​​The Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) represent a set of skills desirable for the broad practice of public health, offering public health organizations a starting point for a variety of workforce development activities, including the creation of competency-based job descriptions. Such job descriptions link work functions to the competencies needed to successfully perform them. Integrating the Core Competencies into job descriptions can help ensure the recruitment and retention of public health professionals whose skills are well-matched to the needs of positions. Samples of competency-based job descriptions and resources used to develop them are provided below to assist organizations in incorporating the Core Competencies into their own job descriptions. These sample job descriptions and resources are based on the Core Competencies, but competencies may have been adapted to meet the specific needs of each organization.

• Account Clerk II – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*
• Assistant Director – Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, Public Health Foundation
• Assistant Public Health Director – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*
• Community Health Specialist: Chronic Disease and Tobacco Management – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*
• Community Health Specialist III: Data and Quality Coordinator – Kane County Health Department (IL)*
• Community Health Specialist III: Planner – Kane County Health Department (IL)*
• Director of Preventive Health Services – Ontario County Public Health (NY)
• Director of Public Health – Ontario County Public Health (NY)*
  
• Director of Public Health Policy – Columbus Public Health (OH)*
• Director of Quality Improvement – Ontario County Public Health (NY)*
  
• Environmental Health Specialist/Sanitarian – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*
• Environmental Health Technician – Oneida County Health Department (WI)​*
• Family Nurse Practitioner – Portsmouth City Health Department (OH)​*
  

• Health Commissioner of the General Health District and Chief Executive Officer of the District Board of Health – Mahoning County District Board of Health (OH)*

• Health Educator – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*

• Program Director – Medical Care Development, Inc. (ME)
  

• Program Manager – Medical Care Development, Inc. (ME)

• Project Assistant – Medical Care Development, Inc. (ME)

• Project Coordinator – Medical Care Development, Inc. (ME)

• Project Manager – Medical Care Development, Inc. (ME)

• Public Health Director – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*

• Public Health Director – Schuyler County Health Department (NY)*
  

• Public Health Educator – Ontario County Public Health (NY)*
  

• Public Health Nurse – Columbus Public Health (OH)*
  

• Public Health Nurse – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*
  

• Public Health Nurse – Ontario County Public Health (NY)*
  

• Public Health Nurse – Portsmouth City Health Department (OH)*
  

• Publlic Health Nurse – Schuyler County Health Department (NY)*
  

• Public Health Nurse Clinician/Practitioner – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*
  

• Public Health Program Coordinator – Yates County Public Health (NY)*
  

• Public Health Program Manager I – Columbus Public Health (OH)*
  

• Public Health Sanitarian I – Columbus Public Health (OH)*
  

• Public Health Specialist – Schuyler County Health Department (NY)*
  

• Receptionist/Typist III – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*
  

• Registered Dietitician – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*

• Registered Sanitarian – Portsmouth City Health Department (OH)*
  

• Support Specialist – Oneida County Health Department (WI)*

• Watershed Inspector – Schuyler County Health Department (NY)*
  

• Watershed Inspector Assistant – Schuyler County Health Department (NY)*
  

• Workforce Development Manager – Columbus Public Health (OH)*

Note: Oneida County Health Department job descriptions are based on the templates provided by Kane County Health Department.

• Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals
• Modified Version of the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals
• Determining Essential Core Competencies for Public Health Jobs: A Prioritization Process
• Archived Webinar: Determining Essential Core Competencies for Job Positions
• Prioritizing Core Competencies for a Health Commissioner – Mahoning County District Board of Health (OH)*
• User Guide and Resource Manual (for developing functional public health competency-based job descriptions) – Columbus Public Health (OH)*
• Workshop: Aligning Job Descriptions with Core Competencies

*Accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board​​​

 

This resource was made possible through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under Cooperative Agreement Number NU38OT000211. The content of this resource is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsor.