Position Title

Community Well-Being Specialist

About the University

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department

Health Promotion & Resilience supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

About the Position

The Community Well-Being Specialist plays a pivotal role in fostering a supportive campus environment through evidence-based prevention education and health promotion activities.  Areas of focus include: mental health, sexual health, substance use, consent, and healthy relationships. This specialist will develop and facilitate trainings in response to student needs and health data, manage required in-person sexual assault prevention programs, design and implement suicide prevention strategies, supervise and mentor Peer Wellness Advocates, and oversee the distribution of wellness resources.  In partnership with faculty, staff, student organizations, and other campus offices and stakeholders, this role identifies and addresses campus-wide health promotion and resilience priorities and advances health equity-driven structural initiatives.

This is a permanent, full-time 11-month position.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

PREVENTION EDUCATION (60%) 

• Facilitate workshops and training that address public health topics, in response to student needs and health-related data.
• Design and deliver well-being trainings for students, staff, and faculty on interdisciplinary topics such as mental health, sexual health, healthy relationships, substance abuse harm reduction, resilience, and more.
• Provide consultation and outreach to faculty, staff, parents, student organizations, and other campus offices to facilitate student development
• Identify and develop appropriate responses to student well-being needs within the University setting.
• Manages sexual assault prevention programming to all students participating in club sports and varsity athletics
• Manages the distribution of free supplies, tools, and resources to support health and well-being (including all health supplies and educational materials)  
• Identify key stakeholders and champions of wellbeing work across campus and engage them in prevention and health promotion activities

SUPERVISION AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (20%)

• Supervise peer to peer student educators (Wellness Advocates) and/or student trainees.
• Meet once a week at a minimum to provide face-to-face supervision of Wellness Advocates.
• Review Wellness Advocate activities and documentation.
• Guide Wellness Advocates in skill and professional development
• Trains all Wellness Advocates to deliver prevention trainings and other health promotion activities

ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT ACTIVITIES (20%) 

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation.
• Network with colleagues and stakeholders, acting as an ambassador of the department
• Evaluate program impact and effectiveness, in collaboration with the Wellbeing Training Coordinator and other team members
• Participate in meetings and committees related to the health and wellbeing of student community
• Participate in Health Promotion and Resilience meetings and committees, as assigned
• Lead internal learning and conversations related to the research and innovative practices to build the capacity of the Health Promotion and Resilience team
• Participate in continuing education activities and to build on professional skill development through workshops, training, and conferences. This should include development and maintenance of skills in working with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, abilities, and lifestyles to support diversity and inclusivity in the Western community.
• Advance structural well-being initiatives by collaborating with policy stakeholders and members of the campus community
• Provide consultation and training to staff and pre-professional trainees in the staff member's areas of expertise.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g. Public Health, Health Education, Health Promotion, Social Work).
• A minimum of one year well-being or public health-related work experience (or education equivalent).
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience developing and delivering educational content.
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team.

• Master’s degree in a related field (e.g. Public Health, Health Education, Health Promotion, Social Work).
• Experience using data, theory, and research to inform intervention and prevention efforts.
• Understanding of the public health landscape as it relates to college students • Designated as Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) or Certified in Public Health (CPH).
• Understanding of the Health Equity Model of public health theory
• Policy development experience
• Experience providing outreach and programming related to the prevention of violence, suicide, sexual health-related issues, or substance abuse.

• Availability for occasional evening and weekend events.
• All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

Interested candidates should submit the following:

• A cover letter addressing qualifications and experience.
• A resume or CV.
• Contact information for three professional references.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at vpsa.office@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.