Environmental Health Program Manager

Job Description

The salary for this position is: $7,586 – $9,979 monthly

 

Thurston County Public Health & Social Services (PHSS) is recruiting for an Environmental Health Program Manager for the Food and Environmental Services Section (FESS) in our Environmental Health Division.

 

In the role of Environmental Health Program Manager, you will oversee the staff and activities of the FESS section, Education and Outreach Team, and the Thurston County Water Laboratory. These programs are responsible for environmental health initiatives that focus on educating the public; inspecting food service facilities, swimming pools, and spas; and vector control and lead environmental assessments to ensure compliance with state and local sanitary codes. You will be an important member of the PHSS leadership team, and will assist in strategic planning for the Environmental Health Division, ensuring enforcement of county, state, and federal health laws, codes, ordinances, and regulations.

 

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

·        Plan, coordinate, and direct Environmental Health services to include developing action plans to achieve goals and objectives, and evaluate outcomes

·        Offer technical support and education to the public concerning food, pool, and school safety, and zoonotic disease prevention

·        Interpret laws and policies, assist with program development, draft policies, and make recommendations for consideration by department management and the Thurston County Board of Health

·        Provide guidance to supervisors in handling difficult and controversial matters and mediate differences between staff and citizens, contractors, builders, and local businesses

·        Respond to requests and inquiries from the public (including property owners, businesses, developers, contractors, real estate agents, and engineering professionals), the media, and other agencies and jurisdictions

·        Make presentations regarding Environmental Health activities at public meetings

·        Perform program administrative functions including budget preparation, expenditure oversight, personnel management, and grant management

·        Supervise staff to include providing regular feedback, performance evaluations, and adherence to all applicable policies and procedures of the department and County

·        Ensure staff is trained and certifications are current

·        Participate in the rotation of the Department’s Duty Officer

·        Perform other work as required or assigned, including, but not limited to, a 24/7 response during public health emergency situations and disease outbreak investigations

 

To view the full job classification, click here: Environmental Health Program Manager

 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

·        Work Environment – Quiet office setting in Olympia, Washington

·        Schedule – Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm, with the potential option of alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working

·        Travel Requirements – Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings or trainings

·        Customer Interactions – Daily interactions with Thurston County staff and the public

 

WHO WE ARE:

Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is Thurston County’s local health jurisdiction and human services department and is responsible for protecting the health and promoting the well-being of all people who live, work, and play in Thurston County. We value diversity and strive to foster a sense of belonging, honoring the unique experiences, cultures, skills, backgrounds, identities, and perspectives of our employees and community. As an agency actively working to address health equity, we aspire for everyone to have the opportunity to attain their highest level of health, regardless of their individual circumstances.

 

Thurston County values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Inclusion to us means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths. We are dedicated to recruiting and developing a talented workforce from various cultures, lifestyles, backgrounds, and perspectives who are committed to our vision and core values. Thurston County Racial Equity and Inclusion Webpage

 

WHAT WE OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES:

Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individuals’ lifestyle.
Plan For Your Future: As a member of our team, you will enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family. Please visit Thurston County Employee Benefit Plans for more information.
Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn paid vacation in addition to paid holidays.
Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage our staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
Flexible Work Schedules: Some of the options that employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
Deferred Compensation: The County offers 3 voluntary deferred compensation plans for employees who would like to set aside additional deferred tax dollars into a retirement savings plan.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Employees can take advantage of Section 125 flexible spending accounts for out-of-pocket health care and daycare expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This is a federal program which allows full-time public service employees who have made qualifying payments for certain loans, to get their student loans repaid. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
 

Why you’ll love it here: Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington’s South Puget Sound Region. Perched in between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more. The region is also home to the state capitol city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmer’s markets, kids’ activities, history, and art events. Discover more about life in Thurston County at Experienceolympia.com.

 

Message to potential applicants: We understand that some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

·        Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health, Bacteriology, Zoology Engineering, or a related natural or physical science.

·        Five (5) years of experience in professional environmental work including experience in budget preparation and program planning and implementation.  A minimum of two (2) years supervisory experience of environmental professional staff is also required.

·        Must be recognized by the Washington State Sanitarian Registration Board as a Registered Sanitarian within eighteen (18) months of the date of hire.

 

DESIRED SKILLS:

·        Knowledge of theory, principles, and practices of environmental health science, biology, and epidemiology

·        Knowledge of retail food-handling equipment and procedures, swimming pool equipment, and water chemistry

·        Knowledge of the US FDA Food Code and related state or local sanitation regulations

·        Ability to interpret and enforce complex regulations

·        Ability to exercise skill and judgment in dealing tactfully with the public while educating and maintaining good public relations

·        Strong project management, organizational, and prioritization skills

·        Strong critical thinking skills focused on identifying organizational challenges and opportunities, along with the ability to implement appropriate solutions

·        Ability to effectively and proactively manage, supervise, and oversee the performance of professional staff

·        Highly effective communication and customer service skills

 

Respect and Organizational Culture

·        Create an environment where employees and partners can safely express needs or concerns and where employees can make and correct mistakes

·        Effectively interact with sensitivity while working with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, and lifestyles

·        Thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization maintaining a positive work environment

 

Communication

·        Serve the public in a timely, complete, accurate, and professional manner while ensuring that written and verbal communication is clearly understood by others

·        Maintain cultural competency to support diverse perspectives in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of the community

·        Strong oral communication for networking and interpersonal relationships

·        Excellent written communication including the ability to craft correspondence, reports, and articles or web postings with minimal grammatical and syntax errors

 

Leadership:

·        Supervise, motivate, and develop employees and team to become more productive and effective in achieving desired goals and career growth while encouraging employee critical reflection; able to give direction without conflict

·        Show fairness and impartiality in interactions; is interested in employee welfare, elicits staff input where feasible; respond to staff suggestions and complaints in a sincere, sensitive, and timely manner

 

Goal Setting and Accomplishment

·        Use strategic thinking and planning for goal setting and evaluation

·        Effectively plan, organize, and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure

·        Create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling confidentiality, professional values, and ethics with honesty and integrity

·        Operate with a high degree of flexibility, initiative, attention to detail, and commitment

·        Delegate and use persuasion and negotiating skills for shared responsibility and acceptance of change

 

OTHER RELATED RECRUITMENT INFORMATION:

Questions about this recruitment? Please contact the hiring team at: PHSS_Hiring@co.thurston.wa.us or (360) 867-2569

 

This position is:

·        Eligible for benefits

 

Items requested for consideration:

·        Application

·        Resume

·        Letter of interest

·        Proof of licenses/certifications

 

PLEASE NOTE: The candidate selected for this position is required to show proof of the following immunizations by their agreed upon start date:

·        Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR)

·        Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap/TD)

 

Please note: Information in this announcement is subject to change without notice at any time during the length of the job advertisement.

 

THURSTON COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Thurston County is committed to provide equal opportunity to all persons seeking or having access to its employment, services and activities, which is free from restriction based on race, sex, marital status, color, creed or religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, pregnancy, status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications. Applicants with disabilities who need accommodation with the application or selection process should contact Thurston County’s Human Resources, at (360) 786-5498.  Those who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired may use the statewide relay system to reach Thurston County offices and departments to conduct their business telephonically. Relay users can simply dial 7-1-1 (or 1-800-833-6388) to connect with Washington Relay.