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Public health director skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Patrick Lane,

John Rivera Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical public health director skills. We ranked the top skills for public health directors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.7% of public health director resumes contained community health as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a public health director needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 public health director skills for your resume and career

1. Community Health

Community health is a category of medical speciality that places its attention on the well being of people. The main focus is mental and physical well-being of these people located in a specific region geographically. It seeks to help community people maintain and enhance their health in order to prevent disease spread.

Here's how public health directors use community health:

Presented comprehensive public health information at staff meetings, community health, and workshops.
Completed 2012 and 2016 Community Needs Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan.

2. Public Health

Here's how public health directors use public health:

Organized and participated in numerous professional sessions and a continuing education workshop at APHA and other national public health meetings.
Directed activities relating to the development of competency-based professional development for public health practitioners.

3. Public Health Programs

Here's how public health directors use public health programs:

Assist in the planning and evaluating of public health programs.
Focused on preventing and managing public health programs.

4. Public Health Issues

Here's how public health directors use public health issues:

Developed, Implemented, and Evaluated programs for agencies within Cortland County on a variety of public health issues.
Educate students about public health issues including violence, community mapping, and personal relationships.

5. Health Education

Health education refers to education concerning healthcare.

Here's how public health directors use health education:

Managed 10 volunteers to develop health education modules (e.g., nutrition, dental and hand hygiene)
Directed staff in identifying and monitoring parental HBV cases including health education to pregnant women.

6. Medicaid

Here's how public health directors use medicaid:

Initiated and managed the Mammography Incentive Program whose 20% compliance improvement ranked above state-wide average for Medicaid populations.
Initiated sentinel system allowing company to proactively manage reimbursement reductions imposed by state Medicaid programs.

7. Technical Assistance

Technical assistance is the non-financial assistance provided by local or international specialists. The purpose of technical assistance is to maximize the project's implementation and quality of the final product. Technical assistance consists of sharing information, the transmission of working knowledge, and other transfer of technical data which would aid the administration, management team and help build the project. The technical assistance focuses on particular needs identified by the beneficiary country and is delivered in the form of missions.

Here's how public health directors use technical assistance:

Provided technical assistance to medical staff, identified codes that will yield information desired and suggested avenues of exploration if appropriate.
Provide technical assistance and education to VFC providers including training on basic reporting functions in the Washington Immunization Information System.

8. Health Promotion

Health promotion refers to programs aimed at engaging and empowering individuals to select healthy behaviors.

Here's how public health directors use health promotion:

Conducted annual staff development seminars related to health promotion, professional communications and positive customer service skills.
Authored policy Instruction on the Health Promotion and Wellness program to provide standardized implementation guidance across Navy Medicine facilities.

9. Provide Technical Assistance

Here's how public health directors use provide technical assistance:

Provide technical assistance to Tribal Government in program enhancement and development.
Provide technical assistance to Program Directors regarding expansion of current programs.

10. Immunization

Here's how public health directors use immunization:

Performed confidential investigations, supervised, and chart reviews to determine immunization status.
Achieved Immunization Award from Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

11. HIPAA

Here's how public health directors use hipaa:

Demonstrated knowledge of HIPAA Privacy and Security Regulations by appropriately handling patient information.
Initiated HIPAA Privacy spot-inspections and validated organizational compliance.

12. Primary Care

Here's how public health directors use primary care:

Developed State Primary Care Needs Assessment and Advisory Committee.
Engage key organization and community stakeholders to develop strategies that address statewide primary care and rural health system priorities.

13. State Health

Here's how public health directors use state health:

Collaborate and network with community and state health related agencies.

14. Medical Care

Here's how public health directors use medical care:

Controlled user and web based portal access for 350 users; ensured documentation of medical care for 2.4K military members.
Validated/verified patient's eligibility for medical care.

15. Service Delivery

Service delivery means, having any contact with the public administration during which customers including citizens, residents, or firms, require or give data, handle their problems and perform their duties.

Here's how public health directors use service delivery:

Work with community agencies/providers through ongoing contacts to ensure a smooth, coordinated system of service delivery.
Designed trauma-informed service delivery approach; facilitated training of entire agency staff towards implementation of this approach throughout milieu setting.

What skills help Public Health Directors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on public health director resumes?

Patrick Lane

Vice President, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

Everyone says they're a good communicator and that they can analyze complex problems, but really being able to do this (and show evidence of it) sets applicants apart. This can be in the form of written reports, briefs, blogs, papers, etc., but being able to show that you can think about complex things and render them into easily communicable "bites" is a terrific skill.

What public health director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

John Rivera Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Public Administration, University of Guam

Self-care is extremely important. We need to find ourselves now, more than ever, on the other side of this pandemic. What that means for each one of us and, where we end up, is all going to be the work of the journey ahead. This pandemic has impacted us all in many ways, some of which we may not fully understand till more time has passed. In the meantime, don't feel guilty for taking the time to get yourself grounded again and reacquainted with the new normal. However, just don't forget that while you are taking time away the world will still turn.

Remember, the real purpose in a gap year is to not just to lounge around and do nothing. It really is an opportunity, and that opportunity will be what you make it. Dare to take the risk to grow, mature, and engage the new world around you. Just do it at least six feet away (at least until social distancing guidelines subside - lol). Fun is not the enemy - complacency is. The longer you stay away the harder it is to get back on track. Live, experience, and then make it mean something by re-engaging your purpose. Gap years should be used to help find your way not lose your way.

It is also without a doubt that this pandemic has pushed the need, use, integration and adoption of technology. Job aspirants that have a more adept propensity for technology will be assets. This is obvious. However, on the other side of the spectrum there is going to be an increased need for people to grow their soft skills. People will need help with the people stuff.

What type of skills will young public health directors need?

Kip Miller

Adjunct Professor, Bowling Green State University

There are a few skills that will be necessary in the future. One is the flexibility to adapt to an ever-changing work environment. If COVID has taught us anything, it is that regional preparation for unpredictable emergencies cannot withstand the something like a global health-crisis, such as we see today. No one was prepared for such an issue. However, even with media-hyped problems, the healthcare industry responded in not before-seen quickness to the pandemic that necessitated quick decision-making and cooperation between all the disciplines within healthcare. The second skill is the ability to think. There is a fine balance between data collection and decision-making in a timely manner. Issues that could affect one single patient or issues that affect an entire population will continue to face the healthcare industry. Those who are able to take the information at hand and make wise choices will do well in the industry.

Do you want to know more?

List of public health director skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a public health director resume and required skills for a public health director to have include:

Community Health
Public Health
Public Health Programs
Public Health Issues
Health Education
Medicaid
Technical Assistance
Health Promotion
Provide Technical Assistance
Immunization
HIPAA
Primary Care
State Health

Medical Care
Service Delivery
Chronic Disease
Program Evaluation
Program Development
Advisory Committee
County Board
Oversight
State Agencies
Statistical Data
HIV
WIC
CDC

Personnel Actions
Non-Profit Organization
School Health
State Regulations
Diabetes
Family Planning
Global Health
Community Organizations
Tuberculosis
Infection Control
Direct Supervision

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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