Overview:
The American Heart Association (AHA) is a national non-profit organization which promotes heart health through advocacy, fund raising, research, and education of the public and health professionals. According to their website, the AHA has a national office in the Dallas, Texas area, plus nine other offices which serve the remaining areas of the US. In addition to these offices, the AHA hires people nationwide for field positions, and a variety of territories.Many of the careers available are non-clinical. Therefore, working for the AHA could be a great way to get involved with the health care industry, even without a clinical degree or certification. Additionally, clinical positions are available such as nurses, some physician jobs, and counselors.Mission:
According to the AHA website, the organization was formed in 1924 by a group of six cardiologists who felt that the general population had a lot to learn about heart disease. The mission of the AHA is “Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.” Specifically, the organization aims to reduce the death rate caused by heart attacks and stroke by 25%, by the year 2010. Additionally, the AHA seeks to decrease the smoking rate, and eliminate the “growth of diabetes and obesity”. The American Heart Association plans to achieve these goals through education, research, and lots of fundraisers.
What Jobs are Available at the American Heart Association:
Many different types of jobs are available, including a variety of skill sets and positions. The qualifications vary widely according to the exact job. There are too many to list here; (over 200 openings nationwide, last time I checked!) below is a cross-section of available positions to provide an idea of the wide variety of jobs at the AHA.- Accountant
- Administrative Assistant
- Bookkeeper
- Business Development (Sales/Fundraising)
- Communications Director / Communications Manager(Advertising/Marketing/PR)
- Chief Science Officer (Medical Degree required)
- Director of Medical Education (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in health related field)
- Grant Writer
- Healthcare Account Manager – Emergency Cardiovascular Care Programs
- Nurse- Director of Quality Improvement
- JAVA Websphere developer (IT)
- Manager of Employee Relations (Human Resources)
- Records Management Specialist (Legal)
- Technology Coordinator (IT)
Benefits:
According to the AHA website, benefits are comprehensive, and include medical and dental insurance, life insurance, disability, and a retirement savings plan. Also, up to 16 days of Paid Time Off (PTO), plus 12 holidays annually. The AHA also provide an Employee Assistance Program for a variety of personal and professional needs (elder care, legal services, and other support services.)What's to Like:
The AHA site contains an online career center which can aid you in streamlining your job search, allowing you to create an online profile and be alerted of applicable openings as they arise. There seems to be a job for just about everyone at the American Heart Association regardless of your skill set or background. The AHA represents a great cause, impacting millions of people, which could be extremely rewarding, particularly for someone who is not certified in the medical field, but who wants to make an impact on the nation’s health!
What's Not to Like:
The salaries are not posted on the website, so this is unconfirmed, but non-profits are not known for being some of the highest paying jobs. However, an organization as large as the AHA certainly has access to financial resources which allow them to provide competitive pay to attract quality employees.
