Foreign Language Interpreter and Scheduler – Watauga County

Apphealthcare; Boone (NC); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

AppHealthCare in North Carolina is seeking a Foreign Language Interpreter and Scheduler to support Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga counties. You will provide medical interpretation for Spanish-speaking clients and perform front-office tasks, translating for appointments, assisting with medical records, and scheduling across a daily EHR workflow.

The role requires high school completion or GED, and fluency in English and the foreign language, with potential to obtain the required interpreter

Qualifications

• Certified Medical Interpreter; willing to obtain certification within one year.
• Working knowledge of the program area, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of the ethics of interpreting.
• Fluency sufficient to meet the needs of the organization and population served.
• Ability to interpret/translate English and the foreign language
• Ability to assess client communication skill level and exercise judgment in services
• Ability to understand and interpret dialects of that language
• Ability to relay style and tone of that language
• Ability to efficiently manage patient scheduling and coordinate appointments
• Knowledge of clinic operations and complex provider schedules to optimize daily workflow

Responsibilities

• Ensure services, communications, and documentation are provided in the client’s native language as mandated by law and guidelines.
• Provide verbal interpretation between staff and clients/parents/caregivers.
• Translate written materials as part of interpretation tasks.
• Assist with patient scheduling and coordination of clinical appointments.
• Interpret test items, program information, or results of evaluations.
• Assist management in monitoring translation/interpreting services quality.
• Help determine, offer, and deliver appropriate services to clients.

Skills

Certified Medical Interpreter

Language fluency

Scheduling coordination

Interpreting ethics

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Electronic Health Records (EHR)

Job description

The Community

AppHealthCare serves the vibrant communities of Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga Counties nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in Northwestern North Carolina. Take a quick look around and witness the many expressions of community pride and southern hospitality – a smile from someone walking downtown, a thriving culinary scene, and plenty of outdoor adventure. We experience the beauty of four seasons from white fluffy snow to colorful fall foliage. There is simply something special about these mountains and quaint small-town feels – come see for yourself!

Caring for Our Community

We are a local public health department and health center focused and committed to improving our communities’ health and well‑being through compassionate, high‑quality care. We have about 120 full/part‑time employees and about 10 contract employees. We are governed by two boards that provide strategic direction and oversight of agency functions. We have received numerous awards and distinctions for the care we provide and have recently achieved accreditation with honors. We are committed to caring for our community and providing excellent customer service.

Salary: $34,608 – $54,780 — Starting salary is determined by education and experience.

Location: Watauga Health Center, 126 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone, NC 28607, with the potential to travel to any district office location as needed.

Hours: Full‑time, typically Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4:45 pm, with the expectation and flexibility to work a rotating schedule to cover the expanded hours shifts from 4 pm – 8 pm at our Ashe Health Center as needed. Potential to work outside normal hours for client needs, special events, or public health emergencies.

Job Summary: This position serves as a Foreign Language Interpreter and Scheduler for our district, including Alleghany, Ashe, and Watauga counties. This position will fill a critical role by providing medical interpretation to Spanish‑speaking clients seeking a variety of services. In addition, the position will be part of a great front office team and will complete a variety of administrative functions for clinical public health services, translation for clinical appointments, assisting with medical records, and scheduling medical appointments for all clients. The successful candidate in this position will also be using an electronic health record daily to manage work tasks.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

The employee will ensure that all services, communications, documentation, etc., associated with a program are provided in the client’s native language as mandated by law, program guidelines, or needs. The employee will provide verbal interpretation of all information shared between staff and clients/parents/caregivers, etc. The work of an interpreter involves translating all written materials, and employees serve as a point of contact for clients. In addition, the employee is responsible for patient scheduling, coordinating clinical appointments, and managing complex provider schedules to optimize clinic flow and ensure efficient daily operations. The employee may coordinate transportation, arrange referrals to local services and resources; interpret test items, programmatic information, or results of evaluations; conduct interviews to obtain program or personal data, and/or assist management in monitoring the accuracy of translating/interpreting services. The employee will assist clients to ensure that appropriate services are determined, offered, received, or given.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Certified Medical Interpreter, and if not obtained prior to employment, willingness to obtain this certification within one year of employment is expected.
• Working knowledge of the program area, regulations, policies, procedures, etc., assigned.
• Considerable knowledge of the ethics of interpreting.
• Skill in fluency sufficient to meet the needs of the organization and the population served.
• Ability to interpret/translate all verbal information and written materials in English and the foreign language.
• Ability to assess the communication skill level of the client and exercise judgment in determining services to be rendered.
• Ability to understand and interpret information in the various dialects of that language.
• Ability to relay the style and tone of that language.
• Ability to efficiently manage patient scheduling and coordinate appointments while balancing direct client communication and interpretation needs.
• Working knowledge of clinic operations, including the ability to manage, organize, and maintain complex provider schedules to optimize daily workflow and patient flow.

Graduation from high school or GED and one year of related experience demonstrating a fluency in English and the foreign language(s) necessary to successfully perform assigned job duties; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

For questions or more information, please contact AppHealthCare Human Resources:
[phone] x1119 | [e-mail] | AppHealthCare.com

AppHealthCare recruits team members who share our values of Integrity, Drive, Resilience, Service, and Community and actively support the overall public health mission of the agency.

AppHealthCare is committed to providing equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, age, veteran’s status, family medical or genetic information, sexual orientation, gender status, pregnancy, gender identity or other non‑merit based factors. All recruitment and selection activities will be administered according to EEO principles, to have a diverse workforce that reflects the population of the communities the District serves.

AppHealthCare is a recovery‑friendly workplace.