Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Health Program Representative

🎯 Role Definition

A Health Program Representative is a front-line public health professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and continuously improving community and clinic-based health programs. This role combines case management, community outreach, partner coordination, data collection and reporting, compliance oversight, and health education to ensure program objectives are met, services are accessible, and outcomes are measurable. The ideal candidate balances client-facing work with program administration, uses data to inform decisions, and strengthens partnerships with community organizations and healthcare providers.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Community Health Worker / Outreach Worker
Program Assistant or Program Support Specialist
Public Health Intern or Health Educator Trainee

Advancement To:

Health Program Coordinator / Program Manager
Senior Health Program Specialist or Population Health Manager
Clinical Program Manager, Grants Manager, or Public Health Policy Analyst

Lateral Moves:

Outreach or Enrollment Coordinator
Case Management Supervisor
Quality Improvement or Data Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead day-to-day implementation of assigned health programs (e.g., maternal-child health, immunizations, chronic disease management, behavioral health initiatives), ensuring services align with program goals, funding requirements, and community needs.
Conduct client intake, eligibility screening, and detailed needs assessments; develop individualized service plans and document progress in the electronic health record or program database.
Provide case management and care coordination for program participants, including scheduling appointments, arranging transportation, coordinating referrals, and following up to confirm service receipt and outcomes.
Deliver culturally competent health education and counseling to individuals and groups on prevention, treatment adherence, healthy behaviors, and community resources; adapt materials and delivery methods for varying literacy and language needs.
Establish and manage partnerships with community-based organizations, clinics, schools, and social service agencies to expand referral networks and create seamless client pathways.
Monitor program indicators and key performance metrics (e.g., enrollment, retention, outcome measures); prepare routine dashboards, trend analyses, and interpretation for program leads and funders.
Ensure program documentation and client records are accurate, complete, and compliant with confidentiality, HIPAA, and organizational policies.
Track and report program activities and outcomes to internal management and external funders; prepare narrative reports, data tables, and evidence to support grant deliverables and compliance audits.
Coordinate logistics for outreach events, screening clinics, workshops, and community meetings, including site selection, staffing, supplies, and outreach promotion.
Train and supervise volunteers, community health workers, and temporary staff; develop training materials, conduct orientations, and monitor performance to maintain program quality.
Participate in quality improvement (QI) activities, including root-cause analyses, PDSA cycles, and implementation of process improvements to increase access, reduce no-shows, or improve health outcomes.
Assist with grant and contract administration tasks such as maintaining deliverable timelines, documenting expenditures, and supporting budget monitoring in coordination with finance teams.
Perform routine surveillance, outreach follow-up, and contact tracing as required for communicable disease programs; document findings and escalate according to protocol.
Respond to client and community inquiries, complaints, and service coordination requests; resolve issues promptly and escalate complex cases to supervisors or clinical leads when needed.
Use programmatic data to identify barriers to care (e.g., social determinants of health) and coordinate referrals to housing, food, transportation, or legal aid services.
Support policy and protocol development by providing field-level feedback on client interactions, data trends, and operational challenges; contribute to standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Maintain inventory of program supplies, educational materials, testing kits, and PPE; coordinate reordering and supply distribution to field teams and partner sites.
Facilitate regular stakeholder meetings and case conferences; prepare agendas, capture minutes, and follow up on action items to maintain collaborative momentum.
Support billing, claims coordination, and documentation needed for reimbursement where applicable (e.g., Medicaid enrollments, charge capture), ensuring accurate coding and recordkeeping.
Conduct outreach and recruitment activities to enroll participants and maintain program caseload targets; use targeted outreach strategies and community events to reach priority populations.
Develop and adapt outreach materials, social media content, and multilingual resources in collaboration with communications staff to maximize program visibility and engagement.
Participate in drills, preparedness planning, and emergency response activities related to public health threats, ensuring program continuity and rapid community support.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and conduct programmatic analyses to inform short-term planning and improvement initiatives.
Collaborate with data analysts and IT teams to translate program needs into data collection tools, dashboards, and reporting requirements.
Assist with grant writing and proposal preparation by compiling program data, success stories, and budget inputs.
Participate in cross-functional planning meetings, stakeholder consultations, and outreach strategy sessions to align program activities with organizational priorities.
Contribute to training curricula, knowledge-management repositories, and field guides to standardize practice across teams.
Help coordinate evaluations and external audits by preparing requested documentation and supporting site visits.
Act as a liaison to translating community feedback into program adjustments, ensuring interventions are client-centered and equitable.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Case management and care coordination (intake, assessment, service planning, follow-up)
Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems and program database use (e.g., Epic, Athena, CAREWare, Salesforce Health Cloud)
Data collection, basic analysis and reporting (Excel advanced functions, pivot tables, basic SQL or Google Sheets)
Program monitoring and evaluation (logic models, KPIs, dashboard creation, performance reporting)
Knowledge of HIPAA, confidentiality laws, and public health compliance standards
Grant deliverables management and familiarity with federal/state funding requirements and reporting cycles
Community outreach strategies and health education material development, including plain-language and multilingual content
Familiarity with social determinants of health screening tools and referral platforms (e.g., 2-1-1, Unite Us)
Basic budgeting and expense tracking for program activities
Experience with quality improvement methodologies (PDSA, Lean, Six Sigma basics)
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and virtual meeting platforms (Zoom, Teams)
Optional but valuable: familiarity with Medicaid/Medicare billing processes and coding basics

Soft Skills

Exceptional verbal and written communication tailored to diverse audiences
Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
Cultural humility, equity-minded service delivery, and language sensitivity
Problem-solving orientation and ability to triage competing priorities
High attention to detail and strong organizational/time-management skills
Empathy and client-centered approach to service delivery
Team collaboration and ability to coordinate with multidisciplinary partners
Adaptability and comfort working in dynamic, resource-constrained environments
Professional discretion and commitment to confidentiality
Initiative and accountability for meeting targets and improving processes

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree in Public Health, Human Services, Nursing, Social Work, Health Administration, or related field OR equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience (often 2+ years).

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Community Health, Nursing, Social Work, Health Policy, or Health Administration.
Relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Health Education Specialist — CHES, case management certifications) and language proficiency are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Public Health
Nursing
Social Work
Health Administration
Community Health Education
Behavioral Health

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–5 years of progressively responsible experience in public health programs, community outreach, clinic operations, or case management.

Preferred:

3+ years in program delivery, case management, or public health outreach with demonstrated success in hitting enrollment/retention/outcome goals; experience with federally or state-funded programs, grant reporting, and multi-stakeholder coordination preferred.