Director Communicable Disease & Epidemiology

at  ChelanDouglas Health District

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

The CD-Epi Director is directly responsible for overseeing the operation of the CD-Epi Department. The CD-Epi Director plays a key role on the Chelan-Douglas Health District management team. This team works together to lead the Chelan-Douglas Health District and connect the different lines of effort to prevent disease, promote health, and protect the health and safety of people in our community. The CD-Epi Director reports to the Chelan-Douglas Health Administrator and/or Deputy Director and works to implement their leader’s intent. As a senior leader the CD-Epi Director will regularly brief the Board of Health and work with them to develop or advance public health policy across the health district. The CD-Epi Director works closely with the district Health Officer in the enforcement of public health regulations, surveillance of public health, and supervises disease investigation. This position will also work with local partners, Washington State Department of Health, and other governmental partners as necessary to improve epidemiological surveillance and assessment. This role will also participate in Foundational Public Health Services Subject Matter Expert activities through the Washington State Association of Local Public Health Officials.
The CD-Epi Director manages the Health District’s CD-Epi Programs, which may include assessment of community needs, development of long-term strategies and goals for the Health District, and the planning and implementation of public health programs. The position monitors staff and program performance and provides effective supervision to the members of the team they lead. The CD-EPI Director develops and monitors program budgets and resources and assures effective implementation of grant and contract deliverables and of the reporting required by funding sources. This position may include grant writing and other fund raising activities.
The CD-Epi Director leads the North Central Washington Epidemiological Consortium (NCW Epi Consortium) that consists of Region 7 (Okanogan, Grant, Kittitas, Chelan, and Douglas Counties). This group is made up of epidemiologists and assessment coordinators from the five NCW counties. The CD-EPI Director provides support for epidemiological projects including; assessment, outbreak investigation and response, technical support for emergency planning, and ongoing disease surveillance.
Successfully leading the public health efforts of Chelan-Douglas Health District requires working effectively with the leadership of other health organizations and other public health partners. This position requires discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• High standard of integrity, ethics, and work performance for self and others.
• Ability to establish and coach a team towards a vision.
• Innovation, improvement, and professional growth in self and others.
• Goal-oriented direction and effective collaborative problem solving.
• Ability to comprehend highly technical material and explain to a non-technical audience.
• Demonstrated ability to form and mobilize partnerships, stakeholder involvement, and collaboration in a multicultural community.
• Inter-personal and conflict management skills.
• Diplomatic ability to influence and direct policy decisions in a professional manner.
• Ability to delegate staffing and time effectively.
• Understanding of public health theory, principles, and practice such as the Foundational Public Health Services, Core Functions of Public Health, and the Ten Essential Services.
• Knowledge of Epi-CD programs and technologies.
• Knowledge of applicable CD-Epi health laws and regulations, including provider orders, confidentiality, contact tracing, etc.
• Ability to independently manage work assignments to ensure timely work-products.
• Ability to accurately communicate regulatory requirements to the general public and industry professionals.
• Ability to review, update, and enforce District policies and procedures to ensure consistent regulatory outcomes.
• Ability to use standard PC applications and other technology as applicable.
• Ability to prioritize workload to ensure articulated deadlines are met.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, supervisees, other divisions and agencies and the general public.
• Knowledge of general office business practices, procedures and equipment.
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in a wide variety of circumstances and to people of differing levels of understanding.
• Knowledge of worksite safety issues, scopes of clinical practice and use of personal protective equipment.
• Excels at working in a team
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of financial and managerial accounting.
• Competency in computer software applications including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, medical records, etc.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS (MINIMUM):

• Master’s degree in a field closely related to epidemiology, public health, population health, or clinical practice (Nursing, Medicine, etc.) from an accredited college or university
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in epidemiology or communicable/infectious disease or a field closely related; at least three (3) years at a supervisory or administrative level.
• Must have, or be able to obtain, a valid Washington State Driver’s License.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Doctoral degree (PhD, DrPH, or related field) with demonstrated research, grant writing, policy or publication experience.
• Advanced understanding of public health principles and practices including policy development, data-driven population-based decision-making, community health assessment, epidemiology, laws, management and administrative practices.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job with or without accommodation:

• Visually or otherwise identify, observe, and assess distance, color, and depth, required to regularly communicate with others and exchange accurate information.
• Able to operate a computer and other office productivity equipment, able to remain stationary at a computer for extended periods and move around their assigned workspace.
• Frequently move up to 25 pounds and occasionally move up to 50 pounds. The employee must be able to work within different temperature changes, indoors to outdoors; moving between buildings, inventory racks and working around moving equipment/machines; occasionally ascend/descend a ladder or stairs as required.
• Ability to comply with the health policy or requested accommodation.
• May be required to wear PPE as needed.

