COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATOR I

Howard County Health Department; Columbia (MD); Hybrid; USD 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Howard County Health Department seeks a Community Health Educator I to support APC Health Promotion and LHIC, delivering health education and coordinating community outreach activities.

The role focuses on tobacco and chronic disease education, data collection, and collaboration with local organizations. Hybrid telework is available; strong communication and program coordination skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Education, Community Health Education or Health Science.
• Experience: none; substitutes allowed as described in notes.
• Notes: substitution of military service for education possible on a year-for-year basis.

Responsibilities

• Assist with planning, coordinating, and evaluating community outreach events and health education activities.
• Coordinate outreach event logistics and maintain an outreach calendar.
• Collect participation data, evaluate events, and propose improvements.
• Develop and distribute culturally appropriate health education materials and resources.
• Support SDoH platform implementation and staff training for platform use.

Skills

Public speaking

Written communication

Data management

Microsoft Office

Virtual meeting platforms

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Education

18 credit hours in Public Health Education/Health Science

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Zoom/Teams/WebEx

Job description

This Community Health Educator I position provides support for the Howard County Health Department Bureau of Assessment, Planning and Community Engagement’s (APC) Health Promotion team and Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC). Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, supporting community engagement efforts, developing and delivering health education and outreach activities, coordinating public health programs and trainings, supporting communication with HCHD staff and community partners, and promoting the use of a Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) platform and other HCHD community health initiatives.

This position is eligible for hybrid telework.

POSITION DUTIES

40% Community Events Coordination and Outreach

• Assist with planning, coordinating, and evaluating community outreach events for Health Department participation through community events (such as health fairs), educational workshops/exhibits, presentations and the distribution of health education materials.
• Coordinate outreach event logistics by responding to event requests, communicating with event organizers and program staff, scheduling Health Department participation, preparing outreach materials and supplies (such as tablecloths and canopies), and maintaining a shared outreach/events calendar.
• Conduct post-event activities by collecting participation and evaluation data, maintaining outreach records, and returning event supplies and materials to storage. Support continuous program improvement by suggesting changes based on observation and feedback.
• Represent the Health Department at community events and meetings by providing health education information, fostering collaborative relationships with community organizations and stakeholders, and promoting awareness of available public health programs, services, and resources.

40% Health Education

• 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 about tobacco, chronic disease, and other public health priorities and resources.
• Assist with monitoring program participation, collecting and maintaining program and outcome data, preparing required documentation and reports, and evaluating program effectiveness using established performance measures.
• Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with Health Department bureaus, community organizations, healthcare providers, and Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC) partners to support coordinated health promotion and community outreach efforts.
• Assist in the development, adaptation, and distribution of culturally and linguistically appropriate health education materials and health communication resources that support state and local public health goals and evidence-based practices.

15% Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Resource System Support

• Assist with coordinating implementation and ongoing support of SDoH platform used to facilitate connections to community resources, by serving as the primary point of contact with the vendor, supporting system functionality, facilitating communication, and assisting with implementation activities to promote effective platform use.
• Assist with providing training, technical assistance, and user support to Health Department staff and community partners, including onboarding new users and promoting integration of the SDoH platform into public health programs and workflows.
• Assist with monitoring platform utilization and performance by reviewing system data and reports, identifying trends, and supporting compliance with applicable program policies and procedures.
• Assist with preparing and maintaining program documentation to ensure continuity of SDoH connection services and achievement of program objectives.

5% Other Duties

• Possesses a broad understanding of HCHD services and can refer to other programs;
• Participates in necessary drills and exercises, responds to emergencies as appropriate, keeps abreast of policies and procedures in the program, bureau and department;
• Completes all required trainings;
• Participates in quality improvement efforts within the program.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Public Health Education, Community Health Education or Health Science.

Experience: None.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 18 credit hours in Public Health Education, Community Health Education, Health Science or related behavioral science and one year of experience in planning, developing, implementing and promoting health education projects for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Health Educator and Community Health classifications or Health Educator and Community Health specialty codes in the Public Health field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The desired candidate should possess the following:

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

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland