What are the responsibilities and job description for the Executive Director (E.D.) - Public Health Services position at Harris County?
Position Description
The Executive Director of Harris County Public Health Services (E.D.) leads a team of approximately 900 employees to improve and protect the health and well-being of Harris County residents. The E.D. manages an annual budget of approximately $225 million in local, state, and federal funding. The E.D. oversees a large portfolio of programs serving the 4.8 million residents of Harris County. The portfolio includes essential public health services such as mosquito and vector control, epidemiology (e.g., surveillance and emerging diseases), environmental public health (e.g., lead hazard abatement, neighborhood nuisance abatement, and food safety and inspection), community health and wellness programs (e.g., Women, Infants & Children, dental health, mental and behavioral health, disease prevention, and direct preventive services), outreach and education promoting healthy behaviors, and public health preparedness and response. The E.D. oversees and leads the public health response to any public health crises, including the spread of infectious diseases or other public health emergencies. In addition, the E.D. oversees veterinary public health, violence prevention programs, coordinated care programs, health equity, and an office of planning and innovation, as well as support functions including finance, HR, operations (fleet, technology, and asset management), and compliance, in close collaboration with Countywide functional leadership.
The E.D. must be a community-centered, collaborative, transparent, and outcome-driven senior leader with proven experience driving documentable performance improvement, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and working with community, governmental, and philanthropic partners. The E.D. must be experienced in advancing health equity, addressing and eliminating health disparities, and have a proven commitment to this work.
Over the next five years, the E.D. will focus on implementing Goal 4 of the Harris County Strategic Plan/Framework: Improve physical and mental health outcomes across all communities. This includes three objectives: (1) Improve the health behaviors of community members; (2) Increase access to quality health care, including preventive and behavioral health; and (3) Improve children's health outcomes. The E.D. will accomplish this work by adhering to the County's seven Guiding Principles which include: serving people first, leading with accountability, embracing change, engaging partners, prioritizing equity, empowering employees, and investing responsibly. In addition, the E.D. will ensure the existing, approved Public Health strategic plan aligns with the Countywide Strategic Plan. The Executive Director plays a pivotal role in driving the alignment of the County's Public Health strategy and operations with the overarching goals and objectives outlined in Harris County's Strategic Plan.
If the E.D. is a licensed practicing physician, the selected appointee will also serve as the Local Health Authority for Harris County. If the Executive Director is not a physician, the selected appointee will need to appoint a physician as the Health Authority for HCPH, subject to the approval of Harris County Commissioners Court.
The E.D. reports to the County Administrator and is expected to work directly with Commissioners Court members and their staff.
- Strategic Focus: Maintains focus on emerging issues and strategic opportunities to support new public health initiatives or existing initiatives that should be brought to a scale that address social determinants of health with the intention of reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes across Harris County.
- Team Leadership and Management: Manages 900 department personnel, which includes training, hiring/firing, monitoring work performance, delegating as appropriate, and conducting performance evaluations. Ensures team members are aligned and conducting their work in compliance with all applicable best practices, policies, procedures, rules, and laws.
- Resource Allocation: Manages and operates a $175M budget and human resources efficiently and effectively, in alignment with the County's Strategic Plan/Framework.
- Collaboration: Ensures that all HCPH Divisions (7) and Offices (5) are working in collaboration with County departments and Commissioners Court offices to implement Commissioners Court’s approved goals, objectives, strategic plans, policies, and programs. Maximizes collaboration with the Houston Health Department to ensure effective countywide public health activities and with the Harris Health System to connect public health activities to healthcare and other Harris Health outcomes. Develops strategic partnerships and maintains close working relationships with community-based organizations, elected officials, business leaders, local hospitals, research institutions, advocacy organizations, nonprofits, and experts to support the department’s work.
- Performance Management: Measures and reports on inputs, outputs, efficiency, and outcomes of policies, programs, and initiatives implemented by the department and makes recommendations to the County Administrator and Commissioners Court on program changes.
