SCD Community Engagement & Administration Spe

POSITION SUMMARY 

The SCD Community Engagement & Administration Specialist supports the ASH Research Collaborative (ASH RC) Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Community Engagement Program and provides administrative coordination for designated ASH RC staff. The role is primarily focused on advancing meaningful engagement with people living with SCD, their families, Community Advisory Boards (CABs), clinical research sites, and other stakeholders. The Specialist serves as a collaborative, responsive resource to ASH RC staff and external partners in support of program goals and strategic priorities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

SCD Community Engagement

Program Support and Coordination

• Support implementation and advancement of the ASH RC SCD Community Engagement Program in alignment with ASH RC strategic priorities.
• Coordinate assigned program areas and projects from planning through completion, including tracking timelines, deliverables, and follow-up across multiple workstreams; monitor deadlines and potential risks, and escalate issues requiring higher-level decisions to the Senior Manager.
• Assist in developing and maintaining tools and processes, such as workflows, templates, and trackers, to improve consistency and efficiency across the Community Engagement Program.
• Support SCD Coalition and ASH Center for SCD Initiatives activities related to clinical trials, research issues, and patient and community engagement.

CAB Operations and Meetings

• Coordinate logistics and communications for ASH RC National CAB (NCAB), local CAB, Council Sites, research sites, committee, working group, and other SCD community engagement meetings and events, both virtual and in-person.
• Prepare meeting agendas, materials, participant communications, minutes and summaries, and follow-up action items; maintain rosters and related documentation.
• Support local CAB coordinators in maintaining and engaging local CABs, including onboarding, orientation, tracking, follow-up, and routine operational guidance; identify recurring needs and recommend process improvements to the Senior Manager.
• Support operational planning for monthly NCAB meetings in partnership with the Senior Manager, including scheduling, speaker coordination, materials, deck preparation, attendance, meeting technology, notes, action items, and follow-up.
• Assist with planning and facilitating focus groups, listening sessions, community discussions, and other engagement activities, including participant communication, materials, logistics, documentation, and follow-up, to gather feedback on research protocols, recruitment materials, and community needs and concerns.

Materials, Resources, and Outreach

• In collaboration with ASH RC staff, volunteers, and community stakeholders, support the development, review, and dissemination of plain-language, culturally responsive materials and Community Engagement Program resources, including the CAB Program Toolkit, coordinator trainings, engagement tools, and branded resources, that translate emerging research findings for people living with SCD and their families.
• Support community-facing outreach, marketing, and tabling at SCD awareness days, community recognition events, priority meetings, and other patient engagement activities, including materials, logistics, inventory, staffing coordination, event readiness, and post-event follow-up.

Project and Grant Support

• Provide structured project coordination support to grant-funded community engagement initiatives and other strategic research projects, as priorities require.
• Maintain milestone and action trackers; coordinate meetings, agendas, materials, and follow-up; support document organization and version control; and assist with progress-reporting inputs and project documentation.
• Support Community Engagement contributions to cross-program initiatives, such as the CAB Impact Report, Data Hub Living with SCD report, by providing project coordination, production timeline, tracking relevant milestones, coordinating requested inputs, and helping ensure community perspectives and deliverables remain visible.

Tracking, Reporting, and Relationships

• Maintain stakeholder information and interaction records in Salesforce and other designated tracking systems, and support activity tracking, reports, status updates, program benchmarks, and performance measures.
• Prepare and coordinate high-quality first drafts of routine correspondence, presentations, meeting materials, reports, and community-facing content for review by the Senior Manager and other program leads.
• Work collaboratively across ASH and ASH RC teams on SCD clinical research, community engagement, education, outreach, and dissemination activities, and support related meetings and events as assigned.
• Build and maintain productive, respectful relationships with community members, research site personnel, CAB members, volunteers, and other stakeholders.

Administration

• Provide administrative support to managers and above, including calendar management, meeting scheduling, meeting logistics, and conference room reservations.
• Serve as technical host for virtual meetings, supporting remote participation and troubleshooting routine technology needs.
• Coordinate travel and housing arrangements, as needed, for staff, committee members, guests, and community participants.
• Prepare and format routine correspondence, presentations, meeting materials, reports, and other administrative documents.
• Route contracts and other documents for review and signature; assist with maintenance of the contract management system.
• Support development and maintenance of administrative workflows, templates, checklists, and tracking tools.
• Assist with general office and team support, including shared coverage of phones, email inboxes, and other administrative responsibilities.
• Attend and/or support occasional ASH-sponsored meetings and events outside normal business hours, including evenings and weekends.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED  

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in public health, advocacy, community engagement, clinical research, health care, or a related field preferred.
• Experience supporting community engagement initiatives, patient advocacy programs, research programs, advisory groups, or committees is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of sickle cell disease and the individual, cultural, and societal factors affecting people living with SCD is preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated cultural humility and commitment to working effectively with marginalized and underserved populations.
• Excellent organizational, coordination, and follow-through skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong customer service orientation, professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Ability and willingness to perform administrative functions in support of program coordination and implementation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook; experience with Salesforce or another customer relationship management system is a plus.
• Ability to handle protected health information appropriately, accessing, using, and disclosing only the minimum necessary information to perform assigned responsibilities.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• Ability to communicate clearly and listen actively.
• Ability to use computers, telephones, and other standard office equipment.
• Ability to travel periodically outside the local area.

The American Society for Hematology (ASH) is dedicated to cultivating a workplace that prioritizes fairness, respect, and equal opportunity for all employees. We maintain a strict non-discrimination policy and are committed to treating each other with dignity, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state, or local laws. Our goal is to foster an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, contribute, and achieve their full potential.