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wellness manager

title: Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wellness Manager
salary: $60,000 - $100,000
categories: [Human Resources, Health & Wellness, Corporate Wellness]
description: A comprehensive overview of the key responsibilities, required technical skills and professional background for the role of a Wellness Manager.
Detailed, SEO-optimized guide to the role of a Wellness Manager: responsibilities,
career path, required technical and interpersonal skills, education, and experience.
Ideal for recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates seeking a clear job-profile for
corporate wellness, employee health promotion, workplace well-being programs, and
population health initiatives.

🎯 Role Definition

The Wellness Manager designs, implements, and optimizes comprehensive workplace well-being programs that improve employee health outcomes, increase engagement, reduce healthcare costs, and support organizational objectives. This role blends program strategy, behavioral science, vendor and budget management, marketing and communications, data analytics, and cross-functional leadership to deliver measurable improvements in physical, mental, and financial wellness for employees.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Wellness Coordinator or Wellness Specialist
  • Health Educator or Community Health Worker
  • HR Generalist with benefits/wellness exposure

Advancement To:

  • Director of Wellness / Head of Wellness Programs
  • Senior Manager, Total Rewards or Employee Experience
  • Director of Population Health or Corporate Health Strategy

Lateral Moves:

  • Benefits Manager
  • HR Business Partner (with a wellness focus)
  • Occupational Health Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop and execute a multi-year, evidence-based employee wellness strategy aligned with corporate goals, including objectives, KPIs, timelines, and annual roadmaps to drive measurable improvements in engagement, biometric outcomes, and total cost of care.
  • Design, launch, and manage integrated wellness programs — including health risk assessments (HRAs), biometric screening initiatives, chronic condition management, stress reduction and mental health programs, tobacco cessation, nutrition and physical activity campaigns — tailored to diverse employee populations.
  • Lead end-to-end program management: set program goals, define success metrics, oversee implementation, coordinate delivery channels (in-person, virtual, mobile apps), and iterate programs based on participation and outcome data.
  • Measure program effectiveness using quantitative and qualitative metrics (participation rates, engagement, ROI, absenteeism, presenteeism, healthcare utilization), produce monthly/quarterly reports, and present actionable insights to senior leadership.
  • Manage vendor selection, contracting, and performance oversight for wellness vendors, EAPs, biometric screening providers, health coaching vendors, wellness platform/technology partners, and third-party clinicians to ensure service quality and SLA adherence.
  • Build and maintain strong partnerships with internal stakeholders — HR, Benefits, Occupational Health, Safety, Legal, Diversity & Inclusion, and Communications — to integrate wellness into total rewards and employee experience strategies.
  • Develop and manage program budgets, forecasts, and vendor invoices; optimize spend for maximum impact and track program ROI and cost avoidance for senior leadership and finance teams.
  • Provide or coordinate one-on-one and group health coaching, motivational interviewing, and behavior change support, leveraging evidence-based modalities and documented care pathways for employees with chronic conditions or high health risk.
  • Oversee employee-facing communications and marketing plans: develop messaging, promotion schedules, enrollment campaigns, digital content, intranet resources, and event materials to drive program awareness and sustained participation.
  • Plan and lead wellness events, workshops, webinars, challenges, and on-site health fairs aligned to organizational calendars, including logistics, vendor coordination, attendee outreach, and post-event follow-up metrics.
  • Ensure compliance with privacy and regulatory requirements (HIPAA, ADA, GINA) across wellness activities, maintain secure data handling practices, and work with legal and benefits teams to mitigate risk.
  • Incorporate equity and inclusion principles into program design to ensure accessibility for remote workers, diverse populations, and employees with disabilities or chronic conditions.
  • Use HRIS, wellness platforms, and analytics tools to manage user data, segment populations, run cohorts, and personalize interventions; implement integrations with benefits platforms and payroll when needed.
  • Create clinical escalation protocols and referral pathways for employees identified at high risk, coordinating with case management, EAP, and health plan case managers when appropriate.
  • Lead vendor RFPs and procurements for wellness-related services; evaluate proposals based on clinical evidence, outcomes data, employee experience, cost, and scalability.
  • Train, lead, and mentor a small team of wellness coordinators, peer champions, and external contractors; set performance expectations, provide coaching, and manage capacity for program delivery.
  • Establish and maintain a network of community partners (gyms, nutritionists, behavioral health providers, public health organizations) to expand program offerings and negotiate corporate discounts or reciprocal services.
  • Drive continuous improvement by conducting needs assessments, focus groups, surveys, and pulse checks to refine program components based on employee feedback and utilization trends.
  • Develop emergency preparedness and wellness continuity plans (e.g., pandemic response, workplace crises) to ensure mental health resources and health communications are available during high-stress events.
  • Integrate wellness program data with benefits and healthcare utilization analytics to inform strategic decision-making and support benefit design changes that promote preventive care.
  • Lead pilot programs and proof-of-concept initiatives to test innovative workplace health interventions (digital therapeutics, wearable integrations, financial wellness tools), analyze outcomes, and scale successful pilots.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices, research, and regulatory changes in corporate wellness, population health management, behavioral economics, and workplace health promotion.
  • Represent the organization at internal and external forums, cross-functional committees, and industry conferences to showcase program successes, learn best practices, and recruit talent or partners.
  • Develop and implement incentive strategies (rewards, recognition, insurance premium incentives) that ethically and legally motivate participation while preserving privacy and equity.

