Healthy Kids Program Director

Healthy Kids Program Director

Location: Brighton, MI (two days per week in‑office)
Reports to: Vice President, Programs

Our Client

The Michigan Health Endowment Fund (“the Health Fund”) is the largest health foundation in Michigan, with 24 staff and more than $35 million per year in community investments. The Health Fund was created through Public Act 4 of 2013, which required Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to provide up to $1.56 billion over 18 years to a health endowment fund that benefits Michigan residents. Since inception, the Health Fund has awarded more than $340 million in grants to support the health and wellness of older adults, children, and families across the state.

The Health Fund’s work is guided by deep collaboration with grantees, public and private funders, state and local government agencies, health systems, and community organizations and networks. The Health Fund seeks collaborative solutions to complex problems and is open to both established and innovative approaches, investing in ways that are both responsive and proactive to achieve positive long‑term impact.

The Health Fund was established to serve the state of Michigan in perpetuity, which enables it to target both urgent needs and longer‑term solutions. The Health Fund will continue to receive annual contributions from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan through 2031, at which point earnings from the endowment will fuel the Health Fund’s ongoing investments. As the Health Fund looks to the future, it is actively planning ways to increase its impact while adhering to its mission: to improve the health of Michigan residents, with a special emphasis on the health and wellness of children and older adults, and to reduce the cost of healthcare.

The Health Fund board of directors and staff are currently engaged in a strategic‑planning process that will guide its investments from 2026 through 2031. The mission will remain the same, and the Health Fund will continue to prioritize the core areas identified in the enabling legislation, with an even stronger and more intentional focus on children and older adults.

Learn more about the Health Fund

Position Responsibilities

The Healthy Kids Program Director will lead a new team within the Health Fund focused on children’s health issues, integrating the Health Fund’s established expertise in behavioral health, maternal and infant health, nutrition and healthy lifestyles, and community health.

Reporting to the Vice President, Programs, the Healthy Kids Program Director will play an integral role in achieving the Health Fund’s vision of a healthy and thriving Michigan. They will serve as a collaborative thought partner and work closely with the leadership team to integrate the new program into the organization. Creating a positive and productive team culture that leads with collaboration and respect is paramount to this position.

This position oversees all aspects of grantmaking, technical assistance, policy and research efforts for the Healthy Kids program. The Program Director will provide programmatic vision and leadership and is responsible for developing and executing a programmatic strategy that supports the Health Fund’s mission and strategic goals, with an eye on health‑policy strategies and systems change. This position directly supervises other program staff in implementing grantmaking and contracted activities.

Programmatic Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and execute a programmatic strategy for the Healthy Kids program, including grantmaking, policy and research, technical assistance, evaluation, communications, and other supportive activities.
• Build and develop a collaborative, effective program team, providing mentorship and support to all team members.
• Review health outcomes within each of the program’s focus areas and across Health Fund programs to identify commonalities and collective impact.
• Provide critical mission‑related information to the leadership team and board of directors, and make actionable recommendations on both strategy and operations.
• Engage the board and grantmaking committee around health issues, trends, and changes within each program’s focus area.
• Develop and oversee an annual programmatic budget that aligns with the programmatic strategy.
• Actively supervise the team’s day‑to‑day operations, goal‑setting, and professional development.
• Contribute to a positive organizational culture.

Grantmaking

• Work with stakeholders to generate proposals and/or contracted activities that support program strategy.
• Review and analyze concept papers and proposals, provide feedback to applicants, conduct due diligence, identify opportunities for collaborative funding, and engage outside experts to evaluate proposals.
• Present recommendations to the Health Fund leadership team, grantmaking committee(s), and board of directors.
• Manage a portfolio of grants and contracts, including:
  • Review regular reports and monitor progress against workplans and budgets.
  • Proactively and collaboratively help grantees solve and overcome obstacles.
  • Offer technical assistance to grantees and connect them with similar organizations, policy makers, or professional networks as necessary and appropriate.
  • Conduct site visits with current and potential grantees.
  • Identify programs and projects that should be considered for replication and/or provide evidence for larger policy change.
• Support cross‑programmatic goals, working with the Vice President, Programs and other program directors to assess outcomes, articulate impact, and share insights.
• Participate in grantmaking aimed toward systems change and health‑policy strategies for broader statewide impact.

Thought Leadership and Collaboration

• Develop and maintain a strong professional network with state and national associations, governmental agencies such as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and other health‑related partners.
• Be a recognized thought leader in promising models, best practices, and relevant policies related to the Healthy Kids program and the Health Fund’s strategic priorities, contributing to state and national discussions.
• Understand key stakeholders, motivations, and potential policy changes, and maintain connections among other funders, collaborative groups, state agencies, state and national associations, and health‑related partners.
• Serve as a respected and inspiring ambassador for the Health Fund.
• Foster convenings, coordination, and collaboration among grantees and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with other funders, provide feedback on grant proposals, and participate in multi‑funder collaboratives as appropriate.
• Contribute to the broader Health Fund program team by participating in regular program meetings, reviewing concept papers and grant applications from other program areas, supporting evaluation activities and cross‑programmatic goals, and providing input into future grantmaking strategies.

Profile of the Successful Candidate

The Healthy Kids Program Director will be a collaborative, seasoned, and mission‑driven leader with well‑honed programmatic and leadership skills. The new leader will bring a collaborative approach combined with a high level of credibility and integrity to the Health Fund. The ideal candidate will be a strategist with demonstrated commitment to—and experience with—community‑level health issues, health policymaking, and systems change. They will have a forward‑looking orientation combined with the ability to build trust, drive ideas, activate vision, and build bridges both internally and externally.

Required experience and attributes:

• Ten to fifteen years of professional experience, including leadership experience, in children’s health or health policy.
• Strategic approach with a proven track record of following through on strategic objectives.
• Strong team‑building skills.
• An engaged and proactive management and mentorship style.
• Demonstrated change‑management skills.
• Proven track record working with diverse stakeholders and effectively accomplishing strategic goals.
• Commitment to improving lives in Michigan.
• An open‑minded, big‑picture approach to creative solutions while being able to pay attention to important details.
• An energetic, entrepreneurial nature that combines intellectual curiosity with analytical skills and political savvy.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to read and synthesize written materials analytically.
• An inclusive, consensus‑building, transparent leadership style both in and out of the public spotlight.
• A highly collaborative and dependable work style.
• Learning‑ and service‑oriented mindset.
• Excellent listening skills, with a humble demeanor and a sense of humor.

The ideal candidate may also have:

• Prior experience with philanthropy, either as a grantmaker or grantseeker.
• Strong understanding of how Michigan operates statewide and regionally.

Start Timeframe

We seek to have someone in place in Fall 2025.

Compensation

This position offers a competitive salary range of $160,000 to $180,000 and includes a robust and comprehensive benefits package. We actively welcome all candidates from a wide range of backgrounds who have the skills to fulfill this role—regardless of compensation history.

To Apply

All applications are held in strict confidence. Please submit your credentials and a letter of interest through our private applicant portal to The 360 Group at https://the360group.us/portal/. Applications should be directed to the attention of Maureen Capitolo, Principal, or Monica Rodgers, Senior Consultant.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and earlier applicants may receive priority consideration. To be considered, The 360 Group encourages all interested candidates to submit their applications promptly via the confidential applicant portal linked above.