Director of Programs, Public Health Preparedness - National Association of County and City Health Officials

Be a part of a dynamic team whose work enriches the health of communities by strengthening city and county health departments. At the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), we are united by our work to improve our country's over 3,300 U.S. local health departments. We represent the voice of local public health while striving to live out our core values of equity, excellence, participation, respect, integrity, leadership, science and innovation. We provide our employees with meaningful work, opportunities to learn and grow, a strong work/life balance, and a flexible, hybrid work schedule while being a part of a collaborative team.

We are interested in growing our team with passionate, committed, and innovative individuals. The Director of Programs, Public Health Preparedness will join NACCHO at a time of dynamic growth. This position is important in the Programs Department, and the core responsibilities of the position include:

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Programs organizes and manages a significant function or program of NACCHO, including the supervision of staff members at the Senior Specialist, Specialist or Associate levels. The Director of Programs develops the processes and programs required to implement the unit’s strategy and manage the resources of the function - both financial and human. The Director of Programs is accountable for the effective day-to-day operations and results of the unit and develops and implements initiatives to ensure results are attained and quality standards are met. Positions at this level typically report to a Senior Director or Senior Advisor and require advanced knowledge and experience in an area of specialization as well as significant management capabilities. Incumbents generally have eight or more years of experience in their discipline and a Bachelors Degree of the equivalent, as well as substantive experience at the Senior Specialist level. Graduate level degrees may be considered in lieu of experience.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

NACCHO’s Public Health Preparedness work spans both practice and policy helping to build sustainable capacity for local public health emergency response. NACCHO’s preparedness portfolio aims to create, collect, and disseminate innovative tools and resources and to build and strengthen relationships with LHDs, partners, and stakeholders. The Preparedness Program Director will support work with the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This Director position is responsible for providing direct management of ASPR and DHS funded projects which include the MRC Cooperative Agreement. The Project Director will be responsible for establishing the overall priorities for the Cooperative Agreement and contracts between ASPR, DHS and NACCHO. The Project Director will assure that NACCHO’s work for ASPR and DHS is connected and integrated into the broader work of the organization and that all member needs related to public health preparedness. Particular attention will be paid to the efforts of the Medical Reserve Corps.

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a network in the U.S, of community-based volunteer units initiated and established by local organizations to meet the emergency preparedness and public health needs of their communities. NACCHO’s MRC Program, funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, Office of Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response, MRC Program Office, serves as an essential partner providing MRC unit grant awards, core competency, capacity building, and leadership training directly to units across the nation.

This individual will contribute to the advancement of local public health practice by performing a variety of activities related to strategic planning and program implementation, external partner relations; internal programmatic oversight; and resource development around public health preparedness.

General responsibilities include operational oversight for project strategic planning, coordination, and evaluation; budget development and management; collaboration with internal and external partners; support to NACCHO advisory committees, other NACCHO members, and staff on project activities; serving as liaison to federal project officers and other funders; and project promotion.

NATURE OF WORK

NACCHO’s Public Health Preparedness work spans both practice and policy helping to build sustainable capacity for local public health emergency response. NACCHO’s broad preparedness portfolio aims to including projects with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Homeland Security create, collect, and disseminate innovative tools and resources and to build and strengthen relationships with LHDs, partners, and stakeholders.

This Project Director position is responsible for providing direct management of ASPR funded projects including the MRC Cooperative Agreement. The Project Director, in collaboration with the ASPR Project Office and the Office of the Medical Reserve Corps, will be responsible for establishing the overall priorities for the Cooperative Agreement between ASPR and NACCHO. The Project Director will assure that NACCHO’s work for ASPR and the MRC is connected and integrated into the broader work of the organization and that all member needs related to public health preparedness and the Medical Reserve Corps are met.

COMPETENCIES AND EXPECTATIONS:

• Ensures that regular communication occurs based on the needs of the work, the individual, management or the situation.
• Fosters an environment conducive to open, transparent communications among all levels.
• Makes use of specialized knowledge to assist staff, internal and external stakeholders in resolving problems.
• Uses ‘non-technical’ language skillfully to ensure effective communication with stakeholders and staff from all levels of understanding.
• Considers the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success, when making a decision.
• Considers organization’s capabilities, mission, vision, values, and strategic goals and objectives in work efforts.
• Identifies individuals who have the technical expertise to respond to inquiries on specific topics.
• Uses all available information appropriately to guide decisions and negotiations to meet objectives, while acting with integrity.
• Assesses, manages and takes calculated risks to achieve goals.
• Understands the political environment, management priorities, staff roles and responsibilities, and grasps external factors impacting the organization
• Applies rules and regulations in a consistent, non-biased manner.
• Understands and executes the various stages of the grant lifecycle including pre-award review, grant progress monitoring, and award closure.
• Develops and manages the scope of a project (e.g., project objectives, team, tasks, deliverables, timelines, hours, costs).
• Understands management and organizational principles pertaining to areas of responsibility (e.g., delegations of authority, administrative procedures) in order to plan and conduct complex studies to assess organizational operations
• Incorporates an awareness of current and future management directives, required functional and technical expertise, resource requirements, and targeted stakeholders into annual plans.
• Analyzes programs for productivity and efficiency gains, and provides recommendations to management officials on the most effective position/skill mix, work processes, organizational structures, etc.
• Translates new performance management policies into actionable goals for one’s own team/program and holds self and others accountable to achieving the goals.
• Provide leadership in recruitment, performance standards and management, goal setting and staff development.
• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Project Management - Develops project plans; coordinates projects; communicates changes and progress; completes projects on time and budget; manages project team activities.
• Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; maintains confidentiality; listens to others without interrupting; keeps emotions under control; remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.
• Delegation - Delegates work assignments; matches the responsibility to the person; gives authority to work independently; sets expectations and monitors delegated activities; provides recognition for results.
• Managing People - Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; takes responsibility for subordinates' activities; makes self available to staff; provides regular performance feedback; develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth; Solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); fosters quality focus in others; Improves processes, products and services.; continually works to improve supervisory skills.
• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions; displays orientation to profitability; demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; aligns work with strategic goals.
• Diversity - Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; educates others on the value of diversity; promotes a harassment-free environment; builds a diverse workforce.
• Ethics - Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.
• Strategic Thinking - Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; analyzes market and competition; identifies external threats and opportunities; adapts strategy to changing conditions.
• Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; makes timely decisions.
• Motivation - Sets and achieves challenging goals; demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; measures self against standard of excellence; takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; develops realistic action plans.
• Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments.
• Safety and Security - Observes safety and security procedures; determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; reports potentially unsafe conditions; uses equipment and materials properly.
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Innovation - Displays original thinking and creativity; meets challenges with resourcefulness; generates suggestions for improving work; develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.

