Public Health Program Director

One of our clients in the government domain is seeking a Public Health Program Director to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for Tennessee’s Healthcare Resiliency Program, a statewide capital investment initiative supported by a five-year- federal award through the Rural Health Transformation Program. The Rural Health Transformation Program represents a historic investment in Tennessee’s rural communities. By strengthening infrastructure, expanding access, modernizing technology, and supporting workforce development, Tennessee is working to ensure that rural residents have access to high-quality, sustainable healthcare close to home. In this role, the Administrator will manage program planning, implementation, evaluation, and stakeholder engagement to ensure successful rollout of the Healthcare Resiliency Program. Responsibilities include coordinating with clinical partners, health systems, technology vendors, and rural providers, overseeing program performance, data reporting, and compliance with state and federal grant requirements. The ideal candidate will bring strong project management experience, knowledge of clinical workflows and health technology, and the ability to build collaborative relationships across diverse sectors. This position plays a key role in driving innovation in rural health delivery and improving access to care.

Public Health Program Director

Hybrid

710 James Robertson Parkway 6th Floor Andrew Johnson Tower Nashville, Tennessee 37243

10 Months

  Duties/Responsibilities:

• Lead statewide strategy for rolling out the competitive opportunity for the healthcare resiliency program to expand access to care in rural and underserved communities.
• Set program goals, KPIs, and success metrics
• Develop sustainability pathways beyond the 5year grant (e.g., reimbursement strategies, payer engagement, value-based- care alignment, legislative support).
• Manage federal grant requirements under the Rural Health Transformation Program, including work plans, performance reports, and compliance deliverables.
• Oversee budgeting and fiscal stewardship, ensuring timely procurement, contract administration, and audit readiness.
• Maintain regulatory compliance (HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 as applicable, state privacy/security requirements, and federal reporting standards).
• Provide hands-on technical assistance to rural providers.
• Produce quarterly and annual reports for federal funders and leadership, translating analytics into actionable recommendations.
• Conduct program evaluations (process, outcome, and cost-avoidance analyses) and disseminate findings to stakeholders.
• Develop and execute communications plans (provider outreach, rural community education, success stories, dashboards).
• Present program updates to executive leadership, boards, legislative bodies, and community forums.

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to lead complex, multi-year public health programs with clear vision and strategic direction.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, prioritization, and milestone tracking.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex information for diverse audiences.
• Strong facilitation and consensus-building abilities across health systems, rural clinics, community partners, and government agencies.
• Ability to lead stakeholder engagement efforts and maintain positive, trust-based relationships.
• Skilled in presenting program outcomes, policy updates, and strategic recommendations to leadership and external partners.
• Understanding of public health systems, primary care, workflows, and rural healthcare delivery.
• Knowledge of telehealth, care coordination models, and technology-enabled clinical services.
• Familiarity with interoperability standards (e.g., FHIR, HL7), EHR functionality, and health information exchange.
• Strong customer service orientation for supporting clinicians and rural providers.
• Ability to manage sensitive situations with diplomacy and professionalism.
• Commitment to equity, access, and improving health outcomes for underserved communities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree and experience equivalent to substantial (five or more years) of increasingly responsible professional health program work, including at least two years of full-time supervisory work or statewide program oversight. Substitution of Education for Experience: Additional graduate coursework in a business or health-related field may be substituted, on a year-for-year basis, for one year of the required nonsupervisory experience. Substitution of Experience for Education: Additional qualifying professional experience may be substituted for the required education, on a year-for-year basis, to a maximum of four years .