Position Title:

Health Commissioner

Position #:

Civil Service Classification:

Unclassified

Agency Unit:

Coshocton Public Health District

Reports to:

Board of Health 

Employment Status:

Full time

40 hours/week

Pay Grade:

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Position Introduction:

The Health Commissioner is the chief executive officer of the health department. The Health Commissioner is responsible for the direct supervision of the department. The Health Commissioner assures the development, maintenance, and implementation of the Strategic Plan, Community Health Assessment, Community Health Improvement Plan, Workforce Development Plan, Performance Management Plan, Quality Improvement Plan, Branding and Marketing Plan consistent with the standards identified by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). The Health Commissioner is authorized to approve and implement all decisions regarding personnel that fall within the budget, support the approved strategic plan, and are compliant with local, state, and federal laws and regulations. The Health Commissioner is the primary representative of the department in the community. Manages a diverse public health staff and department budget. Reports to the Coshocton Public Health District Board of Health. 

Essential Duties:

·       Plans and assures the effective implementation of programs to promote and protect the health of the Coshocton County population through active participation with Community Health Assessment, Community Health Improvement Planning, Quality Improvement planning and implementation, Workforce Development planning and implementation, and Performance Management implementation

·       Approves or declines division staff requests for time away (sick, vacation, training/travel, other) in a manner that assures adequate staffing levels

·       Leads by example with regular and predictable attendance

·       Assures agency’s compliance with the agency’s records retention policy

·       Assures agency’s compliance with the agency’s policy manual

·       Meets all job safety requirements and all applicable OSHA safety standards that pertain to essential functions

·       Attends meetings, seminars, and conferences, and other job-related training sessions

·       Represents agency in the community and to the Board of Health.

·       Responds to public health emergencies in accordance with response plans using the incident command system

·       Performs any and all other related duties in order to promote, further, and ensure the effective and efficient operation of the Coshocton Public Health District

·       Charged with the enforcement of all public health and sanitary laws and regulations in the district

Duties Associated with Functions, Competencies, and Skills

·       Assures that the agency conducts organizational strategic planning and monitors progress toward strategic goals

·       Assures that the agency participates in or leads ongoing community health assessment and planning in partnership with other community stakeholders, e.g., hospitals and other health departments

·       Identifies and pursues funding from public and private foundation sources to address public health priorities identified through organizational strategic planning and community health assessments

·       Seeks volunteer leadership positions with local funding agencies, e.g., United Way, Family First Council, community foundations, to encourage them to support public health priorities identified through community health assessment processes

·       Serves on boards and committees of other community organizations to assure that the agency is fully integrated into the local public health system

·       Chairs the Coshocton County Child Fatality Review Board; assures that the Review Board complies with statutory reporting requirements and communicates its findings to the community

·       Educates state and federal legislators and policymakers about funding and policy changes needed to address current and emerging public health problems

·       Serves as primary media spokesperson for the organization on public health topics or identifies other subject matter experts for that role if appropriate for a particular topic

·       Leads organizational efforts to achieve and maintain local health department accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)

·       Coaches and supports managers and staff to help them achieve organizational and personal improvement goals and identify measures of success; creates and promotes leadership development and succession planning opportunities for managers and staff

·       Communicates regularly and frequently with Board of Health members, managers, staff, external stakeholders, and the public through in-person meetings, community forums, email, newsletters and/or written reports about trends and events of importance to the organization and the public

·       Actively involves herself/himself in peer professional organizations, e.g., National Association of County and City Health Officials, Association of Ohio Health Commissioners, Ohio Public Health Association, American Public Health Association

·       Actively involves herself/himself in stakeholder organizations

·       Continuously monitors organizational climate through surveys, focus groups and other media to assure a high level of staff morale and performance

·       Assesses job performance of direct reports on an annual basis or more frequently if necessary and identifies opportunities for individual performance improvement

·       Drafts and reviews local public health regulations that address emerging public health problems for adoption by the Board of Health

·       Convenes administrative hearings with individuals and business entities subject to enforcement action in order to resolve complaints and avoid escalated enforcement action, i.e., Board of Health orders or court action

·       Mobilizes support among the public and policymakers for public policy changes that improve health

·       Consults with municipal, township and village leaders to assure that mutual expectations for public health services are being met

·       Develops new community collaborations, coalitions and initiatives when appropriate to address emerging public health issues

Minimum Qualifications:

·       As outlined in Ohio Revised Code 3709.11, applicant must be a licensed physician, licensed dentist, licensed veterinarian, licensed podiatrist, licensed chiropractor, or the holder of a master's degree in public health or an equivalent master's degree in a related health field as determined by the members of the board of health in a general health district

·       Minimum of 2 years of administrative or supervisory experience

·       Preferred 5 years of professional public health experience

·       Must have a valid State of Ohio driver’s license and remain insurable in accordance with the agency’s insurance policy.

·       Must successfully pass drug screen and background check.

The following credentials must be acquired and maintained. These credentials are not required upon initial hire but are required to be acquired after hiring within 6 months. 

·       Have or acquire certification in National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) Incident Command Systems (ICS) levels 100, 200, 300, 400, and 700 within six months of appointment

Key

Competencies:

The following Council on Linkages Core Competencies (Adopted October 2021) for this

position include:

• Analytical and Assessment Skills: Tier 2
• Policy Development and Program Planning Skills: Tier 2
• Communication Skills: Tier 2
• Cultural Competency Skills: Tier 2
• Community Dimensions of Practice Skills: Tier 2
• Public Health Sciences Skills: Tier 2
• Financial Planning and Management Skills: Tier 2
• Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills: Tier 2

A copy of the description of the core competencies attached or can be found here: http://www.phf.org/resourcestools/Documents/Core_Competencies_for_Public_Health_Professionals_2021October.pdf

Work Environment:

The work setting is primarily in a typical office environment.  Requires frequent meetings with department personnel, other city/county departments and officials and members of the community.  Meetings will often occur outside of the department offices in the community.  Will require frequent adjustments to a typical work schedule to accommodate the needs of the community. Requires occasional travel outside of the area for training, meetings and conferences. 

Must be able to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Employees in this classification may occasionally need to relate to members of the public who exhibit challenging, atypical or hostile behaviors and/or communication.