The Association for association professionals in Chicagoland

Title:    Specialist, Practice 

Department/Unit: Practice/Professional Affairs

FLSA Status: Full-time, Exempt

Location:  This position is located onsite at the APTA headquarters in Alexandria, VA

About APTA

Do you want to contribute to an organization dedicated to improving societal health? Would you like to collaborate with colleagues who are passionate about making a difference? Are you excited to work in a new state-of-the-art building designed to encourage movement, participation, and employee health?

Then you want to work for APTA!

APTA is the trusted leader for the physical therapy profession, representing more than 100,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapy students. Our approximately 150 employees support the association’s mission to build a community that advances the profession of physical therapy to improve the health of society. Learn more in our Association Profile.

Located in Alexandria, Virginia, APTA has outstanding employee benefits, including flexible work schedules, generous retirement contributions, and travel subsidies for employees who choose public and active transportation.

Summary

The Specialist, Practice advances APTA’s practice quality initiatives by supporting implementation, operations, and engagement efforts that drive member growth, retention, and value.  As part of the Practice and Research department’s Professional Affairs unit, this role contributes to organizational, scientific, membership, and operational strategies while ensuring alignment with departmental and association-wide priorities.

The Specialist brings broad clinical experience across diverse care settings, along with expertise in prevention, health promotion, and population health. The position supports volunteer groups, appointed bodies, and APTA leadership, helping to develop resources, manage workflows, and meet compliance and documentation requirements. Additionally, the role identifies opportunities for continuous quality improvement to strengthen departmental performance and stakeholder experience.

Through effective collaboration and communication, the Specialist, Practice serves as a champion for APTA’s vision, mission, and brand, supporting initiatives that elevate practice quality and advance the profession.

Essential Functions: 

• Executes planning and goals for the practice quality initiatives. Coordinates and implements practice quality initiatives services, benefits, and communications.
• Represents APTA to members, potential members, and the public in alignment with staff values, employee policies and expectations.
• Executes practice quality initiatives with organizational, departmental and program OKRs, KPIs, and CSFs.
• Produces performance metrics and reporting to ensure transparency and data-driven decision-making.
• Engages, if appropriate, with member groups, stakeholders, and external partners to represent APTA’s practice quality initiatives.
• Proposes innovation, and executes practice quality initiatives experience platforms, engagement tools, and service delivery model in collaboration with departmental leadership.
• Adheres to legal, ethical, and organizational standards and compliance in all practice quality initiatives operations.

Staff Expectations

• Upholds and fosters APTA Staff Values
• Complies with all APTA policies and procedures
• Performs other duties as assigned to foster achievement of association priorities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in physical therapy, health sciences, or related field
• Experience in practice quality initiatives implementation, or project management within a nonprofit, association, or mission-driven organization
• PT licensure; DPT preferred
• Project coordination or public health certification a plus
• 3-5 years of experience; experience in associations or non-profits in the practice quality initiatives, preferred
• Strategic thinking skills
• Presentation skills
• Project management skills a plus
• Excellent communication skills – written and verbal

Travel Requirements

Up to 10%, local and national

How To Apply

Please send resume and cover letter, including salary requirements, when applying.

Principals only; no agencies; no phone calls, please.  Candidates selected to participate in an interview will be contacted by Human Resources.

The American Physical Therapy Association is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

APTA participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information, please visit e-verify.uscis.gov.

APTA is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and invites and welcomes applicants with diversity of experience, mindset, and skills to add value to APTA and our staff community.

About American Physical Therapy Association

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is an individual membership professional organization representing more than 100,000 member physical therapists (PTs), physical therapist assistants (PTAs), and students of physical therapy. APTA seeks to improve the health and quality of life of individuals in society by advancing physical therapist practice, education, and research, and by increasing the awareness and understanding of physical therapy's role in the nation's health care system.APTA prohibits preferential or adverse discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, or health status in all areas including, but not limited to, its qualifications for membership, rights of members, policies, programs, activities, and employment practices. APTA is committed to promoting cultural diversity throughout the profession.APTA is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and invites and welcomes applicants with diversity of experience, mindset, and skills to add value to APTA and our staff commUNITY.

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