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Healthy People Coordinator Description Template

July 29, 2024

Healthy People is a national framework that fosters a shared vision of public health across the United States. It establishes national priorities every 10 years to guide jurisdiction planning and data collection, which is supported by the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP).

The goal of this template is to create a description for the role of Healthy People Coordinator that is adaptable and flexible to meet the needs of health departments and help them identify candidates. This template was designed with the reality in mind that this is an unfunded position, and for many jurisdictions the position itself may be embedded within another position within the department/division or bureau.

This description details the knowledge, skills, and abilities for a successful candidate that can be used on their own or added and adapted to fit into an existing and aligned role. The Healthy People Coordinator role has historically had connections to funding for block grants, performance improvement, or other public health infrastructure related projects.

  • How ODPHP Defines HP Coordinators: “The Healthy People State and Territorial Coordinators make Healthy People happen every single day across the United States. Each state or territory has a Healthy People Coordinator who serves as a liaison with the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). ODPHP works with Coordinators to identify areas of alignment in their work and the Healthy People 2030 goals and objectives. They also collaborate with the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Regional Offices.”

Suggested Position Description and Overview

This position will ensure adequate oversight, management, and efficient and effective implementation and integration of the Healthy People framework within jurisdiction-wide, programmatic-specific, and organizational planning efforts. It will also provide support to state block grant programming and accreditation efforts.

Suggested Position Duties

  • Support both program managers and division heads in vision and strategy to align their work with the Healthy People 2030 framework.
  • Help to assess and align planning efforts (CHA/SHA, CHIP/SHIP, Strategic Planning) and programmatic work with Healthy People 2030 objectives.
  • Promote the adoption of data-driven and evidence-based interventions and strategies while working to adapt them to jurisdictional needs.
  • Foster collaborative approaches through increased communication and engagement across programs, departments, and local jurisdictions.
  • Engage leadership, community-based and non-governmental organizations, trusted leaders, and the community across multiple sectors to initiate action and educate key stakeholders around the current public health evidence base to inform policies in alignment with the Healthy People 2030 framework.
  • Serve as the liaison to local/regional/state health departments to better align local level planning efforts with state/territory/freely associated state planning efforts.
  • Participate in Healthy People opportunities offered by ODPHP. 

Suggested Qualifications for Employment

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Knowledge of national frameworks like Healthy People 2030, as well as social determinants of health, health literacy, and health equity.
  • Skills in performance and quality improvement and planning.
  • Familiarity with use of evidence-based interventions and practices.
  • Ability to manage multiple timelines and projects.
  • Insight, general understanding, and knowledge in strategies to advance equitable health outcomes.

Suggested Requirements for Education, Experience, and Competencies

  • Master’s Degree or higher in Public Health or a closely allied field, preferred but not required.
    • Qualifying experience (demonstrated by certificate, course work, or practical experience) in performance and quality improvement frameworks, evaluation, and data interpretation.
  • Extensive written and oral communication skills coupled with demonstrated experience communicating complex topics or issues both verbally and in writing to diverse internal and external audiences across a broad spectrum of managerial, administrative, and professional staff, especially executive-level leaders.
  • Demonstrated experience in the following subject areas:
    • Organizational development.
    • Working with diverse groups, interacting with the community or community partners.
    • Strategic planning.
    • Facilitation and decision-making.
    • Coaching preferred but not required.
  • Demonstrated competencies in the following areas:
    • Self-awareness, self-management, and continual growth and learning.
    • Decision making—the ability to identify issues; develop analyses of alternative positions and impacts; make data-driven, defensible recommendations; take calculated risks based on logical ratio decision-making processes; make timely/responsive decisions; assume responsibility for decisions made; and involve others appropriately in decision-making processes.
    • Working openly and transparently with colleagues and partners, fostering trust and serving as a resource in challenging work environments.
    • Utilizing quality improvement tools and processes in accomplishing work activities and in support of the agency’s mission and goals; this includes seeking opportunities to participate in process improvement activities and initiating efficiencies in how work is accomplished.
    • Showing a commitment to inclusivity, encompassing cultural, racial, ethnic, and gender sensitivity and competency.
    • Organizational and political awareness.
    • Ability to inspire.
    • Practicing ethics and integrity. 
    • Utilizing tools for effectively collaborating with a multigenerational workforce.

Suggested Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies

  • Understanding, skill, and experience in data interpretation/visualization.
  • Proficiency in co-creating organizational strategies and building shared commitments with executive-level leaders and partners.
  • Certification(s) in facilitation, leadership development, change management, quality improvement, or other related topics.
  • Experience working in a public health-related or governmental organization.