POSITION SPECIFIC DUTIES:

• Directs and oversees program management functions for projects related to their designated specialty of work.
• Serves as principal point of contact for requests and inquiries regarding issues related to their designated project(s).
• Contributes to long-term team project planning, including identifying future activities and searching and applying for additional funding to support their designated specialty area of work.
• Ensures collaboration across unit to maximize programs operational effectiveness and value added.
• Serves as resource to program staff to ensure timely, high quality deliverables.
• Assists Senior Director or Senior Advisor in connecting project work across the portfolio.
• Provides overall supervision and mentoring of staff to ensure completion of project activities and professional growth and development.
• Develops project work plans and ensures the timely completion of project objectives and activities.
• Supervises programmatic staff in implementing program work plans.
• Oversees development and completion of project reports.
• Develops and oversees process and outcome evaluation of project activities.
• Ensures fiscal requirements of projects related to their designated specialty of work are met.
• Manages program budget in collaboration with Senior Director and NACCHO grants management and finance staff.
• Sustains existing resources to support NACCHO’s activities related to their designated specialty of work.
• Develops continuation and competitive grant proposals for their designated specialty area of work as well as for other related work.
• Represents NACCHO at national, state, and local meetings, conferences, and other public events on issues related to their unit, as needed.
• Liaisons with other national organizations, industry, and federal, state, and local partners, as appropriate.
• Ensures representation of local public health interests in meetings, events, or products related to their designated specialty of work, as appropriate.
• Represents the Senior Director or Senior Advisor at internal and external meetings, as designated.
• Assists the Senior Director, Senior Advisor, or Chief of Programs in other matters, as assigned.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/SKILLS:

Bachelor's degree in relevant professional field with a minimum of 8-10 years relevant work experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, including a relevant certification. Master’s degree and certification in a relevant field preferred.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of public health issues at the local, state, and/or federal level.
• Strong understanding of cooperative agreement, grant management and contract processes, especially from Federal funders.
• Knowledge of public health and scientific concepts as it relates designated program area.
• Knowledge of association or membership organization environments.
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, specifically Word and Excel.

Skills

• Advanced grant and cooperative agreement development and management skills
• Advanced budget management skills
• Strong program evaluation skills
• Strong meeting facilitation skills
• Strong research and organizational skills
• Excellent writing skills
• Excellent oral & interpersonal communication skills
• Excellent analytical skills
• Strong attention to detail

Abilities

• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or government regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers and the general public.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• Ability to provide effective coaching and constructive feedback to enhance the job performance of others.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with diverse groups and interact effectively with coworkers, NACCHO members, partner agencies, funders, and other external stakeholders.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information in a professional manner.
• Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry.
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportion to practical situations.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Spreadsheet and Word Processing software experience required.

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Occasionally required to sit.
• Occasionally required to walk.
• Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally required to talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to bend, lift or climb stairs.
• Occasionally required to lift light weights (less than 25 pounds).

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The noise level in the work environment usually is moderate.

Salary Range: $101,882 - $108,266

SELECTION PROCESS

The selected candidate must reside in the Washington, DC – Maryland – Virginia (DMV) area within 30 calendar days of their start date.

We only accept applications that follow the electronic process. No phone calls please. This position is subject to background screening. Qualified applicants should send a cover letter with salary requirements and resume to: PN – 428 Director of Programs, Public Health Preparedness.

https://naccho.clearcompany.com/careers/jobs/6cbdd475-bd4f-5f90-18f4-cf4cad3a4874/apply?source=3263694-CS-2909

NACCHO offers generous benefits package such as:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD insurances
• 15 days of paid vacation & 13 days of sick leave and other types of leave
• 403(b) Retirement plan,
• Hybrid Remote Work Available
• NACCHO is a qualified employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

At NACCHO, our commitment to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action seeks to ensure a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We respect and value work force diversity among all employees and all those with whom we do business.