Implementation Readiness Associate

YOUTH VILLAGES, INC.

8d

About The Position

For over 35 years, Youth Villages has transformed the lives of children and families nationwide through innovative, research-based programs focused on preserving and restoring families. As a national leader in children’s mental and behavioral health, we serve more than 47,000 youth, young people, and their families annually across 29 states and Washington, D.C. Our proven treatment models drive long-term success in child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. At Youth Villages, we do what works — partnering with others to expand our impact and advocate for meaningful, lasting change. We're seeking purpose-driven individuals who are passionate about making a difference. With a dedicated team of more than 5,000 staff, Youth Villages is committed to investing in and supporting our employees by offering opportunities to build a fulfilling career through professional growth, personal development, and a mission that matters— helping children and families live successfully. For more information, please visit www.youthvillages.org Position Overview: The Implementation Readiness Associate is responsible for ensuring growth within the Strategic Partnerships Network is intentional, sequenced, and system-ready before commitments are made. Reporting to and operating in accordance with priorities set by the Strategic Partnerships Network Director, this role supports expansion within existing partner states and deeper penetration into complex and county-based systems. The role functions upstream of implementation, protecting network stability while enabling sustainable growth through thoughtful pre-implementation assessment, planning, and risk mitigation. This role is designed to: Enable sustainable expansion within existing jurisdictions in sites indicating high levels of implementation readiness Promote system and site readiness before implementation resources are deployed Support leadership decision-making with clear readiness insights Strengthen Youth Villages’ credibility as a thoughtful system partner

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field (required)
• Experience supporting growth, expansion, or system development within complex public or nonprofit systems (required)
• Experience navigating policy, funding, and governance environments (required)
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent written, verbal, and oral skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products
• Ability to maintain a flexible schedule

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with county-based or multi-layered public systems (preferred)
• Experience supporting program expansion or scaling across multiple jurisdictions (preferred)
• Background in strategic planning, market analysis, or system design (preferred)
• Strong ability to assess readiness, risk, and feasibility across multiple stakeholders
• Knowledge of implementation pathways and frameworks
• Demonstrated judgment in go / no-go decision-making and sequencing recommendations
• Strong analytical and systems-thinking skills
• Ability to travel up to 50% including multi-day engagements

Responsibilities

• Leads early-stage engagement for new implementation sites within existing states, with specific focus on county-based growth opportunities, in alignment with Strategic Partnerships Network Leadership priorities
• Assesses system readiness, including funding pathways, governance structures, referral flow, policy environment, and system complexity
• Gains deep understanding of assigned priority jurisdictions through independent assessment and analysis, engagement of key stakeholders, and attending local convenings or events to sequence implementation
• Supports go / no-go decisions and provides recommendations on growth sequencing prior to commitments
• Tests assumptions related to staffing, timelines, ramp-up, and sustainability
• Enables deeper market penetration within large, fragmented, or multi-county systems
• Identifies and mitigates growth-related risks before handoff to the network leads
• Coordinates pre-implementation planning with internal partners to ensure readiness thresholds are met
• Transitions opportunities to the partner network leads only when systems, partners, and resources are prepared for execution
• Performs other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
• 401(k)
• Time off: 2 week paid vacation (full-time) / 1 week paid vacation (part-time)
• 12 paid sick days per year
• 11 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)
• Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision
• Growth & development through continuous training
• Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees