State of Nebraska

The work we do matters!

Hiring Agency:

Health & Human Services - Agency 25

Location:

Lincoln, NE

Hiring Rate:

$24.314

Job Posting:

JR2025-00017678 Temporary DHHS Program Specialist (Open)

Applications No Longer Accepted On (If no date is displayed, job is posted as open until closed):

07-17-2025

Job Description:

Are you passionate about improving community health and reducing disparities across Nebraska? Join the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services as a Temporary Program Specialist and play a vital role in supporting and strengthening the work of Community Health Workers (CHWs) across the state. This is your chance to contribute to meaningful, statewide impact while building valuable partnerships and shaping health outcomes.

The Temporary DHHS Program Specialist will support statewide health initiatives by identifying Community Health Worker (CHW) needs, enhancing program supports, and aligning efforts with public health priorities. This role involves coordinating technical assistance and training for partners, analyzing population health data, evaluating return on investment (ROI) for CHW activities, and implementing process improvements. The Program Specialist will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen CHW competencies, promote health equity, and support workforce development through policy and systems change. Candidates should bring strong communication, planning, and analytical skills, along with knowledge of public health and program evaluation practices.

Job Duties:

• Support statewide prevention, health education, and disease management programs by identifying CHW needs and developing appropriate supports.
• Provide input on technical assistance and training needs for partners supporting CHWs in both public and private sectors.
• Collaborate with CHWs statewide to align activities with their scope of work and strengthen core competencies.
• Plan and oversee data collection to assess population needs and evaluate the return on investment (ROI) of CHW efforts.
• Identify and resolve operational or administrative issues to improve program effectiveness and efficiency.
• Implement policy and procedural changes to ensure clear understanding and adherence to program goals.
• Engage stakeholders and partners to advance initiatives that address health disparities.
• Coordinate technical assistance efforts with local, state, and national partners to build CHW capacity.
• Work with stakeholders to develop strategies that expand economic opportunities through workforce development, policy reform, and access to care.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements/Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent coursework/training, in public administration, social/behavioral sciences, healthcare, human services or other program related field. Professional experience working in a human/social service or health care agency with responsibility for planning or evaluation services, programs or operational policies and practices may substitute in lieu of the educational requirement.

Preferred Qualifications: Possession of a Community Health Worker (CHW) certification and/or certification in a second language is strongly preferred to support diverse community engagement and communication.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Community health worker principles and practices, including public engagement and service delivery.
• Core business and management concepts such as planning, resource allocation, evaluation, and HR.
• Grant writing techniques and the administration of grant-funded programs.
• Research, planning, evaluation methods, and program analysis.

Skilled in:

• Clear, effective communication to ensure understanding.
• Conducting quality assessments and evaluating program performance.
• Identifying problems and developing actionable solutions.

Ability to:

• Lead, assign, and assess work within a program effectively.
• Understand and apply relevant laws, policies, and regulations.
• Build positive relationships with stakeholders and the public.
• Manage time, meet deadlines, and use basic technology efficiently while maintaining professionalism.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive package of pay, benefits, paid time off, retirement and professional development opportunities to help you get the most out of your career and life. Your paycheck is just part of your total compensation.

Check out all that the State of Nebraska has to offer! Benefit eligibility may vary by position, agency and employment status. For more information on benefits, please visit: https://statejobs.nebraska.gov/index.html#benefits

Equal Opportunity Statement

The State of Nebraska values our teammates as well as a supportive environment that strives to promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We recruit, hire, train, and promote in all job classifications and at all levels without regard to race, color, religion, sex. age, national origin, disability, marital status or genetics.

Current employees of the State of Nebraska should NOT apply on this external career. Instead go to Workday and access the Jobs Hub - Internal Apply app from your home landing page.