Program Manager- Iowa KidSight
The Iowa KidSight Program Manager is responsible for strategic leadership, fiscal stewardship, and stakeholder engagement for Iowa KidSight, a joint project of the Lions Clubs of Iowa and the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. The Program Manager is responsible for advancing Iowa KidSight’s mission through three core pillars:
- Vision Screening: Providing leadership and oversight to ensure access to high-quality objective vision screening services for children 6 months through kindergarten throughout Iowa’s 99 counties.
- Public Education: Foster awareness and understanding of the importance of early vision screening through outreach, education, and community engagement.
Sustainability & Development: Cultivate partnerships, volunteers, funding opportunities, and strategic initiatives that support the long-term growth and sustainability of Iowa KidSight
University of Iowa Health Care—recognized as one of the best hospitals in the United States—is Iowa's only comprehensive academic medical center and a regional referral center. Each day more than 12,000 employees, students, and volunteers work together to provide safe, quality health care and excellent service for our patients. Simply stated, our mission is: Changing Medicine. Changing Lives.®
Percent of Time: 100%
Location: UI Health Care, Iowa City
Pay Level: 5A - Professional and Scientific Pay Structures | University Human Resources - The University of Iowa
Position Responsibilities
Communication and Outreach
- Develop and deliver presentations on the Iowa KidSight program to community stakeholders including, Lions Clubs of Iowa, Head Start programs, healthcare providers, public health partners, early childhood organizations, childcare providers, school nurses, child fairs, other community groups.
Train, support, and engage volunteers throughout Iowa to conduct vision screenings for children aged 6 months through kindergarten and monitor success.
- Educate pediatric physicians, nursing staff, and other healthcare professionals on the importance of vision screening and strategies to increase access to screening services.
- Present educational sessions to University of Iowa medical students and student interest groups on amblyopia, pediatric vision screening, and children’s vision health.
- Create and manage program communications including social media content, newsletters, stakeholder updates, and promotional materials.
- Develop and maintain relationships with community partners to increase awareness of children’s vision health and expand access to vision screening services.
- Coordinate informational meetings, office tours, and stakeholder engagement activities as needed.
- May serve as preceptor and mentor for graduate and undergraduate students participating in public health, healthcare, or related educational experiences.
Sustainability and Development
- Develop and implement strategies that support the long-term sustainability, growth, and statewide impact of Iowa KidSight.
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with donors, foundations, corporate sponsors, Lions Clubs, community organizations, and other funding partners.
- Research, prepare, and submit grant proposals and funding requests and ensure timely completion of grant reports and funding requirements.
- Seek and secure funding opportunities to support screening equipment, public education initiatives, program operations, and strategic priorities.
Build and maintain strategic partnerships that enhance program visibility, volunteer engagement, and community support.
Development of volunteer recruitment, retention, and leadership development, and succession planning strategies to strengthen the future of Iowa KidSight.
- Monitor, evaluate, and communicate program outcomes and statewide impact to funders, stakeholders, and community partners.
Strategic Planning
- Arrange and facilitate quarterly Iowa KidSight Steering Committee Meetings.
- Organize and conduct annual volunteer leadership conferences.
- Participate in Healthy Iowans State Health Improvement Plan by establishing vision screening goals, implementing action plans and reporting outcomes to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
- Identify opportunities for program innovation, expansion, and continuous improvement.
Operational and Financial Management
- Coordinate and support statewide vision screening activities to ensure program objectives are met.
- Conduct office, local, supervisory, and underserve area vision screenings as needed.
- Identify, review and document patient success stories and program impact.
- Coordinate donor acknowledgments and recognition activities.
- Oversee acquisition, distribution, maintenance, replacement, and troubleshooting of screening equipment.
- Assist Lions Clubs and community partners in securing funding for vision screening equipment and related program needs.
- Coordinate with University Information Technology Services regarding equipment setup and technology support.
- Oversee management of leased office space, supplies, inventory, mail, and other administrative functions.
- Provide fiscal oversight of program accounts, budgets, expenditures, and fund transfers in accordance with university policies and procedures.
- Ensure timely completion of grant reports and other required program reporting.
- Oversee the collection, management, and timely submission of program data and reports to the Lions KidSight USA database and other required reporting entities.
- Ensure compliance with university, grant, contractual, and program requirements.
Quality Improvement
- Provide leadership for volunteer and stakeholder training initiatives and continuing education opportunities.
- Review screening performance, outcome, and quality metrics to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Implement quality improvement initiatives that enhance program effectiveness, efficiency, and statewide impact.
Leadership/Supervision
- Hire, onboard, supervise, mentor and evaluate program staff.
- Foster a collaborative, mission-focused, and service-oriented team culture.
- Lead programmatic initiatives and team development activities that support statewide program objectives.
- Provide oversight of volunteer engagement and support for special events including the Iowa State Fair.
- Represent Iowa KidSight at monthly department administration meetings, as well as institutional, community, and professional meetings as appropriate.
Required Qualifications
- A master’s degree in healthcare administration, business administration, public health administration, education, leadership, nonprofit management, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Educational preparation should support one or more core areas of program leadership including community health, public education, organizational leadership, stakeholder engagement, program sustainability, fundraising, or strategic planning.
- 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in program management, nonprofit leadership, public health, healthcare administration, education, community engagement or a related field.
- 1-3 years of experience in fundraising, grant-writing, donor cultivation, sponsorship development, or other resource development activities.
- 1-3 years of supervisory, leadership, or team management experience.
- Demonstrated experience building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, including volunteers, community organizations, healthcare professionals, donors, and external partners.
- Experience developing, implementing, and evaluating strategic initiatives, programs, or community-based services.
- Financial acumen to develop, monitor, and report on budgets, funding sources, grants, and program expenditures.
- Demonstrated ability to assess organizational needs, identify opportunities for growth and improvement, and implement effective solutions.
- Demonstrated ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize competing demands, and meet established deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills including experience preparing presentations, reports, grant proposals, educational materials, and stakeholder communications.
- Demonstrated experience in public speaking, training, facilitation, community outreach and/or educational programming.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Program applications and other technology platforms used for communication, reporting, data management, and program administration.
- Ability and willingness to travel throughout Iowa with occasional domestic travel as required.
- Availability to complete evening and weekend work, specifically related to non-protocol vision screening activities or public outreach and community speaking engagements outside of normal business hours.
- Valid US driver’s license and eligibility to operate motor vehicles under university standards
Desired Qualifications
- 5+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in nonprofit, healthcare, public health, education, community-based, or related organizations.
- Strong communication, marketing, and public engagement skills, including experience serving as a spokesperson, educator, or trainer for an organization’s mission.
- Experience building and sustaining collaborative relationships with volunteers, community partners, healthcare providers, educational institutions, donors, and other stakeholders.
- Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams while fostering a positive and mission-driven culture.
Position and Application Details:
In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:
Resume
Cover Letter
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended.
Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.
For additional questions, please contact Sam Noel, HR Associate, at samuel-noel@uiowa.edu
Equal opportunity employer
The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preferences.
Persons with disabilities who need assistance or accommodations with the application or interview process may contact University Human Resources/Faculty and Staff Disability Services, (319) 335-2660 or fsds@uiowa.edu. For jobs in UI Health care, please contact UI Health care Leave & Disability Administration at 319-356-7543.
