Program Director

Harboring Hearts; New York (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary range: $80,000–$85,000

Health insurance

401(k) with employer contribution

Paid time off & holidays

Flexible work arrangement

Annual performance review

Professional development

Job summary

Harboring Hearts seeks a hands‑on Program Director to oversee daily operations of patient support programs, including hospital referrals, grants, and events. You will ensure timely responses and accurate assistance across our growing partner network in the New York metropolitan area.

You will partner with the CEO to expand into new geographies, develop operational processes, manage budgets, and strengthen the Medical Advisory Board while maintaining high quality program delivery and stakeholder

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in nonprofit program delivery, healthcare, patient support services, or social services.
• Bachelor's degree in public health, social work, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated comfort with hands‑on program administration - you will run intake, records, logistics, follow‑up.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships with institutional partners such as hospitals, health systems, or community organizations.
• Strong organizational skills: managing timelines, budgets, competing priorities, and detailed records with a high degree of accuracy.
• Experience collecting program data and translating it into reporting for leadership, funders, or external partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt approach across clinical, philanthropic, and community audiences.
• Comfort working in a small organization where roles are broad and everyone takes on tasks as needed.
• Proficiency with remote collaboration tools and standard office software.
• Residence in the New York metropolitan area and ability to travel to hospital sites and organizational events as needed.

Responsibilities

• Run the day‑to‑day operations of Harboring Hearts' Emergency Fund and act as lead coordinator for all patient and hospital programs and events.
• Manage the referral process end to end - intake, eligibility review, approval, and follow‑up - for several hundred patient assistance requests each year.
• Administer patient assistance disbursements accurately and on time, working within established internal controls alongside the CEO, bookkeeper and audit team.
• Coordinate the logistics of patient and hospital facing events including vendors, venues, volunteers, and patient participation.
• Maintain complete, accurate program records, files, and documentation.
• Handle the administrative work the programs require: correspondence, scheduling, materials, tracking, and vendor coordination.

Skills

Nonprofit program delivery

Healthcare experience

Communication skills

Remote collaboration tools

Travel to sites

Education

Bachelor's degree in public health, social work, nonprofit management, or related field

Master's degree in public health, social work, or related field

Tools

CRM systems

Grants management systems

Case management software

Job description

Program Director

About the Role

Program Director is a hands‑on position with organization‑wide impact. The Director is responsible for the daily operation of our patient support programs: managing hospital referrals, processing patient assistance grants, coordinating patient and hospital events, maintaining accurate records, and sustaining regular communication with hospital social work teams.

The Director ensures request and referrals are answered promptly, assistance delivered accurately, and questions handled with care. Safeguarding and strengthening the quality of the hospital partner and patient experience is the Director’s foremost responsibility.

In addition, Harboring Hearts is preparing to extend its hospital network beyond New York into New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, and to continue to develop our Medical Advisory Board. The CEO leads expansion efforts with the Director as a partner throughout, helping to identify and assess target institutions, prepare materials, participate in meetings and site visits, and develop the operational processes new sites will require.

The Director also provides perspective on program strategy. The daily work with patients, families and hospital teams affords a unique viewpoint and helps to inform where our impact can be greatest, what current need looks like in real‑time, and what the data indicates.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Delivery & Administration

• Run the day‑to‑day operations of Harboring Hearts' Emergency Fund and act as lead coordinator for all patient and hospital programs and events
• Manage the referral process end to end - intake, eligibility review, approval, and follow‑up - for several hundred patient assistance requests each year
• Administer patient assistance disbursements accurately and on time, working within established internal controls alongside the CEO, bookkeeper and audit team
• Coordinate the logistics of patient and hospital facing events including vendors, venues, volunteers, and patient participation
• Maintain complete, accurate program records, files, and documentation
• Handle the administrative work the programs require: correspondence, scheduling, materials, tracking, and vendor coordination

Hospital Partnership Management

• Serve as the primary day‑to‑day contact for social work teams and clinical staff across our 10‑hospital partner network
• Maintain responsive, reliable service to referring social workers
• Check in regularly with partner sites to identify success stories, identify deeper partnership opportunities, and to surface any points of friction or gaps in support
• Assume day‑to‑day management of new hospital relationships once established

Program Strategy & Improvement

• Work with the CEO to assess where our programs are working best and what improvements or efficiencies can be made
• Recommend improvements to program design, eligibility criteria, and delivery
• Document and strengthen program processes so the model can hold its quality as the organization grows
• Manage program budgets and ensure programs operate within approved spending and grant requirements

Expansion Support

• Support efforts to extend the hospital network into New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania - researching and assessing target institutions, preparing outreach materials, and participating in meetings and site visits
• Build the operational groundwork new sites require: onboarding materials, referral protocols, and documentation
• Support the continued development of a Medical Advisory Board, including research, scheduling, materials, and ongoing coordination once it is seated

Data, Evaluation & Reporting

• Maintain the data that tracks program reach, outcomes, and impact
• Own program data collection, integrity, and reporting, including reports for the CEO, Board of Directors, funders, and hospital partners
• Use program data to identify service gaps and inform program decisions

Organizational Collaboration

• Contribute program content, outcome data, and patient stories to grant proposals, reports, and communications
• Represent Harboring Hearts at hospital, sector, and community convenings
• Coordinate volunteers supporting program delivery
• Pitch in across the organization as a small team requires

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum 3 years of experience in nonprofit program delivery, healthcare, patient support services, or social services
• Bachelor's degree in public health, social work, nonprofit management, or a related field
• Demonstrated comfort with hands‑on program administration - you will run the intake, the records, the logistics, and the follow‑up
• Experience building and maintaining working relationships with institutional partners such as hospitals, health systems, or community organizations
• Strong organizational skills: managing timelines, budgets, competing priorities, and detailed records with a high degree of accuracy
• Experience collecting program data and translating it into reporting for leadership, funders, or external partners
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt approach across clinical, philanthropic, and community audiences
• Comfort working in a small organization where roles are broad and everyone takes on tasks as needed
• Proficiency with remote collaboration tools and standard office software
• Residence in the New York metropolitan area and ability to travel to hospital sites and organizational events as needed

Preferred

• Master's degree in public health (MPH), social work (MSW), or a related field
• Direct experience working within or alongside a hospital system
• Experience launching a program at a new site or in a new geography
• Experience supporting an advisory board, committee, or working group
• Familiarity with CRM, case management, and grants management systems

Location:A mid‑town Manhattan office is available for on‑site work five days a week. Remote work is also possible, with required residence in the New York metropolitan area and on‑site presence 1–2 days per week as needed.

About Harboring Hearts

Harboring Hearts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that removes the financial barriers standing between cardiac surgery and transplant patients and their recovery. We partner with leading hospitals and social work teams across the New York metropolitan area (New York-Presbyterian, NYU Langone Health, Northwell Health, Montefiore, Mount Sinai, Westchester Medical Center, and Stony Brook University Hospital) to deliver direct financial assistance to patients and families.

What We Offer

• Salary range of $80,000 – $85,000, commensurate with experience
• Comprehensive health insurance – medical, dental, vision
• 401(k) with a 3% employer contribution
• Generous paid time off, paid holidays, and a paid organizational shutdown between Christmas and New Year's
• Flexible work arrangement — mid‑town Manhattan office available five days a week, or primarily remote with 1–2 days on site as needed
• Annual performance review with eligibility for merit increase
• Professional development support

Reports To:Chief Executive Officer

Type:Full‑time, Exempt

Direct Reports:None

Harboring Hearts is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including those with lived experience of the cardiac and transplant journey.