Summary

The Environmental Health Services (EHS) Division of Public Health – Seattle and King County is seeking applicants from diverse backgrounds who are representative of our King County population to apply for the position of Assistant Division Director for Community Environmental Health. 
 
Working collaboratively with four program leaders and supporting approximately 30 staff, the Assistant Division Director is responsible for overseeing the On-site Sewage System (OSS) Permitting, Operation and Maintenance, and Plumbing and Gas Piping Inspection programs, and supporting the development of new bodies of work. This senior division leadership position reports to the Director of the Environmental Health Services Division and is one of three Assistant Division Directors.
 
The Assistant Division Director will serve on the senior management team and act on behalf of the director in the director’s absence in state and regional environmental public health discussions. This role requires partnership and coalition building with many different work units, external partners, and regulatory agencies. You will represent the division and department in interagency partnerships and processes, and in regulatory, policy and political arenas. You will also work with staff and subject matter experts to align land use planning, environmental regulatory codes, gas and plumbing codes to inform decisions.
 
To be successful, you must be able to facilitate open dialog with a wide variety of contributors, sometimes balancing conflicting interests or opinions. You will enjoy working in a fast-paced, political environment to strategically advance safe and healthy water and wastewater treatment. You will be able to work with program subject matter experts to use evidence-based best practices and scientific data to make and communicate decisions. You will enjoy developing people and teams and be effective at developing productive relationships with agency partners and regulated entities.
 
Background
Through the work of over 160 dedicated employees, the Environmental Health Services Division promotes healthy and equitable environmental conditions and prevents disease through sanitation, safe food, air, and water, and reduction of exposure to hazardous materials. In addition to permitting and inspecting public pools, spas, pet businesses, plumbing installations, on-site septic systems, and solid waste facilities, the division also works in partnership with community to address unhealthy environmental conditions and leads the department’s climate change efforts. Our vision is healthy, safe, and vibrant communities that are free of health disparities based on race, gender, or economic status. The Division’s core values include equity and social justice, integrity, community service, collaboration, a supportive work culture, and learning from each other and the communities we serve. To learn more, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/ehs.
 
This senior division leadership position reports to the Director of the Environmental Health Services Division and is one of three Assistant Division Directors. The Assistant Division Director will serve on the senior management team and act on behalf of the director in the director’s absence in state and regional environmental public health discussions.

Information Sessions
We will be holding information sessions for candidates interested in learning more about the role and recruitment process. These sessions will take place on September 25, 2024, 8:30-10 AM, and will be for 15 minutes, so there is limited availability. If interested in attending, please contact Alison Hoffarth at ahoffarth@kingcounty.gov to schedule a time by September 20, 2024 5:00 PM and please include “CEH Information Session” in the email subject line.  
 
Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
 
The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
 
We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.
 
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx
 

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum):
 

• A minimum of five (5) years of recent and verifiable management experience in a large organization, with a well-developed broad range of management skills (including staff supervision, collaborative leadership, team consensus building, and strategic planning). Experience must include full oversight of personnel assigned to one of the following work disciplines serving environmental programs: 
  1. community services; 
  2. environmental planning; 
  3. regulatory compliance and land use; OR 
  4. education and engagement. 
• Knowledge and skill in the principles and practices of successful supervision, employee coaching and performance management. A minimum of four (4) years of experience directly supervising diverse personnel. 

 
Competencies You Bring: 

• Manages Complexity - Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. 
• Makes Courageous Decisions - Making good and timely decisions that align regulatory and political context while also meeting customer needs and promoting racial equity. • Ensures Accountability - Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments through strategic planning, using data and other tools. 
• Ensures Accountability - Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments through strategic planning, using data and other tools.
• Supports Effective Teams – Providing guidance to program supervisors and leads to build strong teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve a common goal, including addressing personnel issues. 
• Navigates political pressures – Working with elected officials, partner agencies, and the public to build systems that enhance current and future services, using advanced skills in communicating, negotiating, and identifying solutions that balance everyone’s interests within the financial capacity and staffing constraints. 
• Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military), volunteer experience, or life experience that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills in supplemental question #1 and how they apply to this position.

 
The most competitive applicants will have the following experience and qualifications (Desired):

• Master of Science degree in Environmental Health/Sciences, Master's Degree in Public Health, Public Administration or Public Policy, OR a closely related field OR equivalent professional experience. 
• Demonstrated experience with grants and contracts. 
• Demonstrated experience in policy and strategy development. 
• Ability to successfully navigate in a union environment to support staff and ensure program needs are met.
• Knowledge of and experience applying change management principles.