Director of Public Health

Town of Andover•Andover, MA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Under the policy direction of the Board of Health and the general direction of the Director of Health and Human Services, the Director of Public Health is responsible for the leadership, administration, and operation of the Town’s Public Health Division. The Director oversees environmental-health regulation and enforcement, inspectional services, communicable-disease control, emergency preparedness, public health programming, and the supervision of Division staff. The Director serves as the Town’s principal technical authority on environmental and regulatory public health matters and ensures compliance with applicable federal and state laws, sanitary and environmental codes, Town bylaws, Board of Health regulations, SAPHE 2.0 requirements, and Foundational Public Health Services standards.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in environmental health, public health, environmental science, biological science, or a closely related field required.
At least seven years of progressively responsible municipal or governmental public health experience, including substantial responsibility for environmental-health inspections, regulatory compliance, and enforcement, is required.
At least three years of supervisory or management experience is required.
Certified Health Officer (CHO): Must be held at appointment or obtained within three years of hire.
Valid motor vehicle operator’s license
Current Title 5 System Inspector certification
At least two of the following at the time of appointment: Soil Evaluator certification, Massachusetts Lead Determination Inspector license, Certified Pool Operator certification, Food Protection Manager certification, Registered Sanitarian
FEMA Incident Command System certifications ICS 100, ICS 200, and NIMS 700 must be held at appointment or obtained within six months.
Thorough knowledge of Massachusetts public health laws, environmental and sanitary codes, food-service regulations, housing standards, septic-system requirements, lead requirements, nuisance-abatement procedures, and other laws and regulations enforced by local boards of health.
Thorough knowledge of environmental-health inspection, investigation, documentation, compliance, and enforcement practices.
Knowledge of administrative-hearing procedures, housing court processes, and the preparation of enforcement documentation.
Working knowledge of communicable-disease surveillance, investigation, control, and reporting.
Working knowledge of public health emergency preparedness and response.
Knowledge of municipal budgeting, grants, procurement, personnel administration, public records, and public-sector operations.
Knowledge of SAPHE 2.0 requirements and Foundational Public Health Services standards.
Ability to direct the operations of a municipal Public Health Division and maintain effective regulatory and inspectional services.
Ability to supervise and evaluate a multidisciplinary staff, establish accountability, assign work, and address performance concerns.
Ability to establish priorities, manage competing demands, and make timely and defensible decisions.
Ability to lead staff through operational and regulatory changes while maintaining continuity of essential services.
Ability to manage budgets, grants, contracts, revenues, records, and reporting requirements.
Ability to interpret and apply complex laws, codes, regulations, policies, and scientific information.
Ability to evaluate inspectional findings, assess public health risks, and determine appropriate corrective or enforcement action.
Ability to analyze operational problems and develop practical and legally supportable recommendations.
Ability to exercise sound judgment in emergency, enforcement, and other sensitive public health situations.
Ability to prepare complete, accurate, and well-supported reports, orders, recommendations, and other official documents.
Ability to explain technical and regulatory matters clearly to the Board of Health, Town officials, employees, residents, regulated entities, and community partners.
Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Ability to conduct productive meetings and present information in public settings.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Town departments, government agencies, healthcare providers, schools, businesses, and members of the public.
Ability to enforce requirements firmly, consistently, tactfully, and impartially.
Ability to respond professionally to contentious, sensitive, or high-profile public health matters.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in public health, environmental health, public administration, or a closely related field is preferred.
Experience advising a Board of Health, managing budgets and grants, supervising a multidisciplinary public health workforce, and coordinating complex enforcement matters is strongly preferred.
ICS 300 must be obtained within one year, and ICS 400 and NIMS 800 must be obtained within two years.

