Health Promotion Specialist, Coaching & Programs

Unit: Student Affairs (Vice Provost) MBU

Department: Student Health

Department Summary: RecWell provides a broad range of programs and services that support the well-being of our VCU community, including group exercise, outdoor adventure, intramural sports, personal training, aquatics, employment opportunities, and much more. RecWell educates and provides outreach on health topics that impact student well-being, including publication of the popular Stall Seat Journal.

Duties & Responsibilities

The VCU Recreation and Well-Being (RecWell) Health Promotion Specialist, Coaching and Programs is responsible for the health promotion program areas that align with the mission of RecWell, which is to advance student success by empowering the VCU community to prioritize well-being, connect with others, and learn through play. The Health Promotion Specialist, Coaching and Programs collaborates with the Health Promotion team, DSA’s Health Communications Specialist and other RecWell team members to develop, implement, and evaluate health promotion programs, events, and services for a diverse student body of 30,000 across two main campuses. The Health Promotion Specialist, Coaching and Programs is responsible for leading programmatic initiatives on topics such as sexual and mental health, nutrition, alcohol and other drugs, and other health and well-being topics most impacting students’ success. Programs include, but are not limited to, well-being coaching, teaching well-being coursework, implementing health promotion campaigns, and facilitating health promotion events and opportunities. This position directly reports to the Assistant Director for Health Promotion. This role facilitates strategic partnerships across the university that advance students’ ability to increase or sustain healthier lives.

Responsibilities Include

Personnel Management (30%)

• Facilitate the hiring, supervision, and mentorship to develop undergraduate and graduate students into more effective, healthful leaders and team members in all aspects of their lives.
• Facilitate ongoing training with student supervisees to remain at the forefront of university
  
  

initiatives and emerging health trends.

• Effectively prepare university students and RecWell student employees to identify risks and make critically sound decisions that uphold the department’s shared values.
• Provide ongoing professional development opportunities for students to increase levels of
  
  

responsibility, develop new skills, and advance as professionals.

• Provide consistent training to the well-being coaching program’s student staff using a
  
  

motivational interviewing theoretical model, and evidence-based health promotion research.

• Attend all meetings, coursework, membership, and recruitment, ensuring the group complies with departmental and University policies, and goals.
• Create employee training materials and operating manuals, and revise them annually.
• Effectively communicate department, Division, and University mission, vision, values and goals to staff, with special attention to areas regarding health promotion and well-being.
• Ensure consistent and quality service standards are met.
• Ensure compliance with all departmental and University guidelines and procedures.
• Regularly monitor staff time and verify payroll.
  
  

Program Management (40%)

• Lead ongoing planning, implementation, and evaluation of inclusive, accessible, and welcoming health promotion and coaching programs, minimizing risk while focusing on fun, educational and positive experiences for participants.
• Participate in the development of department and program area-specific strategic plans, goals, and measurable outcomes to guide and evaluate all programming activities.
• Work with Health Promotion and other RecWell staff to assess and report strategic outcomes.
• Facilitate collaboration with key stakeholders on- and off-campus to develop a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to well-being that addresses key issues, such as belonging and connectedness.
• Work with key stakeholders to integrate health promotion into academic and other learning
  
  

environments, potentially instructing courses in partnership with academic departments.

• Work through the established channels to engage in dynamic and purposeful marketing and
  
  

promotion of emergent health issues through the collaborative development of digital, print,

social, and other media.

• Plan and attend university and health promotion events, conferences, and professional networks to develop relationships with campus and community partners that inform collaborative
  
  

programming for the university.

• Work with others to develop innovative models that remove barriers to student engagement while ensuring the long-term sustainability, and scalability of the health promotion and the well-being coaching program.
• Advocate for the most effective policies and programs in specific program area(s).
  
  

Administration (30%)

• Ensure health promotion student employees complete all appropriate forms and documents to
  
  

maintain consistency with university guidelines.

• Provide responsible and ethical management of resources within designated program area(s),
  
  

including developing, managing, and reconciling program budgets.

• Create, revise, and implement standard operating procedures for supervisees.
• Ensure compliance with departmental and program area risk management plans that includes staff training, certification requirements, program management, regular audits, emergency action plans, and appropriate documentation.
• Create process flows for well-being coaching that includes scaling the program, advertisement, and appointment offerings
• Actively contribute to shared knowledge in this growing field by participating in professional
  
  

organizations.

• Participate in Division, University-wide, and community events and committees as needed.
• Assist with daily operations of the department as needed.
• Serve as part of the onsite/on-call team, providing regular evening and weekend supervisory
  
  

support.

• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in public health, college student affairs, counseling, health promotion, higher
  
  

education, or a related field or relevant professional experience.

• At least two (2) years of experience related to health promotion or working in a student affairs
  
  

setting.

• Ability to collaborate with others in a fluid and complex environment.
• Availability to work some evenings and weekends.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, interpersonal skills, and ability to work collaboratively.
• Experience using motivational interviewing or evidence-based techniques to support individual behavior change.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
• Demonstrated experience conducting health education or student programming in a variety of modalities such as in-person, hybrid, and virtual settings.
• Demonstrated knowledge of evidence-informed health promotion and student development models.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with ACHA standards of practices and the demonstrated ability to incorporate them into this role.
• Familiarity with social marketing and health communications strategies, including using a social norms approach.
• Experience facilitating health education on mental health, sexual health, alcohol and other drug issues, and physical health/nutrition.
• Experience with NIAAA College AIM, 360Proof, and/or other frameworks to assess and address student alcohol consumption
• Assessment and research skills (e.g., research design, survey development, environmental assessment, focus group design and facilitation, data analysis and interpretation, etc.).
• Experience using Fusion software system, IMPACT, Canvas, Mentimeter, and Articulate 360.
• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) or related certification.
• American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor certification.
  
  

Salary Range: $48,000-$52,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

University Job Title: 21231Y - Health Educator HS 1

Contact Information

Contact Name: Mia Liadis

Contact Email: liadisa@vcu.edu