Community Health Educator I

Howard County•Howard, MD

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Community Health Educator I supports the Howard County Health Department Bureau of Assessment, Planning and Community Engagement’s Health Promotion team and the Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC). The position supports community engagement, develops and delivers health education and outreach activities, coordinates public health programs and trainings, communicates with Health Department staff and community partners, and promotes use of a Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) platform and other community health initiatives. The position is eligible for hybrid telework. The role coordinates community outreach events and represents the Health Department at events and meetings. It delivers evidence-based health education focused on tobacco prevention, chronic disease prevention and management, and other public health priorities. It also supports implementation and ongoing use of the SDoH resource platform, including training and technical assistance for staff and community partners, monitoring utilization, and maintaining program documentation. The minimum qualification is a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Public Health Education, Community Health Education, or Health Science. There is no experience requirement. Alternatives include a bachelor’s degree with at least 18 relevant credit hours plus one year of qualifying health education project experience, or qualifying U.S. Armed Forces military service experience substituted year for year for the education requirement. A valid Maryland motor vehicle operator’s license is required only for employees assigned duties requiring operation of a motor vehicle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Public Health Education, Community Health Education, or Health Science.
No experience is required.
As an education substitution, a bachelor’s degree with at least 18 credit hours in Public Health Education, Community Health Education, Health Science, or a related behavioral science, plus one year of experience planning, developing, implementing, and promoting health education projects.
Qualifying U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Health Educator and Community Health classifications or relevant specialty codes in the Public Health field may substitute year for year for the required education.
A valid Maryland motor vehicle operator’s license is required for employees assigned duties that require operating a motor vehicle.

Nice To Haves

Experience coordinating and facilitating health education workshops, trainings, or outreach events.
Experience independently planning and coordinating multiple activities, programs, or educational sessions, including managing timelines and competing priorities.
Public speaking and presentation skills, including the ability to engage diverse audiences such as community members and partners.
Experience using Microsoft Office Suite and virtual meeting platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or WebEx.
Experience using data management, reporting, and referral systems to enter, track, maintain, and report information.
Strong written communication skills and the ability to communicate clearly using plain English.

Responsibilities

Assist with planning, coordinating, and evaluating Health Department participation in community outreach events, health fairs, workshops, exhibits, presentations, and distribution of health education materials.
Coordinate event logistics, respond to event requests, communicate with organizers and program staff, schedule participation, prepare materials and supplies, and maintain a shared outreach and events calendar.
Collect event participation and evaluation data, maintain outreach records, return supplies and materials to storage, and suggest program improvements based on observations and feedback.
Represent the Health Department at community events and meetings, provide health education information, build collaborative relationships, and promote public health programs, services, and resources.
Coordinate and teach evidence-based health education programs focused on tobacco prevention, chronic disease prevention and management, and other public health priorities.
Deliver accessible health education presentations and classes on tobacco, chronic disease, and other public health priorities and resources.
Monitor program participation, collect and maintain program and outcome data, prepare documentation and reports, and evaluate program effectiveness using established performance measures.
Build and maintain working relationships with Health Department bureaus, community organizations, healthcare providers, and LHIC partners to support coordinated health promotion and outreach.
Assist in developing, adapting, and distributing culturally and linguistically appropriate health education materials and communication resources.
Support implementation and ongoing operation of the SDoH platform, including vendor communication, system functionality, implementation activities, and effective platform use.
Provide training, technical assistance, and user support for Health Department staff and community partners, including onboarding users and integrating the platform into programs and workflows.
Monitor platform utilization and performance by reviewing data and reports, identifying trends, and supporting compliance with applicable policies and procedures.
Prepare and maintain program documentation to support continuity of SDoH connection services and achievement of program objectives.
Maintain broad knowledge of Health Department services and refer people to other programs as appropriate.
Participate in drills and exercises, respond to emergencies as appropriate, keep current with policies and procedures, complete required training, and participate in program quality improvement.