Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wellness Director

🎯 Role Definition

The Wellness Director leads strategy, design, implementation and measurement of comprehensive workplace wellness and population health programs. This senior role partners with HR, benefits, clinical vendors, and executive leadership to increase employee engagement, reduce health risk, manage chronic conditions, and deliver measurable ROI through evidence-based prevention, health promotion, and well-being initiatives. The Wellness Director is responsible for program vision, vendor management, analytics, budget oversight, policy alignment, and cross-functional communication to create a culture of health across the organization.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Wellness Program Manager or Wellness Coordinator
Benefits Manager or Employee Health Nurse
Health Promotion Specialist or Population Health Analyst

Advancement To:

Director of Total Rewards or Director of Employee Experience
Head of Population Health or VP/Head of Corporate Health & Well-being
Chief Health Officer / Chief Wellness Officer

Lateral Moves:

Benefits Strategy Lead
Population Health Program Lead
Employee Engagement or DEI Program Director

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute a strategic, multi-year corporate wellness roadmap that aligns with organizational goals, improves employee well-being, and demonstrates measurable health outcomes and financial return on investment (ROI).
Design, pilot, and scale evidence-based wellness programs (e.g., lifestyle coaching, chronic disease management, mental health programs, tobacco cessation, nutrition and fitness challenges) using behavioral science principles to drive sustainable behavior change.
Oversee annual wellness program planning, including target-setting, objectives and key results (OKRs), timelines, resource allocation, and cross-functional stakeholder sign-off.
Manage vendor selection, contracting, performance metrics and relationships for health vendors (health coaching, EAP, biometric screening, digital wellness platforms, fitness partners, occupational health providers) including SLA negotiation and compliance monitoring.
Lead health needs assessments and population health analyses using health claims, HRA (Health Risk Assessment), biometric screening, and utilization data to identify high-impact interventions and prioritize program investments.
Build and maintain a robust measurement framework—define KPIs, collect and analyze engagement and outcome data, report on ROI, total cost of care impacts, absenteeism, presenteeism, and productivity improvements to leadership.
Oversee program budgets, procurement, vendor invoices, and financial reporting to ensure cost-effective delivery and alignment with organizational financial targets.
Drive employee engagement, communications and marketing for wellness programs: create annual communication plans, content calendars, campaigns, and targeted outreach to improve participation and retention.
Integrate wellness initiatives with benefits strategy (e.g., health plan design, incentives, HSA/HRA integration) and collaborate with Benefits and Finance teams to ensure seamless employee experiences.
Ensure program compliance with relevant regulations and privacy standards (HIPAA, ADA, GINA) and partner with Legal and Compliance to maintain appropriate data governance and consent processes.
Lead, coach and grow a multidisciplinary wellness team, including program managers, health coaches, communications specialists and data analysts; set performance goals and provide professional development.
Establish and maintain cross-functional partnerships with HR, Occupational Health, Safety, Facilities, Diversity & Inclusion and leadership to embed well-being into workplace culture and organizational practices.
Oversee onsite and virtual wellness activities (screenings, seminars, fitness classes, flu clinics) including logistics, vendor coordination, and employee safety protocols.
Design and implement targeted interventions for high-risk populations (e.g., diabetes prevention, musculoskeletal health, mental health) and coordinate with clinical care management to ensure continuity of care.
Create and manage incentive programs and rewards systems (financial and non-financial) to motivate participation while ensuring fairness and regulatory compliance.
Lead crisis and incident response related to employee health (pandemic planning, workplace exposures, behavioral health emergencies) and develop contingency plans in collaboration with Occupational Health and Safety.
Curate and maintain a catalog of wellness resources and an internally branded wellness portal or platform to centralize access to programs, content, coaching and measurement dashboards.
Conduct qualitative and quantitative program evaluations, including surveys, focus groups, and A/B testing, to iterate on programming and improve engagement and outcomes.
Present quarterly and annual program performance summaries, strategic recommendations and business cases to executive leadership and stakeholders to secure ongoing investment.
Champion equity and inclusion in wellness programming by designing culturally competent, accessible, and inclusive offerings that serve diverse employee populations and address social determinants of health.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc wellness analytics requests and produce dashboards for HR leadership, benefits teams and business unit leaders to inform decision-making.
Coordinate vendor onboarding, integration of wellness platforms with HRIS/Benefits systems, and ensure single sign-on (SSO) and data flow integrity.
Manage internal wellness events, vendor fairs and health screenings with logistics, volunteer coordination and claims reconciliation.
Maintain vendor scorecards and conduct quarterly reviews to measure engagement, outcomes and contract performance.
Advise on workplace design and facilities programs (standing desks, active workspaces, lactation rooms) to support physical health and ergonomic safety.
Develop manager training and toolkits that enable people leaders to support team well-being, manage mental health conversations, and reduce stigma.
Lead pilots for new digital health technologies or mobile apps and evaluate adoption, usability and clinical impact before wider roll-out.
Support open enrollment and benefits education with wellness-related messaging that clarifies how programs interact with medical plan design and wellness incentives.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of wellness industry best practices, emerging research and regulatory changes and incorporate insights into program improvements.
Facilitate cross-site or global rollouts, adapting programs for international compliance, cultural relevance and regional health needs.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Program design and management of workplace wellness and population health initiatives, including chronic disease management and prevention programs.
Health analytics: ability to analyze claims, HRA, biometric and utilization data to identify trends, build cohorts, and measure program outcomes (experience with Excel, Tableau, Power BI or similar).
Vendor management: RFP development, contract negotiation, SLA monitoring and vendor performance measurement for health vendors and digital wellness platforms.
Health risk assessments (HRA) and biometric screening program administration and interpretation.
Budget development and financial stewardship for wellness programs, including ROI modeling and cost-benefit analyses.
Familiarity with HIPAA, ADA, GINA and other regulatory frameworks governing employee health data and privacy.
Experience integrating wellness tools with HRIS, benefits platforms, EHRs or wellness portals (API, SSO concepts, vendor integrations).
Clinical program knowledge such as diabetes prevention (DPP), tobacco cessation, mental health services, and lifestyle medicine evidence-based interventions.
Measurement and evaluation skills: KPI definition, statistical basics, cohort analysis and preparing executive-level dashboards and reports.
Proficiency with communications platforms, learning management systems (LMS), email marketing tools, and event management systems to drive engagement.

