Behavioral Health Services is currently accepting applications for:
Program Coordinator
(Behavioral Health Services)
Interviews will take place beginning the week of August 3 and 10, 2026.
Job offers will take place beginning the week of August 24 and 31, 2026.
Future Salary Increases
** June 2027 – 4.49% increase to base pay (3% Across-the- Board + 1.49% Market Adjustment)
The Program Coordinator is a professional management level classification that provides administrative, analytical, planning, and management support for programs and projects where substantive administrative, policy and/or technical issues require specialized analysis, recommendation, and implementation. Current vacancies are in Behavioral Health Services' (BHS) Community Engagement & Outreach and Departmental Communications teams; however, the list established from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies in other departments.
Community Engagement & Outreach
The ideal candidate is a highly organized, proactive professional who is passionate about advancing community engagement, partnerships, and strategic initiatives that strengthen the behavioral health system and improve connections with the communities we serve. They thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and enjoy leading implementation efforts, bringing structure to complex work, and helping shape work in a dynamic, evolving organization. Successful candidates communicate effectively, build strong relationships with community organizations, contractors, healthcare partners, educational institutions, public agencies, and internal County staff, and exercise sound judgment, political acumen, professionalism, diplomacy, and discretion when supporting high-visibility initiatives. General skills and abilities include exceptional project and program management, strong initiative, the ability to organize and prioritize complex work with minimal direction, navigate competing priorities and perspectives, and bring people together to move work forward. Highly desirable experience includes leading community engagement, behavioral health, public health, or other strategic community-based initiatives and programs; leading and developing professional staff; managing complex, multi-faceted initiatives from planning through implementation; administering or overseeing County or other public sector contracts; coordinating cross-functional teams and partnerships; and preparing reports, presentations, and recommendations for executive leadership. A master’s degree in public health, public administration, public policy, or similar is desirable.
Departmental Communications
The ideal candidate is a highly organized, proactive professional who can support the growing scope of departmental communications to external and internal audiences. They thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and are skilled at coordinating complex projects, managing multiple priorities, maintaining exceptional attention to detail, and helping shape communications in a dynamic, evolving organization. Successful candidates possess excellent oral and written communication skills, understand the wide breadth of BHS services at a high level, build productive relationships with internal County staff to distill complex concepts into clear public messaging, effectively lead collaborative meetings with County leadership, and provide thoughtful communications guidance on high-visibility initiatives. General skills and abilities include exercising sound judgment, political acumen, strong project management with minimal supervision, balancing competing priorities, and discretion when supporting high-visibility initiatives. Highly desirable experience includes demonstrated success leading high-level communications projects, creating innovative approaches to develop and improve processes, and serving as a leader on a strategic communications team responsible for executive communications, rapid response work, and organizational change. Highly desirable qualifications include a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, public administration, or a closely related field, as well as experience supporting executive leadership within a large, complex organization.
Please click here for a complete job description of Program Coordinator, including essential functions, examples of qualifying education/experience, working conditions, etc.
For information about Behavioral Health Services, please click here.
Hiring and Timeline
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Job Offer and Background Process begins the week of August 31, 2026. Note: Current County employees may be excluded from additional background screening.
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Pre-employment Medical Screening: Approximately 3 days following successful background investigation results.
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Anticipated Start Date: Start date will be based upon successful completion of medical screening or other mutually agreed upon date.
If you are not selected for this interview process, you may have the opportunity to compete for future vacancies.
Minimum Qualifications
A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or certified foreign studies equivalency, AND, four (4) years of professional experience performing analysis, budget management, program administration, engineering, or closely related work in a program performing planning and analysis; OR a combination of education and/or experience as stated above.
Blind Applicant Screening
The Department of Human Resources removes personally identifiable information from all recruitments. This practice, called Blind Applicant Screening, hides a candidate’s personal information that could influence or bias a hiring decision. Personal information includes name, phone number, address, gender, age and race. This process helps contribute to a fair and equitable selection process leading to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
The most highly qualified candidates, based on the evaluation results, will be referred for an interview. Be sure to include your experience in meeting the minimum requirements in both the Work Experience section and the Supplemental Questionnaire section of the Application.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application Work History and/or supplemental questionnaire.
Condition of Employment
As part of the County of San Diego’s pre-employment process, prospective candidates will undergo a background check (including fingerprinting) and a pre-employment medical screening prior to beginning County employment. Additional types of background investigations may be conducted based on the job-related activities of the position. Current County employees may be excluded from this process.
Evaluation Process
Qualified applicants will be placed on a
six (6) month employment list based on scores received during the evaluation of information contained in the supplemental questionnaire. Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental application form will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in the initial screening process, your application will be reviewed individually to confirm that the information you provided is accurate and qualifying.
Accommodation
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job, on a case-by-case basis.
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Veteran’s Preference Policy
The County of San Diego offers
preferential credits for military service to assist qualified applicants in transitioning from military to civilian careers with the County of San Diego. Please read the Veteran's Preference Policy for additional information.
Military Skills Translator
Do you need assistance translating your military experience into civilian experience? This tool can help! Please read the Military Skills Translator to access the tool.
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Under California Government Code Sections 3100 - 3109, public employees are designated as disaster service workers. The term "public employees" includes all persons employed by the state or any county, city, state agency, or public district. Disaster service workers are required to participate in such disaster service activities as may be assigned to them by their employer or by law.
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