Program Director Jobs in Tennessee
Program Director jobs in Tennessee are actively hiring, with demand concentrated in healthcare, nonprofit services, education, and state government programs across a broad seniority range from mid-level managers to senior executives overseeing multimillion-dollar initiatives. Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville lead in job volume, anchored by major employers such as HCA Healthcare, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and the State of Tennessee. The most in-demand specialties include behavioral health program management, workforce development, and healthcare operations. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 44+ Program Director jobs
Location: Nashville, TN 37243
Shift: Typical working hours - Monday - Friday, 8AM to 4:30PM CST, 37.5 hours per week. Not eligible for overtime.
The Adolescent Health Program Coordinator serves as the subject-matter expert for adolescent health and positive youth development, ensuring that youth perspectives inform public health strategies and programs. This position leads the development and implementation of Tennessee's Adolescent Health Strategic Plan, provides leadership for statewide initiatives, develops partnerships, manages grants and projects, provides technical assistance, and supports data-informed decision-making to improve adolescent health outcomes across Tennessee.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of Tennessee’s Adolescent Health Strategic Plan, ensuring alignment with state and federal priorities and advancing coordinated adolescent health efforts across Tennessee.
- Provide statewide leadership for adolescent health initiatives that promote healthy youth development and improve health outcomes for adolescents across Tennessee.
- Develop, implement, manage, and evaluate adolescent health programs and initiatives.
- Lead coordination of the Sources of Strength suicide prevention program in Tennessee by collaborating with implementing schools, community organizations, and local and national trainers to ensure the program is implemented with fidelity.
- Lead the statewide implementation of Screen agers: Under the Influence, including project planning, coordination, partner engagement, implementation, evaluation, technical assistance, and reporting to TDH leadership and funding agencies.
- Lead the support of Tennessee Generations (TNGen) by facilitating meetings, developing youth leadership opportunities, maintaining communication with members, coordinating youth-led initiatives, and supporting federal reporting requirements.
- Coordinate adolescent engagement strategies, including advisory groups, focus groups, and other opportunities that ensure youth perspectives are incorporated into program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- Serve as the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant (MCHBG) Social Emotional Well-Being Priority Lead and coordinate activities in collaboration with the Domain Lead.
- Build and sustain partnerships with schools, healthcare providers, community organizations, youth-serving agencies, and other partners to advance adolescent health priorities.
- Identify emerging adolescent health needs and implement effective strategies related to positive youth development, healthy relationships, sexual health education, pregnancy prevention, dating violence prevention, nutrition, physical activity, and other factors that influence adolescent health and well-being.
- Provide technical assistance, consultation, and training to internal and external partners on adolescent health best practices.
- Monitor program performance, evaluate outcomes, analyze data, and use findings to support continuous program improvement.
- Develop grant applications, progress reports, presentations, and other required state and federal reports.
- Represent the Tennessee Department of Health on statewide and national committees, workgroups, conferences, and collaborative initiatives related to adolescent health.
- Knowledge of adolescent development, positive youth development, and effective public health practices.
- Experience developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating public health programs or initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to develop strategic plans and translate priorities into measurable actions.
- Demonstrated ability to build partnerships and collaborate with diverse partners.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, facilitation, and technical writing.
- Experience providing technical assistance, training, and consultation.
- Knowledge of grant management, program evaluation, and performance measurement.
- Strong organizational, analytical, critical thinking, and project management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while working collaboratively across teams.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
- Bachelor’s degree in public health, Health Education, Social Work, Behavioral Science, Education, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum of three years of experience in adolescent health, public health, program management, strategic planning, or a related field.
- Experience leading statewide initiatives, grants, or community-based public health programs preferred.
- Experience working with adolescents, schools, healthcare providers, or youth-serving organizations preferred.
- Experience with grant writing, grant management, program planning, and evaluation preferred.
- State government experience is a plus.
- Applicants must reside in the State of Tennessee at the time of hire and maintain Tennessee residency as a condition of employment.
- Must successfully complete a background check.
- New hires will be required to report in person to Nashville for onboarding and equipment deployment.
- This position operates in a hybrid work environment with periodic in-person meetings in Nashville.
- Ability to travel throughout the State of Tennessee for meetings, trainings, site visits, and partner engagement activities, as needed.
- Ability to travel out of state approximately four times per year for conferences, federal meetings, and professional development opportunities.
- Travel to the Nashville office is not reimbursed.
Location: Nashville, TN 37243
Shift: Typical working hours - Monday - Friday, 8AM to 4:30PM CST, 37.5 hours per week. Not eligible for overtime.
The Adolescent Health Program Coordinator serves as the subject-matter expert for adolescent health and positive youth development, ensuring that youth perspectives inform public health strategies and programs. This position leads the development and implementation of Tennessee's Adolescent Health Strategic Plan, provides leadership for statewide initiatives, develops partnerships, manages grants and projects, provides technical assistance, and supports data-informed decision-making to improve adolescent health outcomes across Tennessee.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of Tennessee’s Adolescent Health Strategic Plan, ensuring alignment with state and federal priorities and advancing coordinated adolescent health efforts across Tennessee.
- Provide statewide leadership for adolescent health initiatives that promote healthy youth development and improve health outcomes for adolescents across Tennessee.
- Develop, implement, manage, and evaluate adolescent health programs and initiatives.
