Assistant Director of Public Health for Nursing and Behavioral Health

The Town of Needham seeks a dedicated individual to fill the role of Assistant Director of Public Health for Nursing and Behavioral Health. Under the leadership of the Director of Health and Human Services, the Assistant Director spearheads all vaccine administration and outbreak investigation efforts, manages two teams of substance use prevention professionals (one Needham specific, the other regional), oversees all maintenance and revision of public health records, manages nurses and volunteers in their clinical work, and provides community outreach and training on a variety of health-related topics.

This position directly manages a team of six full-time and one part-time staff members and indirectly manages four additional part-time staff members along with roughly 12 per diem/substitute Public Health Nurses, two to three interns per year, and roughly 48 health and medical emergency volunteers as the Town’s Medical Reserve Corps lead.

This leadership role is ideal for individuals who wish to continue their career in public health in a supportive environment with excellent benefits including comprehensive health benefits, Contributory Defined Benefit Pension Plan, 457(b) Deferred Compensation with employer match, employer-paid training and professional development, and much more!

Specific position functions, among others, include:
Operational

• Oversees and conducts communicable disease investigation, surveillance, and case management in connection with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) using the Massachusetts Virtual Epidemiologic Network (MAVEN). May occur on a “24x7” basis in emergency circumstances.
• Manages vaccine administration through the MDPH MIIS system, and is responsible for the handling, storage, and overall quality control of vaccines and other medications annually.
• Directs the implementation of vaccination clinics in response to disease outbreaks, managing and organizing large staff of part-time, per diem, and volunteer nurses and other health professionals.
• Manages nurses and volunteers in their clinical work on a regular basis, overseeing and performing a variety of public health nursing duties including the delivery of health screening programs and wellness clinics for residents and employees as well as maintenance and revision of public health records.
• Assesses reports of food poisoning and carries out activities necessary for protection of the community including investigating outbreaks traced to public eating establishments; inspecting and issuing licenses for a variety of children’s programs including camps for children, toddlers, and infants; and coordinating inspection and licensure of body art and tanning facilities.

Administrative

• Assists with the preparation and administration of the division’s operating and capital budgets.
• Prepares monthly and annual reports, conducts detailed policy analysis, researches policies and regulations, and drafts “case for change” memoranda.

Communication & Community Engagement

• Provides outreach and education regarding health-related topics to community-based agencies, health care facilities and providers, individuals, and groups.
• Collaborates with first responder agencies and municipal departments as an active member of the Town’s emergency management team, managing the training, exercising, and deployments of Needham’s Medical Reserve Corps volunteers.
• Coordinates and manages the Needham Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Program and the provision of CPR/AED training classes for Town of Needham employees and volunteers.
• Serves as Co-Chair on Needham’s Domestic Violence Action Committee (DVAC) and is responsible for managing staff members who support a number of other committees and working groups including the Substance Prevention Alliance of Needham (SPAN), the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention (NCSP), and regional four-town MassCALL3 substance use prevention group.
• Represents the Town by preparing cases for court and presenting reports to the Board of Health at monthly meetings.

The following requirements may be substituted by any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job:

• Completion of graduate coursework equal to a Master’s Degree or higher.
• Four (4) to six (6) years of related experience.
• Possession of a valid state-issued driver’s license.
• Active and valid credential as a Certified Health Officer (CHO) at the time of hire, or the ability to receive certification within one year of hire.
• Licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Active and valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification.
• Ability to maintain discretion as it pertains to confidential information including but not limited to medical and communicable disease records, pending public health-related lawsuits, criminal investigations, and other sensitive information.
• Ability to supervise and motivate a dynamic staff that provides a broad spectrum of services.
• Skill in analyzing quantitative and qualitative data and presenting findings clearly in written and oral forms.
• Evening and weekend availability, as needed.

Preferred but not Required Experience:

• Licensure beyond the Registered Nurse level—as a Nurse Midwife or Nurse Practitioner, for example—will be considered a plus, but is not required.
• Active and valid certification as an instructor in CPR is highly preferred.
• Evidence of additional graduate-level (beyond the Master’s degree level) course work or continuing professional education in the fields of public health, nursing, community health, or a related field is strongly preferred.
• Documentation of cross-training in other public health functions, especially through certifications or credentials (such as SERV Safe Food Training), is strongly preferred.

To apply, please submit your resume, cover letter, and application via our applicant portal.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on February 21, 2025.