Public Health Preparedness and Response Unit Manager 2026-01750

State of Wyoming•Cheyenne, WY

About The Position

The Public Health Preparedness and Response (PHPR) Unit Manager serves as the subject-matter expert for public health emergency preparedness and response. This position manages and supervises all Unit operations to ensure Wyoming is fully equipped to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from public health incidents.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree
4-6 years of progressive work experience in (typically in Emergency Preparedness) with acquired knowledge at the level of an Senior Emergency Preparedness Analyst
Knowledge of Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals and foundational skills for public health practice.
Knowledge of public health preparedness and response, and emergency management planning and operations.
Knowledge of the Incident Command System.
Skill in personnel management and leading a diverse team.
Skill in using word processing, database, spreadsheet, and software packages.
Skill in writing and editing technical documents, including grants and plans.
Skill in preparing and monitoring budgets, work plans, and contract deliverables.
Skill in establishing logistical chains.
Skill in the management of disaster response operations.
Skill in project management.
Skill in creating a strong customer service focus.
Ability to organize and prioritize workload and meet deadlines, including occasional tight turnaround times.
Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Ability to present complex information to a variety of lay audiences.
Applicants must have the ability to qualify for a Secret Security Clearance.
Successful applicants for employment must pass a limited criminal background investigation.

Nice To Haves

Experience in public health
Master’s degree in public health, or a closely related field
6–8 years of progressive, specialized work experience in public health

Responsibilities

Review, design, and implement comprehensive emergency plans and readiness standard operating procedures to guide state and local public health emergency activities.
Regularly review the Unit’s progress toward Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) strategic goals, cooperative agreement objectives, and specific Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) capabilities and performance measures.
Ensure that staff are trained and demonstrate proficiency in the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals.
Maintain general oversight of emergency exercises and drills to ensure they meet WDH logistical needs and comply with federal grant mandates.
Ensure the PHPR Unit operates efficiently and meets federal and state requirements, including the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program and the Healthcare Preparedness Program (HPP).
Serve within the incident management system for public health events as needed.
Manage, guide, mentor, coach, counsel, and evaluate a technically diverse team, including both direct and secondary supervision responsibilities.
Implement disciplinary procedures as necessary.
Responsible for recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, workload assignment, performance appraisals, and recommendations for disciplinary actions up to and including termination.
Supervise and develop public health emergency specialists across emergency disciplines, including Planning, Training, Exercises, and Communications.
Maintain fiscal accountability over multiple complex federal funding streams, overseeing an annual operating budget of $6+ mil annually (encompassing Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Healthcare Preparedness, and Crisis Response allocations).
Act as the primary point of contact for the CDC Project Officer; Principal Investigator on the PHEP cooperative agreement; grant writer and manager of PHEP grant and Crisis Response funding applications; draft budget plans, funding requests, and required state and federal reports.
Review and oversee the HPP grant, budget, and work plan.
Review, approve, and monitor the progress of all Unit contracts, Memorandums of Agreement (MOUs), and regional funding mechanisms annually to minimize organizational financial and legal risk.
Oversee subrecipient monitoring for county and tribal public health agencies to meet contract deliverables, including capabilities and benchmarks outlined in local funding agreements.
Maintain strategic communication networks with federal, state, and local partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wyoming Air and Army National Guard, United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), local emergency managers, law enforcement, and hospitals.
Provide technical assistance and logistical support to various units across the WDH as needed and upon request.
Provide technical assistance, including expenditure compliance, and address challenges that arise with carrying out the contract deliverables.
Maintain open and strong lines of communication.
Work collaboratively with the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory Administrator and State Epidemiologist to ensure that PHEP laboratory and epidemiology deliverables receive adequate resources and support.
Represent the state on multi-state consortia to cultivate cross-border mutual aid and resource-sharing models for large-scale public health emergencies.