- Lead coordination of the Sources of Strength suicide prevention program in Tennessee by collaborating with implementing schools, community organizations, and local and national trainers to ensure the program is implemented with fidelity.
- Lead the statewide implementation of Screen agers: Under the Influence, including project planning, coordination, partner engagement, implementation, evaluation, technical assistance, and reporting to TDH leadership and funding agencies.
- Lead the support of Tennessee Generations (TNGen) by facilitating meetings, developing youth leadership opportunities, maintaining communication with members, coordinating youth-led initiatives, and supporting federal reporting requirements.
- Coordinate adolescent engagement strategies, including advisory groups, focus groups, and other opportunities that ensure youth perspectives are incorporated into program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- Serve as the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant (MCHBG) Social Emotional Well-Being Priority Lead and coordinate activities in collaboration with the Domain Lead.
- Build and sustain partnerships with schools, healthcare providers, community organizations, youth-serving agencies, and other partners to advance adolescent health priorities.
- Identify emerging adolescent health needs and implement effective strategies related to positive youth development, healthy relationships, sexual health education, pregnancy prevention, dating violence prevention, nutrition, physical activity, and other factors that influence adolescent health and well-being.
- Provide technical assistance, consultation, and training to internal and external partners on adolescent health best practices.
- Monitor program performance, evaluate outcomes, analyze data, and use findings to support continuous program improvement.
- Develop grant applications, progress reports, presentations, and other required state and federal reports.
- Represent the Tennessee Department of Health on statewide and national committees, workgroups, conferences, and collaborative initiatives related to adolescent health.
- Knowledge of adolescent development, positive youth development, and effective public health practices.
- Experience developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating public health programs or initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to develop strategic plans and translate priorities into measurable actions.
- Demonstrated ability to build partnerships and collaborate with diverse partners.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, facilitation, and technical writing.
- Experience providing technical assistance, training, and consultation.
- Knowledge of grant management, program evaluation, and performance measurement.
- Strong organizational, analytical, critical thinking, and project management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while working collaboratively across teams.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
- Bachelor’s degree in public health, Health Education, Social Work, Behavioral Science, Education, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum of three years of experience in adolescent health, public health, program management, strategic planning, or a related field.
- Experience leading statewide initiatives, grants, or community-based public health programs preferred.
- Experience working with adolescents, schools, healthcare providers, or youth-serving organizations preferred.
- Experience with grant writing, grant management, program planning, and evaluation preferred.
- State government experience is a plus.
- Applicants must reside in the State of Tennessee at the time of hire and maintain Tennessee residency as a condition of employment.
- Must successfully complete a background check.
- New hires will be required to report in person to Nashville for onboarding and equipment deployment.
- This position operates in a hybrid work environment with periodic in-person meetings in Nashville.
- Ability to travel throughout the State of Tennessee for meetings, trainings, site visits, and partner engagement activities, as needed.
- Ability to travel out of state approximately four times per year for conferences, federal meetings, and professional development opportunities.
- Travel to the Nashville office is not reimbursed.
See All 44 Program Director Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Program Director JobsProgram Director Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Program Director Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Technology & Software
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in program director jobs across Tennessee.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in a field directly related to the program area
- Five or more years of progressively responsible program or project management experience
- Demonstrated experience managing budgets, staff, and cross-functional teams
- Strong knowledge of grant compliance, reporting requirements, and funder accountability
- Experience with Tennessee state agency systems, contracts, or regulated program environments
- Proficiency with project management tools and data reporting platforms used in the sector
Program Director Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a program director in Tennessee?
Most program director roles in Tennessee require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, with a master's degree increasingly expected in healthcare and social services. Tennessee does not issue a universal program director license, but roles in behavioral health typically require staff to operate under a Tennessee-licensed clinical supervisor, and state-funded program directors must meet credentialing standards set by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Relevant certifications such as PMP or nonprofit-specific credentials strengthen candidacy.
Which companies hire program directors in Tennessee?
Companies currently hiring program directors in Tennessee include Blue Engine, Tennessee Board of Regents, and CESO, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Tennessee's large healthcare systems, state government agencies, and federally funded community organizations are among the most consistent sources of program director openings across the state.
Which Tennessee cities have the most program director jobs?
Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville have the most program director openings in Tennessee. Nashville dominates due to its concentration of major healthcare systems, nonprofits, and state government offices, while Memphis drives demand through its large hospital networks and federally funded community programs, and Knoxville reflects strong university-affiliated and public sector hiring.
Are there remote program director jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely analytical roles because program directors typically oversee staff, facilities, or community-facing operations that require on-site presence. About 23% of program director openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with remote options most often found in grant management, policy-focused roles, and technology-driven program administration.
How can I get hired as a program director in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a program coordinator or program manager role first, then building toward director-level responsibility. Large Tennessee employers such as HCA Healthcare, Centerstone, and the Tennessee Department of Human Services hire program coordinators who can advance internally. Volunteering or working with federally funded community organizations gives hands-on exposure to grant compliance and staff oversight. A project management certification or a master's degree in public health, social work, or public administration gives candidates a measurable edge in competitive applicant pools.
Where can I find and apply to program director jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to program director jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current Tennessee openings across industries and experience levels. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your background and location, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 44 Program Director Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Program Director Jobs