The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) is the national membership organization for the nation’s federally qualified health centers (also known as FQHCs or Community Health Centers). Health centers are nonprofit, community-directed health clinics that provide access to high-quality, culturally competent, and comprehensive care to people living in medically underserved areas. NACHC strengthens the health center movement through advocacy, training, and technical assistance, clinical and operations support. NACHC is committed to an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace. 

The Opportunity

The Chief Health Officer of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) is responsible for NACHC’s clinical strategic direction and reputation management with health centers, Primary Care Associations, Health Center Controlled Networks, National Training and Technical Assistance Partners, and other essential partners for clinical workforce, care delivery, quality of care and health equity. 

Reporting the President and CEO, the CHO is responsible for the strategic direction and alignment of day-to-day operations of the Clinical Care and Quality (CCQ) functional area and NACHC of the Future as a vital learning organization, coordinating internally with other NACHC divisions, CCQ staff, and externally with NACHC members and national partners.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strong clinical leader to join a team of nearly 30 staff members and a functional area that has grown to over $30M in annual funding, and to be an influential clinical leader on issues critical to NACHC and the nation’s Community Health Centers.  NACHC’s innovation can positively impact the health and wellness of the communities served throughout the United States.  The CHO will collaborate with the CEO and other members of the senior leadership team to provide guidance on a wide range of clinical and operational issues as well as develop new partnerships and develop policy agendas on behalf of community health centers as well as further improve NACHC’s culture of clinical excellence in performance and quality of care.

The CHO will have a hybrid work arrangement with two to three days in the office expected per week. This position is 60% external and 40% internal facing.

National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)

Founded in 1971, NACHC serves as the leading national advocacy organization in support of Community Health Centers (CHCs) and the expansion of heath care access for the medically underserved and uninsured.  As the CHC Movement grows in size and strength to be ready to meet the challenges of the future, NACHC stands committed, along with its talented staff and board, to being the champion for every health center in this nation.  NACHC is focused on ensuring that health centers, across the country, become the “employer of choice, provider of choice, and partner of choice!”  Today NACHC supports over 1,400 Community Health Center grantees and look-alikes providing care at 15,000 locations across the country serving over 31 million patients. 

The Community Health Center movement was born in the 1960’s out of the War on Poverty and the Civil Rights Movement and, from their very beginnings, community health centers have been dedicated to addressing the social drivers of health, anti-racism, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.  NACHC shares these same roots.

Candidate Criteria

NACHC is seeking a strategic, business-oriented, clinical leader to serve as Chief Health Officer (“CHO”) to provide medical, public, health, health equity leadership to NACHC’s programs, innovation, communications and planning, and to spearhead initiatives that advance NACHC’s mission as the leading innovative change agent advancing Community Health Centers and health of the communities they serve.

While it is understood that no single candidate will offer every desired attribute and competency, the following is a representative list of the ideal professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:

·        Public Heath Expertise: Experience in managing national clinical efforts including 10 years or more working with a community health center, PCA, HCCN, NTTAP, association, and/or other health system committed to advancing health equity and/or primary care. Leadership of 5 years or more of clinical teams as part of the C-suite.

·        A Skilled Communicator: Excellent presentation, facilitation, and communication skills. The CHO will represent the organization externally as a clinical expert in quality improvement and change strategies.

·        Strategic Leader: A leader with a keen understanding of the entire healthcare landscape and eco-system in order to guide NACHC on opportunities to bring innovation in care delivery, manpower strategies, quality care initiatives, health equity strategies to help ensure NACHC as seen as an innovative leader for meeting community health needs and improving health status.

·        Funding Stewardship & Partnerships: Experience actively engaging in development of funding, grants, and other partnerships that advance NACHC’s mission. Experience in building and managing complex partnerships.

·        Project Management: Experience in the execution oversight of national projects, as well as the development of new initiatives. Leading and consulting on projects on evaluation, implementation, national spread and scaling-up.

·        Effective Administrative Leader of Teams and Operations: Developing and managing business operations. Demonstrated leadership and management skills—supervision, priority setting, planning, budgeting, and finance. Experience mentoring or teaching and leading team-based projects.

·        Quality Improvement and Data: Previous experience leading quality improvement initiatives, with expertise in measurement in healthcare settings, systems improvement models, population health and community health center service designs. Expertise in additional approaches to process improvement (e.g., “lean”), health information technology and guiding teams with data analysis and interpretation.

·        Policy: Demonstrated experience working on federal and regulatory policy.

Candidates must possess the appropriate clinical license, certification, and/or degrees necessary according to industry standards for the candidate’s applicable specialty or occupational field (e.g., MD/DO, NP, PA, RN, PharmD, PsyD, etc.) and additional trainings (e.g., MPH, MBA, MPP, MPA, etc.).

Interested candidates should submit a resume in confidence to CHONACHC@divsearch.com.   NACHC is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity, equity and inclusion.  All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.