Wellness Specialist - San Francisco, CA

Job Summary  

The Wellness Specialist is responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering holistic workplace wellness initiatives that promote multiple dimensions of well‑being—including physical, mental, emotional, and social well‑being—among employees. This role functions as the lead wellness advocate and primary wellness resource for assigned client locations/regions and exercises independent judgment to adapt  wellness strategies that support engagement, prevention, and risk reduction.  

The Wellness Specialist integrates onsite engagement, virtual programming, and digital wellness tools to support preventive care, healthy lifestyle behaviors, reduced health risks & injury prevention, and sustained employee participation. Depending on assignment, the role may serve as an onsite wellness lead, a hybrid onsite/virtual Specialist, or a regional wellness resource supporting multiple client locations. 

This role emphasizes education, behavior change support, program coordination, and referral to appropriate resources. It does not include clinical diagnosis or medical treatment. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Wellness Program Leadership & Engagement 

1. Lead the planning and delivery of onsite and virtual wellness programs addressing stress management, mental well‑being, injury prevention, physical activity, sleep, ergonomics, disease prevention, tobacco cessation, and related wellness topics. 
2. Serve as the primary point of contact for wellness services with assigned clients or locations, establishing strong relationships with employees and key stakeholders. 
3. Facilitate group education sessions, workshops, wellness challenges, stretch and flex programs, lunch‑and‑learns, and special wellness events tailored to workforce needs. 
4. Exercise independent judgment in adapting approved wellness programming, outreach methods, and engagement strategies to align with client culture and workforce demographics. 
5. Champion participation in the digital wellness platform and guide employees in sustained engagement with wellness tools and initiatives. 
6. Educate employees on available wellness resources and benefits, supporting informed participation aligned with individual wellness interests and goals. 

Onsite & Virtual Support 

1. Plan and conduct scheduled onsite wellness visits at assigned client locations. 
2. Perform non‑diagnostic wellness screenings and assessments (e.g., blood pressure, grip strength, functional movement screenings, office ergonomic assessments) for educational and wellness purposes only, following established protocols and training. 
3. Independently manage scheduling, travel planning, logistics, and coordination to ensure consistent program delivery and a high quality participant experience. 
4. Provide ongoing virtual wellness education and engagement between onsite visits. 
5. Offer evidence informed lifestyle education and behavior change support using approved coaching and motivational techniques, referring employees to appropriate clinical, benefits, or community resources as needed. 

Data, Reporting & Continuous Improvement 

1. Track participation, engagement and program outcomes using established reporting tools 
2. Analyze trends in participation, engagement, and utilization to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement.  
3. Evaluate wellness program effectiveness based on engagement metrics, participant feedback, and client defined objectives. 
4. Prepare summaries and insights for wellness leadership and client stakeholders to support decision making and program optimization. 
5. Identify opportunities for program enhancements, outreach improvements, or workflow efficiencies and recommend solutions. 

Collaboration, Compliance & Professional Practice 

1. Collaborate with regional and national wellness team members to ensure consistent service delivery and alignment with organizational standards. 
2. Maintain confidentiality and professionalism in all employee and client interactions. 
3. Ensure wellness initiatives align with applicable privacy, safety, and workplace health guidelines; follow organizational policies related to OSHA, HIPAA aligned practices, and documentation. 
4. Exercise sound professional judgment in addressing complex or sensitive situations, escalating appropriately when issues fall outside role scope. 
5. Maintain professional expertise by staying current with workplace wellness trends, behavior change science, and engagement best practices. 

Program Administration & Strategic Support 

1. Oversee administration of wellness challenges, incentives, and recognition programs in accordance with established guidelines. 
2. Support client onboarding, program scheduling, and coordination of wellness initiatives. 
3. Contribute to refinement of wellness tools, templates, and processes to enhance efficiency and scalability. 
4. Perform other related duties as assigned to support wellness program quality and growth. 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in health promotion, public health, nutrition, exercise science, health sciences, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred. 
• Wellness coaching certification or comparable credential preferred. 
• Office ergonomic assessment experience and certification preferred 
• Minimum of 2–4 years of experience in workplace wellness, health education, health promotion, or employee engagement. 
• Experience functioning independently in a client facing or regional support role strongly preferred. 

Skills & Competencies 

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills with the ability to influence engagement. 
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment in prioritizing work and adapting programs. 
• Solid understanding of wellness, prevention, and behavior change principles. 
• Ability to engage employees across diverse roles, cultures, and work environments. 
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem solving skills. 
• Ability to work autonomously while collaborating effectively within a distributed team. 
• Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and manage sensitive information appropriately. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and comfort using digital wellness and reporting platforms. 

Physical Demands

• Requires sitting and standing for long periods of time.
• Some bending, kneeling and stretching could be required.
• Ability to demonstrate or facilitate light movement activities as appropriate.
• Work performed across office, onsite, and travel settings depending on location. 
• Working under stress and use of computer/phone required.
• Manual dexterity required for use of keyboard, equipment, instruments, etc.
• Ability to lift/move up to 20 pounds. 

Work Environment

• Mainly indoor, office environment conditions.
• The noise level is usually moderate.
• Air quality is good and temperature is controlled.

This position has an hourly pay range of $33 - $39. Final compensation for this position depends on factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications. 

Benefits for this position include paid time off; medical, dental, vision, and critical illness insurance; HSA, HRA, and FSA; life and disability insurance; EAP; 401K; legal and identity theft coverage; pet insurance and more. 

The preceding statements describe the general job responsibilities and individual’s qualifications inherent to this position. These are not intended to be construed as exhaustive lists. To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily, accurately, and safely. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their jobs. This job description may be reevaluated and/or modified at any time without notice.

Every qualified individual has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.