Community Health Director

Make a Difference in Community Health—One Connection at a Time!

Are you passionate about helping people live healthier, more connected lives? Do you enjoy building partnerships, developing innovative programs, and inspiring others to make lasting lifestyle changes? If so, the Whatcom Family Y is looking for aCommunity Health Director to help strengthen the health and well-being of our community!

At the Y, we believe healthy living is about more than physical fitness. It's about creating opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to thrive. From helping older adults stay active and independent to supporting individuals managing chronic health conditions, our Healthy Living programs make a meaningful difference every day.

As our Community Health Director, you'll lead programs that empower individuals to take charge of their health, build strong relationships with healthcare providers and community organizations, and expand access to wellness opportunities throughout Whatcom County.

What You'll Do

Lead Programs That Change Lives

• Oversee and grow community health programs focused on active aging, chronic disease prevention and management, and healthy behavior change.
• Develop and evaluate evidence-based programs that help participants achieve meaningful, lasting health improvements.
• Identify new opportunities to address community health needs and make healthy living more accessible.

Build Community Connections

• Develop strong partnerships with healthcare providers, employers, senior-serving organizations, and community partners.
• Lead corporate wellness initiatives that support healthier workplaces through programs, education, and wellness events.
• Represent the Y at community health fairs, workshops, screenings, and outreach events.

Inspire and Support a Great Team

• Recruit, train, coach, and develop staff and volunteers who share your passion for community health.
• Foster a welcoming, collaborative environment where staff and participants feel supported and valued.
• Collaborate with our group exercise, personal training, and Wellness Center teams to create a connected and positive experience for Y members.

Drive Growth and Impact

• Manage program budgets, resources, and schedules to support quality and sustainability.
• Track participation, outcomes, and community impact to continuously improve programs.
• Collaborate across Y departments to connect members and community participants with programs that meet their needs.
• Support grant-funded initiatives, fundraising efforts, and partnerships that expand the Y's impact.

What You Bring

We're looking for a collaborative, relationship-focused leader who is excited about improving community health and creating opportunities for everyone to thrive.

Our ideal candidate brings:

• Experience in community health, health promotion, wellness programming, public health, or a related field.
• Strong leadership skills with experience supervising, coaching, and developing staff.
• Knowledge of chronic disease prevention, behavior change, active aging, and evidence-based health programs.
• A passion for building community partnerships and connecting people with resources.
• Experience with program development, budgeting, and evaluating program outcomes.
• Excellent communication, organization, and relationship-building skills.
• A commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and reducing barriers to healthy living.

Experience working with healthcare organizations, corporate wellness programs, or community-based nonprofits is a plus!

Why Join the Y?

At the Whatcom Family Y, your work is more than a job—it's an opportunity to strengthen our community.

You'll have the chance to:

• Make a lasting impact by helping individuals and families improve their health and quality of life.
• Build meaningful partnerships with organizations and leaders throughout Whatcom County.
• Lead with purpose as part of a mission-driven organization that values connection, belonging, and community.
• Bring your ideas to life by developing programs and initiatives that respond to evolving community needs.
• Be part of something bigger by joining a team committed to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

Our Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

At the Y, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive environment where people of all backgrounds, identities, ages, and abilities feel valued and supported. Our work focuses on removing barriers, reducing health disparities, and building a stronger, healthier community for all.

Ready to Help Our Community Thrive?

If you're an enthusiastic leader who loves connecting people, building partnerships, and creating opportunities for healthier lives, we'd love to meet you!

Apply today and help us strengthen the health and well-being of Whatcom County—one person, one program, and one partnership at a time!

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in community health, health promotion, wellness, chronic disease prevention, behavior change, or a related field, with demonstrated program leadership experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Health Promotion, Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Community Health, Recreation, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and experience will be considered.
• Two years or more of supervisory or team leadership experience, including paid staff and/or volunteers.
• Experience facilitating or supporting behavior change, health coaching, chronic disease prevention or management, or other evidence-based health programs strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective community partnerships and work collaboratively with health care providers, employers, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other community stakeholders.
• Ability to use program data, participant feedback, and health outcomes to evaluate effectiveness, communicate impact, and guide program improvement.
• Working knowledge of fitness and wellness services, including group exercise, personal training, small group training, and wellness center operations.
• Strong communication, facilitation, relationship-building, and organizational skills; ability to communicate effectively with participants, staff, partners, and community audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, partnerships, and program priorities effectively while maintaining a high level of follow-through.
• Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community, with a commitment to health equity, inclusion, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee needs sufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions, demonstrate or support program activities as appropriate, and safely work in a variety of YMCA and community settings.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• The employee frequently is required to sit and reach, and must be able to move around the work environment. 
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.  
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.