Health Promotion Specialist, Coaching & Programs

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
RECREATION AND WELL-BEING

Health Promotion Specialist, Coaching and Programs

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.
Required Qualifications
● Master’s Degree in public health, college student affairs, counseling, health promotion, higher
education, or a related field.
● 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 a diverse faculty, staff, and student
environment and commitment to do so as a University and Academic 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.

POSITION: This position is a full-time twelve-month University and Academic Professional
position

SALARY: $48,000-$52,000. Position includes full-time University and Academic Professional
benefits package. Position includes full-time University and Academic Professional benefits
package.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.



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



Position Details:

Department: Recreation and Well-Being
Employment Type: UF - University Employee FT
Restricted Status:
FTE: 1
Exemption Status: Exempt



Contact Information:

Contact Name: Kashun Winston

Contact Email: winstonk@vcu.edu

Contact Phone: 804-828-3485