavioral health, education, or related field.
• Three years of experience working across systems such as higher education, healthcare, behavioral health, or public sector environments.
• Three years of experience supporting program implementation, systems coordination, or cross‑sector initiatives.
• Three years of experience engaging stakeholders, including providers, educators, policymakers, and community organizations.

Professional Competencies

• Knowledge of behavioral health systems, including workforce challenges, access issues, and service delivery models.
• Solid communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences through various platforms.
• Strong relationship‑building skills, with the ability to engage and align diverse stakeholders across systems.
• Ability to translate strategy into action and support implementation in complex, multi‑partner environments.
• Clear and effective communication skills, with the ability to explain new concepts to a wide range of audiences.
• Strong organizational and project‑management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and timelines.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.
• Ability to problem‑solve and navigate ambiguity and support continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with or within universities, state agencies (including Medicaid), or regulatory/licensing boards.
• Familiarity with behavioral health workforce development, training programs, or credentialing pathways.

Benefits

The University of Oregon offers a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Oregon is an equal‑opportunity institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please email us or call 541-346-5112.

FLSA Exempt Yes