Accreditation Specialist

Job Title: Accreditation Specialist

Department: Program Operations

Supervision: none

Location: Remote

Travel: 20%

Introduction:

The mission of the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) is to advance and transform public health

practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation. PHAB is the

accrediting body for Tribal, state, local, and territorial governmental public health departments in the U.S.

Accreditation provides a means for a public health department to identify performance improvement

opportunities, to improve management, develop leadership, and improve relationships with members of

the community. PHAB is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism (IDEA) and is on an

ongoing journey to build an inclusive and welcoming organization.

Position Summary:

The Accreditation Specialist is a performance improvement champion. The position leads and supports

health departments through PHAB’s Accreditation and Recognition processes, ensuring timely, accurate,

and high-quality reviews. This role manages the end-to-end progression of assigned applicants, including

coaching and technical assistance supports, reviewing documentation for conformity, supporting and

participating in site visit activities, and leading the development of the final site visit report. The role also

engages in customer outreach, recruitment, and retention activities, serving as a key point of contact for

state-based and other learning collaboratives.

The Accreditation Specialist serves as a key technical resource on accreditation requirements for Tribal,

local, state, and US Territory public health departments, Military departments of health, and Vital

Records Health Statistics Units.

This role is considered an integral member of the Accreditation & Recognition Team and is responsible

for supporting clear communication among stakeholders, maintaining high standards for documentation

and reporting, and contributing to continuous improvement of accreditation processes. The

Accreditation Specialist will be trained in PHAB’s accreditation software, e-PHAB, and is expected to

work comfortably in online systems and collaborative digital environments.

In addition to core accreditation responsibilities, the Accreditation Specialist may contribute to special

projects or other organizational initiatives based on program needs. This position reports to the

Accreditation Team Lead and works collaboratively with other Accreditation Specialists and Program

Unit staff, and volunteer public health professionals who serve on site visit teams with the Accreditation

Specialist. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in governmental public

health, accreditation or other compliance Standards, volunteer management, and project execution

within a non-profit or mission-driven organization.

Position Responsibilities:

The Accreditation Specialist manages a large and complex portfolio of health department applicants and

oversees the full life-cycle of PHAB’s Accreditation and Recognition processes. This role requires

independent judgment, deep understanding of PHAB Accreditation Standards, strong project and

stakeholder management skills, and the ability to balance multiple, concurrent workstreams across varied

stages of review.

Accreditation Portfolio & Process Management

• Lead and oversee all aspects of the Accreditation and Pathways process for assigned health

departments, ensuring progress, quality, and adherence to PHAB Standards, Policy, and

procedures within assigned timelines.

• Coordinate internally to ensure consistent application of Standards, policies, and processes

Documentation Review & Report Development

Evaluate health department Readiness Assessments and applicant documentation for conformity

against PHAB Standards and Measures, synthesize findings, and contribute to clear, accurate, and

defensible reports.

Site Visit & Volunteer Reviewer Coordination

• Support and lead site visit teams, manage logistics and communications, and ensure consistency

and inter-rater reliability throughout the review process.

• Coordinate and participate in in-person and virtual site visits
• Serve as the primary liaison between assigned health departments and Site Visit Teams

Technical Assistance, Coaching, & Stakeholder Support

• Provide ongoing technical assistance related to accreditation processes, standards

interpretation, documentation preparation, and information systems

• Coach health departments on performance improvement, meeting national standards, and

navigating the accreditation requirements

• Serve as an accreditation resource to PHAB staff and external stakeholders, including acting as a

key point of contact for assigned state-based and cohort-based efforts

Recruitment, Engagement & Field Representation

• Support recruitment, retention, and engagement of health departments and volunteer

reviewers

• Lead learning communities or cohort-based activities, as assigned
• Represent PHAB in meetings, conferences, and external engagements (in-person and virtually)

Program Development, Quality Improvement, & Special Projects

• Participate in continuous quality improvement initiatives to strengthen accreditation processes

and outcomes

• Assist in developing and revising templates, guidance documents, training materials, and

technical assistance resources

• Support special projects, including standards and measures development, research/evaluation

activities, or system enhancements

Other duties as assigned

Education

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three years of relevant experience or high school diploma

with a minimum of 5-7 years of relevant experience (required)

• Master’s degree in public health or related field (preferred)

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies:

Required

• Understanding of national, state, or local regulations, compliance, and standards frameworks

(e.g., Joint Commission, environmental health)

• Experience work with, or in, health departments and working knowledge of public health

accreditation, public health transformation, and project management

• Ability to interpret, apply, and communicate complex information with consistency and clarity
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-phase portfolio with competing priorities,

timelines, and stakeholders

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, customer-service, and organization skills.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and editing skills, including the ability to review large volumes of

complex material, synthesizing complex material into clear, high-quality reports with sound

professional judgment

• Ability to work independently and be self-directed and self-motivated
• Ability to travel regularly
• Strong facilitation, presentation, and communication skills with varied stakeholder groups
• Comfortable leveraging technology and online systems to support project management,

documentation, communication, and customer engagement

Preferred

• Experience with PHAB national standards
• Experience providing technical assistance, consultation, and strategic coaching to organizations
• Proven ability to build trust-based relationships, engage new and existing customers, and

collaborate effectively across internal teams and external partners

• Demonstrated commitment to continuous quality improvement, customer success, and

organizational impact

• Experience working with or supporting underserved populations or communities

EEO STATEMENT: PHAB is committed to equal employment opportunity. We do not discriminate in

employment opportunities or practices on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin,

ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, religious

creed, physical disability, mental disability, age, medical conduction (e.g. cancer or a record or history of

cancer), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other

characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Our management team is dedicated to this policy

with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits,

employee activities and general treatment during employment.

DISTRIBUTED EMPLOYER ENVIRONMENT: The Public Health Accreditation Board’s staff currently work in

a remote office environment. Employees working from home must agree to maintain a professional

working environment with a dedicated workspace, including high-speed internet access. All staff are

required to participate in in-person staff meetings that currently occur on a semi-annual basis for up to

five consecutive days. These in-person staff meetings may be increased to a quarterly basis, as

determined by management. Travel and related expenses for these meetings will be paid for by the

employer.