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Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist (CDCES, Diabetes Educator) Recruiters

Healthcare Headhunters recruits healthcare professionals for employers. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.

This is what we do all day: recruit healthcare professionals.

A CDCES hire should turn device data and patient questions into clear follow-up work for your diabetes program.

No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You interview a short list.

No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.

Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.

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What happens next

  1. We review your role, responsibilities and location.
  2. Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
  3. You meet a focused shortlist when qualified candidates fit the agreed search.
Fees.
No upfront fee. Pay only if you hire, under the signed agreement.
Exclusivity.
Set out in the signed client agreement.
Confidentiality.
We agree the brief before outreach. This is not a promise of absolute anonymity.
No hire.
No hire means no fee on standard searches.
  • CDCES
  • Diabetes Educator
What an open seat really costs

What does an open seat cost you every week?

An open role costs you more than the recruiting fee. Someone covers the work, waits for care, or stops a service. We ask what is falling behind and who is carrying it. Use your own figures to compare the cost of waiting with the cost of hiring.

01

The seat is costing you every week.

Overtime, diverted patients, a stretched team and a schedule held together by favors.

02

The posting brought the wrong people.

Applicants arrive, but the person who has done this exact work is employed and not looking.

03

You are the one chasing.

Screening calls, no-shows and follow-ups land on the desk of someone with a facility to run.

The work behind the title

What does this hire really come down to?

You may need a specialist when providers spend visits explaining CGM reports, pump basics, food patterns, or follow-up plans. The right CDCES documents the encounter, teaches within the role you define, and brings concerning findings back to the prescribing clinician.

First, decide where this person enters the patient’s day. One clinic may need new-patient education after an endocrinology visit. Another may need scheduled follow-up for people using pumps or CGMs. Define who receives referrals, who reviews messages, what gets documented, and which questions go to the prescriber. Those answers separate an educator role from a general support role.

Then decide how much device work belongs in the job. A candidate may have taught pump starts, downloaded CGM data, or explained ambulatory glucose profile reports. That does not mean they independently change medication plans. We ask how they recognize patterns, explain data without overstepping scope, document the discussion, and route clinical decisions to the right clinician.

We arrange locum tenens, travel and contract coverage on request. Credentialing, licensing and malpractice coverage are confirmed per engagement before anyone starts.

Screening

What do we check before you see anyone?

We verify the current Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist credential through the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education, or CBDCE. We also confirm the credential name matches the candidate’s work history and résumé. We ask for specific insulin pump and CGM training experience.

  • Which brands or software platforms did they use? Did they teach a first-time user, troubleshoot a download, or prepare data for a provider visit?
  • We explore how the candidate reads an ambulatory glucose profile report. They should explain what they notice, what they document, and when they bring a pattern or safety concern to the prescriber rather than making an unsupported change.
  • We review ADA or ADCES program experience. Ask how the program handled referrals, education records, follow-up measures, and team communication. Experience in one program does not make every local process familiar.
  • We examine documentation through real work examples. Ask how they record education provided, patient-stated goals, device barriers, caregiver participation, and planned follow-up in the medical record.
  • Where your role calls for an RN, RD, or another licensed discipline, we screen for the applicable active state license. You complete final credentialing and clinical assessment for your site and the scope you assign.
Sourcing

Where do we find them, and why would they move?

Endocrinology practices can produce CDCES candidates who work with a concentrated diabetes population. They may consider a move when they want a different mix of initial education, device follow-up, physician access, or schedule structure. We ask what they want to change before presenting them.

Hospital diabetes programs may offer candidates accustomed to transition planning and education around admission or discharge. RNs and RDs in primary care can also bring diabetes education experience. We clarify whether their recent work was direct diabetes education, broader chronic-care support, or nutrition counseling.

Avoid these

Which mistakes stall the search?

A common mistake is hiring a wellness coach when your role needs a verified CDCES credential and documented device education work. Another is assuming pump or CGM exposure means the candidate can use your software and documentation process without training.

03

Leaving referral ownership unclear, so providers, staff, and the educator each assume someone else will contact the patient.

Role-specific search plan

How would we run the search for this opening?

Tell us which patients are referred, who schedules education, which devices appear most often, and what the prescriber expects after each visit. If a candidate describes a CGM pattern, ask what they would document, teach, and send to the prescriber.

01

Map the work before interviews

We use that map to screen for comparable work.

02

Test judgment with a realistic case

Listen for scope awareness, clear handoffs, and accurate charting.

03

Confirm the offer details

Before an offer, confirm reporting lines, referral flow, remote or onsite expectations, license needs, and device access. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.

See the six stages every search follows

National pay snapshot
$64,070

National median annual wage. SOC 21-1091, Health Education Specialists.

BLS reports Health Education Specialists as one occupation. It does not publish a separate estimate for Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist (CDCES, Diabetes Educator), its setting or its engagement terms.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025-05, released 2026-05-15. View source. See the full guide.

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Questions

Do we need a CDCES who is also an RN or RD?

That depends on the duties you assign and your state and organizational rules. Some employers want an RN or RD background; others focus on the CDCES credential and diabetes education history. We screen to your stated role, while you complete final credentialing.

How do you assess pump and CGM experience?

We ask candidates to describe the platform, their part in training, and how they handled data review and documentation. We also ask when they involved a prescriber. This distinguishes direct device education from general familiarity.

What makes an ADA or ADCES program background useful?

It can show exposure to organized referral, education, and follow-up processes. It does not mean the candidate has worked under your exact policies. During interviews, compare their previous workflow with your charting, escalation, and scheduling process.

What if a strong candidate receives a counteroffer?

We ask why they are open to moving before we present them. A candidate may seek a different patient mix, clearer role boundaries, or a schedule change. We also revisit those reasons before an offer decision.

What do we pay if we do not hire?

No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.

Next step

What should you send us about this role?

Send us the role, where the person will work and what needs to change with this hire. We will ask about the work, not just the title. Share any license or schedule limits that could rule someone out before we begin the search.

Tell us what patients this CDCES will see, what devices they will support, and where provider handoffs occur. We will screen for the credential, work history, and judgment your opening needs.

No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.

Send us your open role

Step 1 of 2 · Your opening
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Profession and urgency (optional)
Who are you hiring?
How soon?

Looking for a job? Join our talent network.

What happens next

  1. We review your role, responsibilities and location.
  2. Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
  3. You meet a focused shortlist when qualified candidates fit the agreed search.
Fees.
No upfront fee. Pay only if you hire, under the signed agreement.
Exclusivity.
Set out in the signed client agreement.
Confidentiality.
We agree the brief before outreach. This is not a promise of absolute anonymity.
No hire.
No hire means no fee on standard searches.

Which other positions in this family should you consider?

Clinical Dietitian (Inpatient, Renal, Pediatric) · Lead Medical Assistant

How long will it take to see a short list?

That depends on the job, schedule, available people, and what your employer can offer. We discuss those constraints before outreach and update you as candidates respond. We do not promise a fixed shortlist date. We check the job brief before arranging interviews. Tell us which parts of the role you can change.

What are the replacement terms?

We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement. Ask us to walk through those terms before you sign, so you know how a replacement would work for your opening and who would start it.

What do we not do in a standard permanent search?

We do not bill standard contingency search by the hour or simply repost your job. Temporary coverage is a separate arrangement. Any retainer or different engagement must be agreed, not assumed. Tell us early if you need coverage while the permanent search runs.

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