Recovery Manager

Type: Full-Time


Reports to: Director of Community Based Services


Office Location: 224 W Hill St., Chicago IL 60610; required in-office minimum of 3 days per week (hybrid work policy subject to change). Work location may also include travel to facilities throughout the Chicagoland area and community-based settings.


Background:


Guided by the experiences of those living with mental health conditions and rooted in equity, NAMI Chicago educates to fight stigma and discrimination, fiercely advocates for our community, and shares hope, connection and expertise with people on their mental health journey. NAMI Chicago seeks to fill gaps in Chicago's mental health system, with an intentional emphasis on serving underrepresented populations and breaking down barriers to care.


Who We Are Looking For:

Reporting to the Director of Community Based Programs, the Recovery Manager provides leadership for NAMI Chicago's In Home Recovery Support (IHRS) and Engagement & Support (E&S) Programs and supports recovery-oriented service delivery across community-based recovery initiatives. This role oversees program operations, reflective supervision, staff development, and continuous quality improvement to ensure services remain strengths-based, person-centered, and aligned with peer support values.


The ideal candidate has experience in behavioral health, peer support, social services, or a related field and demonstrates a commitment to developing teams, fostering community partnerships, and supporting individuals as they explore opportunities for community living and recovery. This position requires regular travel throughout Chicagoland and a strong ability to support staff working in both facility and community settings.


Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

Program Leadership & Operations

• Lead day-to-day operations of the IHRS and E&S Programs, ensuring services remain recovery-oriented, person-centered, and aligned with peer support values.
• Oversee staffing, caseload distribution, regional coverage planning, and participant access across assigned facilities and community settings.
• Monitor program utilization, participant engagement, community activity participation, and service outcomes to support continuous improvement and equitable access.
• Monitor program operations, documentation, and service delivery practices to ensure fidelity to peer support values, program requirements, and recovery-oriented service models.
• Ensure programming includes meaningful opportunities for community exploration, relationship building, skill development, and connection to recovery-oriented supports.
• Monitor program budgets and expenditures, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources, adherence to funding requirements, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Prime Agencies, SMHRFs/SNFs, community providers, and other stakeholders to support strong referral process, participant engagement and successful transitions to community living.
• Process participant referrals and determine program eligibility.

Recovery-Oriented Staff Supervision

• Provide reflective supervision and coaching to supervisors to strengthen peer practice, professional growth, and role effectiveness.
• Support staff in balancing professional responsibilities, documentation requirements, and participant-centered relationship building.
• Promote team culture grounded in psychological safety, strengths-based feedback, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Partner with leadership on performance development, employee engagement, recognition, recruitment, and retention efforts.

Peer Support Excellence & Training

• Develop and facilitate onboarding, training, and ongoing learning opportunities focused on peer support values, motivational engagement, recovery-oriented practice, and community integration.
• Support staff in translating peer support principles into meaningful participant outcomes.
• Promote fidelity to the peer support model while encouraging innovation and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a recovery leadership voice across NAMI Chicago, advancing peer support values, community integration, and person-centered practices.

Data & Quality Improvement

• Track and analyze program goals related to engagement, community participation, transitions, participant outcomes, and program capacity.
• Collaborate with Integration, Program Evaluation, and program leadership to prepare reports, support grant and contract deliverables, and ensure timely and accurate submission of required program data.
• Partner with program leadership to develop and monitor key program metrics, performance indicators, and participant outcomes to evaluate program effectiveness, identify trends, and drive continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated commitment to serving underrepresented and vulnerable populations, including social and racial/ethnic minorities as well as those living with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders
• Proven record of success working in a diverse environment that includes people of different identities, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender and physical/mental ability
• Firsthand knowledge/experience living with a mental health condition and utilizing recovery principles.
• Familiarity with community resources and treatment options for mental health conditions and substance use.
• Experience leading community-based behavioral health, recovery, or peer support programs.
• Experience supervising staff through reflective supervision, coaching, and strengths-based leadership approaches.
• Utilizes CRSS and CPRS competencies and code of ethics in decision making and development of programmatic elements.
• Experience supporting individuals with serious mental illness, substance use challenges, or complex service needs.
• Demonstrated ability to build partnerships across healthcare, behavioral health, social service, and community systems.
• Experience using data, outcomes, and participant feedback to guide program improvement.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and support staff working across diverse geographic locations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and show professionalism, reliability, and responsibility.
• Utilizes a growth mindset in supervisory tasks and connections with the Recovery department.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly throughout Chicagoland.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, or related field
• Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS)
• At least 5 years of Social Work or Mental Health related work experience
• At least 3 years of supervisory experience
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, client record management systems, and electronic documentation systems.

Welcomed Qualifications:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Regular access to a vehicle

Available Benefits:

• Company sponsored wellness activities.
• Medical, Dental and Vision benefits.
• Company sponsored Life and AD&D Insurance and Long-Term Disability.
• 401k Retirement plan.
• Critical Illness Insurance, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Short Term Disability Coverage.
• Generous PTO.

Salary Range: $60,000 - $70,000 per year

NAMI Chicago is an inclusive employer, we welcome and encourage BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Veterans, Differently Abled, Returning Citizens and All Who Are Dedicated to Mental Health to Apply.