Community Health Specialist

Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians

SUMMARY: 

This position is a grant funded position that addresses Native American health disparities.  Determines, develops, coordinates, and administers culturally sensitive health promotion-disease prevention strategies for Native American individuals and groups living across the service area. Responsible for implementing specific programs, policy, systems, and environmental strategies, as defined by specific grant goals and objectives. Position will only be staffed as grant funds are available. Provides excellent customer service and represents LTBB Health Department in a professional and positive manner.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Provides excellent customer service to clients, vendors and fellow employees.  Represents the LTBB Health Department in a professional and positive manner.
• Recognizes and is sensitive to the cultural dimension inherent in the practice of health education in Native American communities.  Must be culturally competent and meet the health literacy and linguistic needs of target populations.
• Provide positive role modeling for community members that support healthy lifestyles. 
• Responsible for coordinating grant project activities, including completing project work-plan, participating in required meetings/conference calls, and completing all evaluation reporting, and dissemination requirements.
• Encourage active participation of the community in project activities and decisions, through regular meetings and other proactive methods of communication.
• Actively oversee all grant work plan activities during their planning, development, implementation and evaluation phases.
• Track performance in relationship to the achievement of short-term and intermediate outcomes and budgetary expenditures.  Seek technical assistance from grant funders, such as Project Partners at the State, HHS agencies and the Project Officer at the ITCM.
• Participate in all required evaluation and media components of the grant work plan to address the needs of the Little Traverse Bay Bands community.
• Identify and implement best practice policy, systems, and environmental strategies proven to prevent and control cardiovascular disease including the risk factors of poor nutrition, physical inactivity, commercial tobacco abuse, and lack of community-clinical linkages.
• Must be able to employ effective public health strategies such as changes to the social and physical environments; health promotion, public education and information; media and other communication strategies; technological advances; system improvements; provider education and medical office-based improvement strategies.
• Fulfill quarterly reporting requirements to the Health Director in a timely manner.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:   Bachelor’s degree in Health Education or Business or a related discipline with at least one year of experience implementing health education programs required.  Knowledge and experience in grant management preferred. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:  Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook or other email system, and have the skills necessary to work with electronic reporting.  Must have excellent program management, interpersonal, and communication skills. Must be able to work without direct supervision. Utilizes and incorporates professional standards of practice criteria and guidelines into program development, implementation, and evaluation. Must be able to function autonomously and contribute to the overall direction and success of the program. Must maintain strict client confidentiality protocol as defined by program policy. Responsible for knowledge and adherence to Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Mina Mskiki Gumik Health Policies.Must have integrity; always doing the right thing.  Must have team building skills. Ability to manage change and handle stressful situations with finesse and professionalism.      

COMMENTS Indian preference will apply.  Candidates must pass a comprehensive background investigation.  Individual must take a TB test and get annual influenza vaccination due to working in a healthcare environment. Must have valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and be insurable.