This job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give you a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of what this position requires. As the nature of business demands change, so may the essential functions of this position.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS):

• Leads the Chelan-Douglas Health District team in implementing the direction of the health district and ensures compliance with statutes and regulations pertaining to public health.
• Through epidemiologic, disease surveillance, and qualitative processes, regularly collects and analyses data and information about the health needs of Chelan and Douglas Counties.
• Tracks public health indicators, notifiable conditions, and metrics and uses them to make data-driven decisions with the Health Officer.
• Prioritizes communicable disease activities and balances staff workload for the department.
• Collaborates with the Washington State Department of Health and North Central Washington Epi Consortium to monitor the burden of disease.
• Provides technical assistance to the NCW Epi Consortium, facilitates meetings and collaborates with regional members to create and achieve the shared vision of the consortium.
• Performs high level analysis of evidence to determine appropriate solutions and prioritize interventions.
• Supports the CD team and Health Officer in outbreak and disease investigations.
• Continuously monitors and evaluates procedures, interventions, and programs.
• Applies available CD-Epi resources to meet daily priorities while aligning with short and long term goals.
• Assists the Health Administrator and Deputy in providing information on public health issues and programs to the Board of Health, other elected officials, and to the public.
• Demonstrates the ability to inspire staff as well as constructively accept and incorporate feedback from the team they lead.
• Oversees budget and manages the CD-Epi health program revenue and expenditures in a way that maintains financial transparency across the health district.
• Oversees the general informatics system for the CD-Epi health department in partnership with operations and the Health Administrator to make sure that it is maintained and updated regularly.
• Ensures accountability and compliance with all legal CD-Epi public health regulations as well as requirements with all CD-Epi health grants and contracts awarded to the Chelan-Douglas Health District.
• Effectively shares surveillance data, health information and education with colleagues, practitioners, clients, policy-makers, interest groups, media, and the public through public speaking, print, electronic, and in-person communication in an appropriate manner.
• Determine priority public health problems and actions in a local community and interacting effectively with local, state, and federal agencies.
• Delivers community-focused solutions to protect and enhance public health and support the well-being of individuals, families, and local communities.
• Models best practices to serve stakeholders with a helpful, educational, and respectful demeanor at all time and coach’s staff to do the same.
• Collaborates effectively with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), other state agencies, Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) and government agencies.
• Oversee, develop, and regularly update the internal policies and procedures of the CD-Epi Health Department.
• Develops and manages multi-year comprehensive projects and programs.
• Develops community health assessments (CHAs) and community health improvement plan (CHIP) by engaging stakeholders on emerging CD-Epi Health issues.
• Serve effectively as a member of statewide organizations and workgroups.
• Work effectively with neighboring Health Administrators and CD/Epi Directors to collaborate and standardize CD-Epi health practices and policies as appropriate for North Central Washington.
• Works in collaboration with the Washington State of Local Public Health Officials to inform state wide policy and practice.
• Ability to generate key messages and information to provide to the public information officer (PIO), or community, during outbreaks, investigations or emergency response situations.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job with or without accommodation:

• Visually or otherwise identify, observe, and assess distance, color, and depth, required to regularly communicate with others and exchange accurate information.
• Able to operate a computer and other office productivity equipment, able to remain stationary at a computer for extended periods and move around their assigned workspace.
• Frequently move up to 25 pounds and occasionally move up to 50 pounds. The employee must be able to work within different temperature changes, indoors to outdoors; moving between buildings, inventory racks and working around moving equipment/machines; occasionally ascend/descend a ladder or stairs as required.
• Ability to comply with the health policy or requested accommodation.
• May be required to wear PPE as needed