- Process Improvement: Oversees continuous process and performance improvement efforts and builds capacity for change management within the department.
- Quality Assurance/Quality Control: Creates benchmarks for quality standards for each area of work based on current research and best practices in public health and implements QA/QC procedures to ensure quality standards are met or exceeded.
- Communication & Reporting: Reports regularly to the County Administrator on the status of initiatives, programs, and activities of the department and accepts feedback and direction.
Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.
This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.
Requirements
- Doctor of Medicine (MD), Master of Public Health (MPH), or other directly relevant degree(s) from an accredited college or university.
- At least eight (8) years of full-time, paid, professional experience in public health or the healthcare system with a documented progression in job responsibilities, including team building and management, high-level decision-making, budget management, service delivery, and community engagement.
- At least five (5) years experience managing a large team with a broad span of control and multiple direct reports.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Communication & Reporting: Reports regularly to the County Administrator on the status of initiatives, programs, and activities of the department and accepts feedback and direction.
- Knowledge of change management, project management, and team building principles as well as budget and finance, procurement, and human resources policies and practices.
- Knowledge of and commitment to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion and demonstrated success in the implementation of programs and policies that further racial, ethnic, and gender equity in the public health arena.
- Demonstrated skill in applying for and managing public and philanthropic grants.
- Demonstrated commitment to and track record of advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and opportunity in operations and public health program design.
- Experience leading and driving innovative and bold organizational change in a complex organization, tracking performance related to that change, reporting results, and addressing roadblocks.
- Ability to prioritize and delegate assignments to meet Commissioners Court’s directives in a timely manner while managing staff workload levels.
- Ability to establish positive relationships, maintain the highest standard of professional and personal ethics and behavior, and accept and provide supervision.
- Ability to drive organizational culture and build/manage high-performing teams.
- Ability to provide counsel, interface with, and obtain feedback from a diverse range of stakeholders, including executive-level staff.
- Ability to quickly and continuously learn about all County operations and Texas laws, statutes, functions, and programs and Commissioners Court’s goals and objectives, to ensure the department is providing the appropriate service support to other County departments and offices.
- Ability to build, manage, and motivate a team with expertise in public health and associated areas, including, but not limited to, social determinants of health, health equity, epidemiology, research and data science, environmental health, vector control, clinical programming, violence prevention, and veterinary services.
- Ability to work amidst ambiguity with high emotional intelligence, curiosity, integrity, ethics, and transparency.
- Well-versed in best practices for and has a demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity in public health and healthcare.
- Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic equity and eliminating disparities and to elimination to those in the field of Public Health.
- Highly skilled in oral and written communication, with the ability to review and edit memos, policy documents, research reports, press releases, grant applications, scopes of work, and other documents.
- Skill in the use of Microsoft Office and project management applications.
NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.
General Information
- Regular Full-time | Executive leadership position
- Monday – Friday
- Is expected to be available as needed.
- Depends on Qualifications
- Based on 26 pay periods
- This position is generally based in an office environment, where the use of standard office equipment including computers and peripherals is expected.
- This position makes presentations to Commissioners Court on departmental items as needed.
- Field presence may be required as part of the incident or disaster response.
- Some travel to state or national events is required.
- This is largely a sedentary role. However, requirements include the ability to lift up to 10 pounds, open filing cabinets, and bend or stand as necessary.
Reporting Relationships:
- Reports To Position: County Administrator
TO APPLY:
Link to Job Post: https://recruiting-source.com/wp-content/plugins/bullhorn-oscp/#/jobs/2344
Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.
Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.
- Medical Coverage
- Dental Coverage
- Vision Coverage
- Wellness Plan
- Life Insurance
- Long-term disability
- Employee Assistance Program
- Ten (10) days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service
- Accrual rates increase based on years of service
- Eleven (11) County-observed holidays and one (1) floating holiday
- Professional development opportunities
- Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
- Healthcare Reimbursement Account
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
- Retirement Pension (TCDRS)
- Flexible schedule (varies by department)
- Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program)
In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.
