Public Health Program Director

Client: State of Tennessee

Job Title: Public Health Program Director

Duration: 6+ Months

Working Hours: 37.5 Hours Per Week

Start Date: ASAP

Position Type: Contract

Location: Nashville, TN 37243 (Hybrid)

Hours per week: 37.5 Hrs a week

Interview Type: Webcam/In person

Department: Tennessee Department of Health

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), Division of Family Health and Wellness (FHW) is accepting applications for an experienced contract strategic planning consultant to lead the development of a comprehensive Child Health Strategic Plan. The contractor will guide a collaborative planning process, engage diverse stakeholders, assess current child health needs, and produce a clear, actionable multiyear roadmap that advances child health outcomes across the state. This contractor will drive the full planning process, from landscape assessment through final plan delivery, working closely with internal leaders, external partners, and community stakeholders. The ideal candidate brings expertise in child health, strong strategic planning skills, and the ability to translate complex data and diverse perspectives into a clear, actionable roadmap.

Location: Hybrid with in-person meetings as needed; some in-state travel required; Tennessee residency preferred

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the full strategic planning process for child health initiatives.
• Conduct a comprehensive review and crosswalk of child health priorities published from local, state, and national entities, including the TN Title V Block Grant, American Academy of Pediatrics, Zero-to-Three, etc., and gather TN specific data points for child health metrics.
• Engage and survey parent/family representatives, community based organizations, service providers and other stakeholders, through listening sessions, focus groups, and presentations of crosswalked priorities and data.
• Identify strategic priorities, measurable objectives, and implementation pathways.
• Develop a comprehensive multi-year Child Health Strategic plan based upon identified priorities, complete with clear goals, objectives and multi-year strategies, that will improve indicators of children's health and well-being in Tennessee.
• Create an implementation roadmap outlining timelines, resource needs, partnerships, and evaluation metrics.
• Draft the full strategic plan, including narrative, data visualizations, recommendations, and implementation considerations.
• Present findings, drafts, and final deliverables to leadership and relevant stakeholders.

Minimum Requirements:

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) full-time increasingly responsible professional health program work including, at least, two years of full-time supervisory work or statewide program oversite. 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.

Required Qualifications:

• Proven experience (5+ years preferred) in strategic planning, public health program development, or health systems planning.

• Background in child health, maternal child health, community health, or related fields.

• Strong facilitation skills and experience engaging diverse stakeholders.

• Ability to synthesize complex data into actionable insights.

• Excellent written communication skills, including development of strategic or planning documents.

• Strong project management skills with the ability to work independently and meet deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in public health, health policy, child development, social work, or a related field.
• Experience working with state public health agencies.
• Familiarity with Tennessee child health systems or similar integrated health social service environments.
• Experience with data-driven planning methods, and designing implementation or evaluation frameworks.
• Knowledge of policy levers affecting child health at local, state, and federal levels.