Responsibilities

Directs the day-to-day operations of the Public Health Division and establishes work plans, operating procedures, service standards, workload priorities, and performance expectations.
Ensures that the Division fulfills its statutory, regulatory, inspectional, communicable-disease, and emergency preparedness responsibilities.
In coordination with the Director of Health and Human Services, develops and manages the Division’s operating and capital budgets, grants, revolving funds, contracts, procurements, revenues, and required reports.
Evaluates Division operations and uses workload, compliance, and performance information to allocate resources and improve services.
Ensures the Division is prepared to meet evolving SAPHE 2.0 requirements and Foundational Public Health Services standards.
Maintains current knowledge of public health laws, regulations, professional standards, and emerging environmental-health issues.
Directs and conducts environmental-health inspections and investigations in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, sanitary and environmental codes, Town bylaws, and Board of Health regulations.
Provides technical direction and oversight in food safety, housing, septic systems and Title 5, swimming pools, lead, public health nuisances, hoarding conditions, disease vectors, and other environmental-health matters.
Reviews complex inspectional findings and determines the appropriate regulatory, corrective, or enforcement response.
Ensures that inspections, complaint investigations, follow-up activities, and enforcement actions are completed consistently, accurately, and within required timeframes.
Provides technical assistance to Division staff regarding the interpretation and application of environmental-health laws, regulations, codes, and professional standards.
Maintains sufficient technical and inspectional proficiency to perform inspections and investigations.
Ensures consistent, timely, firm, and impartial enforcement of public health laws, codes, regulations, and orders.
Issues or oversees the issuance of inspection reports, notices of violation, orders to correct, emergency orders, and other enforcement documents.
Coordinates complex enforcement matters with Town Counsel and other municipal departments when appropriate.
Prepares documentation and evidence for administrative hearings, housing court proceedings, and other legal actions.
Represents the Public Health Division in administrative hearings, court proceedings, and enforcement-related meetings as required.
Monitors compliance with enforcement orders and ensures appropriate follow-up action.
Serves as the principal professional and technical advisor to the Board of Health.
Prepares or reviews meeting agendas, staff reports, technical analyses, proposed regulations, enforcement recommendations, and supporting materials.
Presents inspectional, regulatory, operational, and public health matters to the Board of Health.
Recommends the adoption or revision of local public health regulations and policies.
Implements and ensures appropriate follow-through on actions and directives of the Board of Health.
Keeps the Board informed of significant regulatory, inspectional, communicable-disease, and emergency-preparedness matters.
Directly supervises the professional, inspectional, clinical, and administrative employees assigned to the Public Health Division.
Establishes clear responsibilities, performance expectations, workload priorities, and service standards.
Assigns and reviews work, provides technical guidance, conducts performance evaluations, and addresses performance or conduct concerns.
Identifies training and professional-development needs and ensures that employees maintain required licenses, certifications, and technical competencies.
Promotes appropriate cross-training and continuity of essential Division operations.
Fosters a professional, collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented work environment.
Oversees vaccine administration and billing operations, including applicable payer agreements, third-party billing, vaccine-related revenues, and the clinical revolving fund.
Ensures the Division maintains effective systems for communicable-disease surveillance, investigation, control, and reporting.
Coordinates communicable-disease responsibilities with the Public Health Nurse, schools, healthcare providers, regional public health partners, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Ensures compliance with applicable isolation, quarantine, reporting, confidentiality, and public health requirements.
Provides administrative oversight for vaccination clinics and other clinical or disease-prevention activities conducted by the Division.
Ensures sensitive personal and medical information is appropriately protected and that applicable confidentiality and HIPAA requirements are followed.
Supports community education concerning environmental health, communicable-disease prevention, and other matters within the Public Health Division’s authority.
In coordination with and at the direction of the Director of Health and Human Services, leads the Public Health Division’s emergency preparedness, response, and recovery activities.
Oversees the Medical Reserve Corps function assigned to the Town, including coordination, volunteer readiness, grant compliance, required reporting, and participation in regional preparedness activities.
Ensures that emergency dispensing site plans, continuity procedures, mutual-aid arrangements, and other required public health emergency plans remain current.
Represents the Public Health Division within the Town’s emergency management structure as needed.
Participates in drills, exercises, emergency activations, and after-action reviews.
Ensures compliance with applicable public health emergency-preparedness grant requirements and deliverables.
Coordinates environmental-health, inspectional, and enforcement matters with Planning, Building, Conservation, Public Safety, Schools, Public Works, Town Counsel, and other municipal departments as appropriate.
Provides technical public health input on development proposals, housing conditions, environmental concerns, and other matters within the Division’s regulatory responsibilities.
Provides expertise regarding environmental-health, regulatory, inspectional, communicable-disease, and emergency-preparedness matters.
Communicates technical and regulatory information clearly to residents, property owners, businesses, community organizations, Town officials, and other stakeholders.
Responds to public inquiries and complaints and ensures appropriate follow-up by Division staff.
Builds public understanding and trust through accurate, timely, and professional communication.
Represents the Public Health Division on appropriate municipal, regional, and state committees and professional working groups.
Attends Board of Health meetings and other evening meetings as required.
Responds to urgent public health matters outside regular working hours when necessary.
Performs related duties consistent with the responsibilities of the position.