Community Health Specialist I

Fairfax County • Fairfax (Fj56), VA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Community Health Specialist I works on the Fairfax County Health Department’s Community Outreach and Engagement team to advance community health through outreach, education, and engagement. The role serves ethnically diverse communities, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, small businesses, and historically underserved populations. Working with outreach managers, supervisors, agency staff, community health specialists, and community partners, the position supports health promotion and prevention education, community partnerships and capacity building, population-based public health interventions, and efforts addressing social determinants of health. It also assists with implementing and evaluating strategies to improve community health outcomes.

The position is fully in person and is not eligible for telework. Regular evening and weekend work is required for community meetings or events, and the schedule may include on-call duties. Reliable transportation and the ability to drive a motor vehicle are required. The position is classified as emergency/essential services personnel and requires reporting for duty during inclement weather or other emergencies. The job is generally sedentary and based in an office, with occasional duties outside the typical office setting. A panel interview and possibly an exercise are part of the selection procedure.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in health education, human services, or a directly related field, or equivalent combined education, experience, and training.
• At least one year of experience in community capacity building, public or community health education, or other health-related work involving considerable public contact.
• Valid driver's license.
• CPR certification within 60 days of hire.
• AED certification within 60 days of hire.
• Ability to conduct screenings, monitoring, education, and care coordination and to use evidence-based practice guidelines.
• Ability to develop, collect, and analyze quantitative and qualitative program data.
• Ability to deliver community health education presentations and work predominantly with adults using learning concepts.
• Ability to organize and implement health education services with a community subgroup.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally, in writing, and electronically.
• Successful completion of a criminal background check, Child Protective Services Registry check, and driving record check.
• Ability to report for duty during inclement weather and other emergencies.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including regular evenings and weekends for community meetings or events, and/or be on-call.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position, including walking, standing, prolonged sitting, kneeling, reaching, bending, climbing stairs, using hands to grasp or handle objects, operating computer and touchscreen equipment, and driving; may need to lift or carry up to 25 pounds. Duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in public health or a related field.
• Two or more years of experience designing, implementing, and contributing to evaluation of community-based health programs serving culturally and age-diverse populations.
• Experience developing and presenting health education topics to a multicultural population.
• Two or more years of experience with community development and capacity-building activities.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with community members and build partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, and faith-based groups.
• One or more years of experience managing, implementing, and developing comprehensive public outreach programs, preferably in health promotion and health access services.
• One or more years of experience working independently.
• Experience conducting community outreach and providing health promotion, prevention, and emergency preparedness education to ethnic communities, nonprofit organizations, hard-to-reach populations, small businesses, or faith communities.
• Experience working with a diverse multicultural population.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Bilingual ability in English and another language is encouraged.

Responsibilities

• Deliver health promotion and disease prevention education initiatives in the community.
• Strengthen community partnerships and build local capacity.
• Support population-based public health interventions.
• Address social determinants of health and root causes affecting community well-being.
• Assist in implementing and evaluating strategies intended to improve community health outcomes.
• Develop, implement, and contribute to evaluating health promotion or disease management programs.
• Conduct screenings, monitoring, education, and coordination of care, and apply evidence-based practice guidelines to identify and treat disease conditions before they advance.
• Develop, collect, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate program effectiveness and quality assurance.
• Deliver health education presentations and organize and implement health education services with community subgroups.
• Communicate with community members and partners through verbal, written, and electronic means.

Benefits

• Supportive and collaborative team environment.
• Dynamic onboarding and orientation experience.
• Opportunities for continuous learning and professional growth.
• Meaningful work focused on health education, health promotion, and disease prevention.
• Opportunity to build community partnerships and address public health priorities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level