Environmental Health Director

City of Springfield•C520-Health, MA

About The Position

Responsible for administrative and technical work in the field of environmental health protection activities. Responsible for planning, implementing, supervising, coordinating, and continually evaluating the comprehensive, protective, environmental health program of the municipal health department. Work is performed with considerable technical independence in accordance with accepted practices in the field adapted to departmental policies and requirements with review through reports and conferences. Supervision is exercised over all divisional personnel.

Requirements

Extensive knowledge of public health laws, ordinances, and regulations relating to environmental, milk and food sanitation as well as quality control.
Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of environmental, milk and food sanitation as well as quality control.
Considerable knowledge of the objectives, principles and procedures of environmental, milk and food sanitation as well as quality control sanitation administration.
Ability to plan, assign, supervise and review the work of subordinates.
Ability to recognize unsanitary conditions and practices and to prescribe corrective measures.
Ability to promote interest and cooperation in environmental, food and milk sanitation.
Ability to analyze and evaluate inspection and laboratory data as the basis for technical reports and recommendations.
Ability to enforce regulatory provisions firmly, tactfully and impartially.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with owners, managers, personnel, officials, inspectors, and the general public.
Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Bachelor’s degree in biology or public health.
Minimum of five years progressively responsible experience as a municipal sanitarian, including supervisory experience.
Registration as a sanitarian under the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Sanitarians is required.

Responsibilities

Develops, recommends, implements, interprets, and administers departmental policies, regulations, and procedures relating to environmental, food, and milk sanitation and quality.
Plans, assigns, supervises, and reviews, directly and through an assistant, the work of sanitarians, and food and milk inspectors engaged in regular and special sanitary inspections of a wide variety of premises, facilities and establishments of unsanitary conditions, practices and nuisances affecting public health as well as the analytical work of the laboratory.
Reviews and correlates inspection reports and laboratory finds; provides supervisory advice and assistance and personally participates in the solution of new, unusual or emergent problems.
Maintains a continuing technical review of departmental policies, programs, procedures, services, and activities relating to environmental sanitation; recommends and implements improvements, revisions and modifications.
Conducts staff meetings and individual conferences to interpret policy, discuss problems, coordinate services, develop programs, and receive reports.
Interviews staff applicants; orients and assigns new employees; evaluates employee performance; plans, participates in in-service training and staff development programs.
Confers and cooperates with health, social and related agencies to plan and interpret programs, gives talks to civic organizations, prepares new releases and otherwise promotes community interest and cooperation in environmental sanitation.
Examines plans, specifications, profiles and percolation and ground water tests to approve or reject proposed water supply, drainage and sewage disposal systems.
Prepares all or supervises the preparation of a variety of statistical and interpretive reports; prepares and justifies divisional budget request.
Performs related work as required.