Community Outreach Specialist

Job Title: Community Outreach Specialist
Department: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Division: Division of Disease Control
Bureau: Bureau of Communicable Disease
Location: 42-09 28th St, Queens NY 11101
Reports to Title: Community Outreach and Health Education Lead
Schedule & Hours: M-F, 9am –5pm; 35 hours per week
Workplace Flexibility Modality: Hybrid, flexible
Work Environment: Office Environment, occasional travel for meetings and presentations within the NYC boroughs
Grant End Date: 6/30/2026
Created Date: 12/17/2025
Revised Date: 12/17/2025
Salary: $75,000-$79,410 annually
FLSA Classification: Non-exempt

Who We Are:
The Fund for Public Health in New York City (FPHNYC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to the advancement of the health and well-being of all New Yorkers. To this end, in partnership with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), FPHNYC incubates innovative public health initiatives implemented by DOHMH to advance community health throughout the city. It facilitates partnerships, often new and unconventional, between government and the private sector to develop, test, and launch new initiatives. These collaborations speed the execution of demonstration projects, effect expansion of successful pilot programs, and support rapid implementation to meet the public health needs of individuals, families, and communities across New York City.

Our Culture:
We embrace a culture of learning, collaboration, innovation, and well-being, where open communication drives our impact.
About The Role: The NYC Health Department has an opening for an outreach coordinator and health educator. This position will help develop and foster relationships with members of the agricultural and animal health community in NYC and develop health education materials for various public and provider audiences. They will report to the Community Outreach and Health Education Unit lead.

About the Program: The Bureau of Communicable Disease (BCD), part of the Division of Disease Control, is composed of seven units/programs which are responsible for monitoring and investigating 73 infectious diseases including viral hepatitis, foodborne, waterborne, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. BCD also monitors and analyzes trends in disease data and provides consultation to the medical community and the public on the recognition, prevention and control of communicable diseases.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinating health education initiatives related to avian influenza and respiratory diseases, in collaboration with the Respiratory Pathogens Unit, as well as assisting with initiatives on other diseases and conditions managed by the Bureau of Communicable Diseases (BCD) including foodborne, waterborne, zoonotic and vector-borne diseases.
• Arrange and conduct in-person visits to poultry markets in NYC to develop and foster relationships to facilitate communication with owners and staff.
• Establish and foster relationships with backyard flock groups in collaboration with partners at the NYS Department of Agriculture and NYC Parks Community Garden program,
• Explore ways to engage and share information with the public and people at high risk of exposure to infected birds or animals, and people at greater risk of severe disease.
• Create materials for the provider community as needed to support rapid identification and appropriate testing of patients at risk of avian influenza testing
• Working with disease subject matter experts to develop and implement theory- and evidence-based health education materials or initiatives with a focus on populations most at-risk for zoonotic and vectorborne diseases. Materials and initiatives may include instructional activities and other strategies to change individual health behavior, as well as contributing to bureau and agency driven organizational efforts, policy directives, mass media, and community-level programs.
• Collaborating with subject matter experts in BCD to maintain disease specific webpages, fact sheets, and existing health education materials for both a public and provider audience.
• Developing social media proposals that promote health using innovative, targeted, and timely posts. Evaluating metrics to inform future social media posts.
• Understanding and addressing cultural differences, health inequities, and disabilities when creating content and materials.
• Other duties as assigned to support the overall goals and mission of the department/organization

Requirements:

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in field related to health education.
• Previous experience working in fields related to health education.
• Capacity and willingness to travel within NYC and be in the field 50% of the time.
• The ideal candidate for this position must be a pro-active and self-motivated individual with the ability to work in teams and in a highly dynamic environment with multiple stakeholders and timelines.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check

Benefits:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy
• Medical, dental, and life insurance with low or no employee contribution
• A retirement savings plan with generous employer contribution
• Flexible spending medical and commuter benefits plan
• Meaningful work at an organization striving to advance health equity and social justice

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
FPHNY is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

At-Will Employment Statement:
Employment with FPHNY is at-will, meaning that either the employee or the company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. This job description does not constitute a contract of employment.

Residency Requirement: You must live in the New York City Tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT) to be considered for a position at FPHNY.