Community Health Consultant

State of Iowa; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

Paid time off (vacation, sick leave, 9

Retirement plans (IPERS)

Flexible spending accounts

Life insurance and long-term disablity

Employee assistance program

Employee discount programs

Job summary

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services seeks a Community Health Consultant to advance statewide colorectal cancer prevention and screening through evidence-based interventions and stakeholder engagement. You will provide technical assistance, facilitate meetings, and help ensure compliance with federal and state guidance.

The role focuses on improving screening rates, strengthening community-clinical linkages, and monitoring data for performance improvement.

Qualifications

• 6 months’ experience in improving health outcomes or related field.
• Graduation from an accredited college with major coursework in nursing, health-oriented field, education, or nutrition.
• Master’s degree in nursing, public health, or related field may substitute for one year.
• Certification as a paramedic may substitute for three years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide consultation and technical assistance to healthcare providers, clinics, contractors, and community partners via site visits, virtual meetings, webinars, and written communication.
• Translate grant requirements into clear guidance documents and actionable tasks for partners.
• Plan and facilitate meetings with providers and stakeholders; disseminate agendas, minutes, and updates.
• Implement evidence-based interventions to improve screening and follow-up; support practice changes.
• Promote evidence-based practices and prepare presentations, trainings, and program summaries.

Skills

Community engagement

Technical assistance

Data analysis

Public health coordination

Education

Public health degree

Master's in public health or related field

Nursing degree

Paramedic certification (substitute for experience)

Job description

Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements (listed below) will be placed on the eligible list.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking a Community Health Consultant to advance statewide colorectal cancer prevention and screening efforts through evidence-based intervention implementation, technical assistance, partner engagement, and performance management. This role provides consultation and supports the implementation and evaluation of EBIs that increase screening rates and timely diagnostic follow-up, strengthen community-clinical linkages, and ensure adherence to federal and state guidance and reporting requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide consultation and technical assistance to healthcare providers, clinics, contractors, and community partners via site visits, virtual meetings, webinars, and written communication; deliver clear guidance that reflects current evidence, cooperative agreement requirements, and agency policies using plain-language and culturally responsive practices.
• Translate grants and/or cooperative agreement requirements into clear expectations, guidance documents, and actionable tasks for partners and stakeholders to support program implementation and compliance.
• Plan, convene, and facilitate meetings (webinars, in-person sessions, work groups, conference calls) with providers, contractors, and stakeholders; develop and disseminate agendas, minutes, action items, and communication updates to ensure effective coordination and follow-through.
• Implement and support evidence-based interventions (EBIs) to improve colorectal cancer screening rates and timely diagnostic follow-up, including practice-level changes (screening promotion, patient reminder systems, referral workflows).
• Promote evidence-based practices, communication strategies, and interventions that advance cancer prevention, screening, and follow-up care; prepare presentations, trainings, success stories, and program summaries.
• Conduct outreach to healthcare providers, clinics, and community organizations to promote awareness of and participation in colorectal cancer screening and diagnostic services; develop and disseminate educational and outreach materials.
• Strengthen community-clinical linkages connecting patients to screening, diagnostic, and follow-up services across healthcare and community settings.
• Collect, enter, track, and analyze program and provider-level data to support performance measurement; identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for improvement and recommend adjustments to strengthen effectiveness.
• Participate in program evaluation activities and use findings to guide implementation adjustments and continuous quality improvement.
• Monitor emerging evidence-based practices and potential collaborators; recommend partnerships or contracting opportunities that support program goals.
• Support related chronic disease and cancer programming by contributing to work plans, progress reports, success stories, and required documentation.

Onsite Requirement - Condition of Employment

• First 6 months: This role is required to be onsite Monday–Friday at the Lucas State Office Building.
• After the first 6 months: This role is required to be onsite every Monday, every Tuesday, and every other Friday at the Lucas State Office Building.
• Onsite presence may also be required for occasional meetings, trainings, or emergencies, consistent with agency policy and program operations.

Benefits

Working for the State of Iowa comes with its perks. In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!
• Paid Time Off: Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation (96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
• Retirement Plans: Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (the State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Take advantage of flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Insurance Coverage: Benefit from life insurance and free long-term disability insurance for added peace of mind.
• Employee Assistance Program: Access resources and support through our Employee Assistance Program for personal and professional challenges.
• Employee Discount Programs: Enjoy discounts on a variety of goods and services through our employee discount programs.

For additional information on benefits click here.

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Background Checks

Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position.

The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer

HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the DHS system to apply. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

All work performed on behalf of Iowa Health and Human Services must occur in the State of Iowa.

535 Public Health

6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both related to improving, maintaining, and protecting the general condition of health within society, either on a personal, institutional, organizational, or community basis. Experience may be gained from direct provision of health care or from other ancillary programs and support mechanisms such as government public health departments.
Graduation from an accredited college or university with major coursework in nursing, a human services or health-oriented field, or education, or nutrition and three years of professional experience in these areas;
OR Masters degree in nursing, public health or science, a human services or health-oriented field, or education, may be substituted for one year of the required experience;
OR certification as a paramedic and the equivalent of three years of full-time experience as a paramedic;
OR an equivalent or combination of the required education and experience, totaling seven years, will be qualifying.
For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.