Trusted Messenger Specialist

Cdcfoundation; Utah; Hybrid; USD 72,250 - 97,750; Full time

Job summary

The CDC Foundation is seeking a Trusted Messenger Specialist to identify, map, and engage trusted community voices across Utah. This hybrid role focuses on strengthening public health outreach by connecting with credible information sources and diverse populations.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) and at least 3 years in community engagement, with experience in partnership development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in community engagement, outreach, organizing, or public health-related work.
• Experience with state/local health departments, nonprofits, or grassroots organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in partnership development and stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with Utah’s cultural, geographic, and community landscape; rural, urban, and diverse populations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to summarize data and present findings.

Responsibilities

• Identify formal and informal nodes of influence (faith leaders, grassroots organizers, local business owners, digital moderators).
• Coordinate with Local Health Department leaders to vet community partners.
• Create a dynamic database mapping messengers by expertise, audience, geography, and influence.
• Audit existing community connections and document relationships within the mapping framework.
• Identify gaps and initiate targeted outreach to connect partners with local health departments.
• Conduct interviews, listening sessions, and focus groups to validate trusted sources.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Cultural competency

Strategic thinking

Written and verbal communication

Data synthesis & presentation

Stakeholder engagement

Public health outreach

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Sociology, Communications, or related field

Master’s degree preferred (MPH, MSW, or related field)

Tools

ABC D framework familiarity

Mapping tools

Databases

Job description

Position Title: Trusted Messenger Specialist

Location: Hybrid (Utah – frequent in-state travel)

Position End Date: 12/31/26

Salary: $85,000 plus benefits

Overview

The CDC Foundation is seeking a Trusted Messenger Specialist who will lead strategic efforts to identify, map, and engage trusted community voices across Utah. This role focuses on strengthening public health outreach by connecting with individuals and organizations that communities rely on for credible information, ensuring effective communication across diverse populations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Sociology, Communications, Community Development, Anthropology, or a related field required; Master’s degree (MPH, MSW, or related field) preferred
• Minimum 3 years of experience in community engagement, outreach, organizing, or public health-related work
• Experience working with state or local health departments, nonprofits, or grassroots organizations
• Demonstrated experience in partnership development, stakeholder engagement, and community relationship management
• Familiarity with Utah’s cultural, geographic, and community landscape, including rural, urban, and diverse populations
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and rapport across diverse groups
• Demonstrated cultural competency and ability to work effectively in varied community settings
• Strategic thinker with the ability to identify networks of influence and community connectors
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience summarizing data and presenting findings
• Ability to analyze and synthesize both qualitative and quantitative information into actionable insights
• Experience using mapping tools, databases, or community asset frameworks (e.g., Asset-Based Community Development – ABCD)

Responsibilities

• Conduct deep-dive research to identify formal and informal nodes of influence, including faith leaders, grassroots organizers, local business owners, and digital community moderators.
• Coordinate with Local Health Department leaders to proactively identify and vet potential community partners that can bridge gaps between our organization and populations.
• Create a comprehensive database that maps and organizes local, regional, and sector-specific trusted messengers. This includes a dynamic, searchable database of messengers by expertise, audience, geography, and influence for tailored outreach.
• Conduct an audit of existing community connections across local health departments, documenting and formalizing these relationships within the mapping framework to ensure accurate tracking and alignment.
• Identify gaps where trusted messengers are not yet established and initiate targeted outreach only when needed, ensuring all partners both new and existing are appropriately connected with their respective local health departments.
• Conduct interviews, listening sessions, and focus groups to validate trusted sources of information within communities.

Special Notes

This role is involved in a dynamic public health program. As such, roles and responsibilities are subject to change as situations evolve. Roles and responsibilities listed above may be expanded upon or updated to match priorities and needs, once written approval is received by both the CDC Foundation and Utah Department of Health and Human Services in order to best support the State of Utah in their public health programming.

This position requires the operation of a motor vehicle as a component of the job responsibilities and duties. In adherence with CDC Foundation’s Driver Safety Motor Vehicle Policy (“Policy”), offers for employment for this position require the Applicant to provide authorization to the CDC Foundation to conduct a Motor Vehicle Record (“MVR”) review both pre-employment and also annually post-employment while in this position. Additionally, if an offer of employment is accepted, employees in these positions must possess and maintain a valid driver's license in their state of residence, self-report motor vehicle violations/convictions, and provide proof of acceptable insurance coverage with mandatory minimum coverages as set forth within the Driver Safety Motor Vehicle policy. All offers of employment and continued employment for this position are contingent upon meeting all minimum qualifications of this Policy.

This position is currently a Hybrid position. CDC Foundation retains the right to make adjustments to this as required.

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law. We comply with all applicable laws including E.O. 11246 and the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 governing employment practices and do not discriminate on the basis of any unlawful criteria in accordance with 41 C.F.R. §§ 60-300.5(a)(12) and 60-741.5(a)(7). As a federal government contractor, we take affirmative action on behalf of protected veterans.

The CDC Foundation is a smoke-free environment.

Relocation expenses are not included.

About the CDC Foundation

The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC’s critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has raised over $1.2 billion and launched more than 1,200 programs impacting a variety of health threats from chronic disease conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancer, to infectious diseases like rotavirus and HIV, to emergency responses, including COVID-19 and Ebola. The CDC Foundation managed hundreds of programs in the United States and in more than 140 countries last year. Learn more at www.cdcfoundation.org.