Health Department Director

WAYNE COUNTY JOB DESCRIPTION FOR HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Salary Grade 85 ranges $98497.00 - $179510.00

GENERAL WORK FUNCTIONS

The Wayne County Health Department is the County government's principal agency for protecting the health of all citizens and providing essential public health services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. The Wayne County Health Department is responsible for managing programs that cover a vast spectrum of activities that impact public health outcomes for citizens of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds.

This position performs complex professional and administrative work planning, directing, supervising and coordinating public health programs and staff, preparing and administering agency budget, developing and managing policies and procedure, interpreting laws, policies and regulations, and related work as apparent or assigned. Work involves setting policies and goals under the direction of the County Manager and Board of Commissioners.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• This position oversees the following programs: prenatal care, women’s preventative health, birth and death registration, rabies control and containment, community health, WIC/nutrition services, immunizations, family care coordination, child health services, chronic disease monitoring, health education, environmental health, dental health, and pharmacy.
• This position will:
  •  assign, direct, and inspect the work of personnel and will evaluate, reward, transfer, promote, suspend and initiate counseling and disciplinary actions of staff
  • be responsible for bringing about the necessary personnel programs and directives to initiate a healthy and transparent work culture.
  • delegate appropriate staff scheduling, timekeeping, employee leave, proper budget expenditures, oversight of program budgets to suitable personnel
  • develop and maintain community support for department programs and services by working with other county officials, private organizations, media, and the general public.
  • is responsible for protecting and helping vulnerable children, families, and individuals by providing a continuum of high-quality outcome-driven services, advocacy, and representation
• This position will work closely with other county resources to include but not limited to: Department of Social Services, Veterans Services, Services on Aging, County Wellness, etc.
• Will be responsible for promoting and protecting he public’s health in Wayne County and for carrying out all applicable federal, state, and local rules and regulations
• Represents the agency in conjunction with other county officials, medical/dental societies, health care providers, public/private schools, and a variety of advocacy groups to influence the decision making process in order to insure adequate resources for program maintenance, expansion, and delivery
• Promote and provide access to health care and nutrition to improve the health status of those served
• Provide leadership and direct program development and implementation, establishes program standards and monitors and evaluates the quality of service delivery
• Maintains direct involvement in conflict/complaint resolution, staffing and personnel issues
• The employee in this position must be comfortable with ever-changing rules, regulations, laws, resources, and demands
• Must be comfortable interpreting and enforcing public health laws and declares health hazards as necessary to protect the public health

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to take ownership, initiative, and personal accountability
• Independently and objectively interpret and apply rules and regulations
• General knowledge of management principles, techniques, and practices
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in analyzing situations and making decisions
• Strong and clear communicator
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion
• Maintains the privacy of employees and applicants

ADDITIONAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Performs other related work as required.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

A master's degree in public health administration and at least one year of employment experience in health programs or health services;

or a master's degree in a public health discipline other than public health administration and at least three years of employment experience in health programs or health services;

or a master's degree in public administration and at least two years’ experience in health programs or health services;

or a master's degree in a field related to public health and at least three years of experience health programs or health services;

or a bachelor's degree in public health administration or public administration and at least three years’ experience in health programs or health services.

MINIMUM STANDARDS REQUIRED

TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Physical Requirements:  Must be physically able to operate a variety of office machines, tools and equipment, such as a computer, printer, copy machine, fax machine, charge card machine, calculator, or telephone. Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station.

Data Conception:  Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data.  Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships. 

Interpersonal Communication:  Requires the ability to apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others in coordinating activities of a project, program, or designated area of responsibility.

Language Ability:  Requires the ability to read a variety of informational and technical documentation, directions, instructions, and methods and procedures.  Requires the ability to write reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar, using all parts of speech. Requires the ability to speak with and before others with poise, voice control, and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice.

Intelligence:  Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives. Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.

Verbal Aptitude:  Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.

Numerical Aptitude:  Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include ability to compute discount, interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion; may include ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.

Form/Spatial Aptitude:  Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape, visually with office equipment.

Motor Coordination:  Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes in using automated office equipment.

Manual Dexterity:  Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc.  Must have the ability to use one hand for twisting or turning motion while coordinating other hand with different activities.  Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Color Discrimination:  May require the ability to differentiate colors and shades of color.

Interpersonal Temperament:  Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal stress when confronted with an emergency.

Physical Communication:  Requires the ability to talk and/or hear (talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear).

To apply: 

https://selfservice.waynegov.com/ess/EmploymentOpportunities/JobDetail.aspx?req=339&sreq=1&form=P107&desc=PUBLIC%20HEALTH%20DIRECTOR