Secondary Functions

  • Provide ad-hoc dashboards and exploratory analysis to answer leadership questions about engagement, health trends, and program ROI.
  • Contribute to the broader people analytics strategy by sharing wellness insights and supporting cross-functional analytics initiatives.
  • Collaborate with benefits and HRIS teams to translate wellness program requirements into technical solutions and vendor integrations.
  • Participate actively in sprint planning or cross-functional project cadences when wellness technology or platform enhancements are underway.
  • Support internal training initiatives and create toolkits for managers and wellness champions to embed wellness into team routines.
  • Assist with annual open enrollment communications where wellness offerings intersect with benefits choices and preventive care messaging.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Program design & management for employee wellness, chronic disease management, and preventive care programs.
  • Data analytics and reporting: proficiency with Excel, Tableau/Looker/Power BI, or similar tools to analyze participation, outcomes, and ROI.
  • Experience with wellness platforms, HRIS integrations, and digital engagement tools (e.g., Virgin Pulse, Limeade, Wellable, Workday, ADP).
  • Vendor management, RFP development, contract negotiation, and SLA oversight for third-party wellness vendors.
  • Budget planning, financial forecasting, and cost-benefit analysis for program investments.
  • Clinical literacy in population health concepts, biometric screening interpretation, and evidence-based behavior change models.
  • Knowledge of HIPAA, ADA, GINA, and privacy/compliance requirements affecting workplace health programs.
  • Health coaching skills and certifications (e.g., CHES, NCHEC, Certified Health Coach) or equivalent experience in motivational interviewing and engagement strategies.
  • Project management skills, including timeline creation, milestones tracking, and cross-functional coordination.
  • Event planning and logistics for onsite/virtual health events, health fairs, and enrollment drives.
  • Measurement of program ROI and reporting frameworks that tie wellness outcomes to business metrics (absenteeism, productivity, medical spend).
  • Experience managing clinical referrals, EAP coordination, or case management pathways.

Soft Skills

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for marketing programs to diverse employee segments and presenting to leadership.
  • Strategic thinking with the ability to translate organizational goals into programmatic plans and measurable outcomes.
  • Stakeholder management: ability to influence cross-functional partners and build consensus.
  • Coaching and empathetic interpersonal skills to engage employees across motivational stages.
  • Analytical curiosity and attention to detail in interpreting data and driving continuous improvement.
  • Change management and facilitation skills to embed wellness into culture and manager practices.
  • Project prioritization and time management in a fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environment.
  • Creative problem solving and innovation mindset to pilot new approaches and scale effective solutions.
  • Leadership and team development experience for mentoring coordinators and managing external partners.
  • Cultural competence and commitment to inclusive programming for diverse employee populations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Health Promotion, Kinesiology, Nursing, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree in Public Health (MPH), Community Health, Healthcare Administration, Organizational Psychology, or related advanced degree.
  • Professional credentials such as CHES, Certified Wellness Program Manager, Certified Health Coach, or similar certifications.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Public Health
  • Health Promotion / Health Education
  • Kinesiology / Exercise Science
  • Nursing or Allied Health
  • Human Resources / Organizational Development
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Behavioral Science / Psychology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3 - 7 years designing and managing workplace wellness, employee health, or population health programs.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of progressive experience running corporate wellness programs or population health initiatives in large employers, health plans, or wellness vendors.
  • Demonstrated experience managing budgets, vendor relationships, and cross-functional initiatives.
  • Track record of delivering measurable outcomes (improved engagement, reduced risk scores, demonstrated ROI) and presenting results to senior stakeholders.
  • Experience with virtual and hybrid workforce wellness strategies, digital health tools, and benefits integration.
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