Soft Skills

Strategic thinking with the ability to translate data and insights into actionable program roadmaps and business cases.
Strong leadership and team development skills; experience managing multidisciplinary teams and external vendors.
Excellent written and verbal communication; able to craft compelling program narratives and executive presentations.
Stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to influence senior leaders.
Change management and program adoption expertise to move employees from awareness to sustained behavior change.
Cultural competency and emotional intelligence to design inclusive programs and work with diverse populations.
Problem-solving mindset and agility to iterate programs based on real-world feedback and evolving organizational needs.
High level of confidentiality and ethical judgment in handling sensitive health information.
Customer-service orientation with a focus on employee experience and engagement.
Coaching and counseling skills to oversee health coaching programs or supervise clinical staff.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Health Promotion, Nursing, Kinesiology, Human Resources, Business, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree (MPH, MHA, MBA) or relevant certification (Certified Wellness Program Manager, Certified Health Education Specialist, NCHEC, or similar).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Public Health
Health Promotion / Health Education
Nursing or Allied Health
Kinesiology / Exercise Science
Behavioral Science / Psychology
Business Administration / Human Resources

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10+ years of progressive experience in corporate wellness, employee health, population health management or benefits with demonstrated leadership responsibilities.

Preferred:

7+ years managing wellness programs, including vendor oversight, budget responsibility and analytics.
Proven track record of driving engagement and demonstrating measurable health and financial outcomes.
Experience working in large, multi-site or global organizations and integrating wellness with benefits and total rewards strategies.