NATIONAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR, BRIGHT CITIES
A PROJECT OF FIRST 1000 DAYS, HEALTHY BABIES BRIGHT FUTURES
FIRST 1000 DAYS, a new alliance of foundations, NGOs and scientists, is seeking candidates for a
National Director of the Bright Cities Program. First 1000 Days is in a startup phase, with a launch
scheduled for late in 2015.
The Problem First 1000 Days Is Addressing
As many as one in six children in the U.S. have a neurodevelopmental disability, including autism,
learning problems, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and speech or cognitive delays. A large and
growing body of research indicates that early life exposures to toxic chemicals—ubiquitous in our air,
water, food and soil—can contribute to these health problems. Mounting evidence indicates that
exposures to these “brain drain” chemicals, even at very low levels, during the first critical window of
human development can have lifelong health consequences. The Bright Cities Program is designed to
model and implement place-based solutions that measurably reduce exposures to “brain drain”
chemicals for pregnant women and children.
Bright Cities Program Summary
The Bright Cities Program will provide selected cities with staff, technical assistance, financial support,
and policy and programmatic tools to accomplish its goal. The program will measure and document
results in each city and generate cost/benefit analyses for the interventions that cities undertake.
Finally, Bright Cities will help publicize and disseminate success stories coming from the cities’
experiences in protecting babies’ brains, thus strengthening the cities’ image as good places to raise
healthy children and as centers of innovation. We anticipate selecting three cities for a two-year pilot
phase with with additional cohorts of up to five cities in each of the next two years. The annual budget
for the five‐year program ranges from approximately $725,000 to $2,100,000.
Bright Cities National Program Director
The Program Director will be hired for an initial three-year term. Reporting to the National Coordinator
for First 1000 Days, she/he will:
1. Participate in the selection of participating cities
2. Supervise local staff in individual cities
3. Establish a learning/incentivizing cohort of participating cities.
4. Direct financial resources for local activities that carry out the Bright Cities’ program goals.
5. Oversee tracking of deliverables achieved in selected policy/program areas
6. Participate in development and execution of local and national communications strategies.
7. Oversee outcomes measurement plan for each city program.
The ideal candidate for this position should be:
 Entrepreneurial and comfortable working in a startup
 Interested in or knowledgeable about protecting babies, young women and vulnerable
populations from harmful environments
 Knowledgeable about how cities function to improve community health
 Capable of directing program activities that achieve measurable outcomes
 Able to motivate local stakeholders to work together to achieve common goals
 Willing to travel regularly
Salary and job location are negotiable. For more information or to apply for the position, please contact
Charlotte Brody, First 1000 Days National Coordinator, at cbrody@bluegreenalliance.org