Director of Environmental Health

Purpose of Position:

Provide oversight and management of services to ensure the public is safe from adverse environmental health issues related to water, wastewater, solid waste, hazardous waste, environmental contaminants, air, food, vectors, and residential and institutional environments. Demonstrate leadership by providing work direction, motivation, training, assistance, performance evaluation and corrective action.

Uphold the organization's vision, mission, and corporate values. Demonstrate understanding of and compliance with organization's policies, procedures, code of conduct and work rules.

Essential Functions:

• Perform leadership functions including selection, scheduling, training, performance management and discipline; reviews and evaluates quality of work performance; carries out program policies and develops new policy/procedures as needed; instills passion in assigned staff for NSHC's mission, vision, and values, paying particular attention to the maintenance of a safe and productive work environment. Demonstrate personal initiative and accountability while overseeing the department's budget; Forecast needs, allocate resources and/or take corrective action as necessary.
• Meets with Tribal leaders to identify and prioritize environmental health and safety concerns and assists tribes with developing strategies to resolve environmental health concerns. Promote the adoption of environmental health related codes and ordinances designed to protect public health.
• Monitors public health conditions in the villages, including impacts related to climate change. Documents and investigates areas of concern under the direction and with the assistance of the Tribe.
• Plan for and assist with the Village Safe Water Program and Indian Health Service annual funding processes for solid waste projects.
• Manages or oversees the management of Stat of Alaska Lay Vaccinator Program within the NSHC region. Provide animal rabies vaccinations and maintains rabies lay vaccinators in the villages.
• Provide consultative services to the other departments, village health clinics, partner organizations, head start programs, and tribal environmental programs
• Directs applicable environmental health surveillance activities. As needed will conduct environmental health surveys of village health clinics, solid waste sites, source water protection areas, healthy homes, air quality, fresh and marine water quality, conduct epidemiological investigations of environmentally related disease outbreaks, and assessment activities related to emergency response and recovery. Oversees the OEH Drinking Water Lab, ensures the lab maintains state microbiology lab certification, manages the Quality Assurance Program, ensures analysis services provided are high quality and meets the needs of the region..

• May also conduct or assist with environmental health research, investigations, or other special projects; research and apply for grants to help fund OEH program services;

• Perform other duties as assigned

Personal Traits:

All Norton Sound Health Corporation employees are expected to consistently demonstrate the organization's values: integrity, cultural sensitivity and respect for traditional values, continual learning and improving, compassion, teamwork and pride. Employees are expected to demonstrate integrity, professionalism, accountability, cooperation with and consideration of others.

Required Knowledge:

All Norton Sound Health Corporation employees are expected to have general knowledge of typical office technologies such as computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, and typical office software.

Job Specific knowledge is listed below:

• Knowledge of general principles of environmental health practice. This includes drinking water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection & treatment, ambient and indoor air quality control, solid and hazardous waste collection & disposal, food safety, injury prevention, vector control, and the control of residential and institutional environments.
• Knowledge of the social determinants of health, health equity, and environmental justice.
• Knowledge of 10 Essential Environmental Public Health Services
• Knowledge of basic research and statistics principles.

Required Skills and Abilities:

All Norton Sound Health Corporation employees are expected to have a broad range of skills and abilities centered around a strong patient focus, efficient performance, and teamwork. All employees should have patient/customer service skills, interpersonal skills and good communication skills. All employees should have the ability to manage their time and organize their work to ensure efficient performance. In addition, all employees should have the ability to follow policy, procedure and instructions, actively communicate with their supervisors to ensure understanding and manage their work accordingly. Finally, all employees should have the ability to understand and manage patient/customer confidentiality.

Job specific skills and abilities are listed below:

• Ability to effectively manage staff and budgets.
• Ability to work independently and be a self-starter.
• Interpersonal and networking skills and ability to work with both small and large groups.

• Ability to speak and present in front of large audiences and communicate complex ideas and principles in an easily understandable manner.
• Organizational skills with attention to detail and ability to implement several projects simultaneously.
• Technical and professional writing skills and ability to write and review reports and grant proposals.
• Ability to work effectively with Alaska Native populations and local, regional, and statewide agencies and organizations in rural Alaska.

Proficiency in computer use including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Publisher, & PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat software applications.

Minimum Requirements

Education

Degree

Program

Bachelor's Degree. Master's of Public Health is preferred.

Environmental Health, Public Health, Science or related field

Experience

General (Non-supervisory)

Supervisory

Amount:

3 years is preferred

working in an environmental health or public health related field

2 (years)

supervising, managing, or directing the work of other employees

Type:

Must have both general and supervisory experience if indicated.

Credentials

Licensure, Certification, Etc.

Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) with the National Environmental Health Association; valid driver's license.

Physical Requirements:

Use hands and arms to operate office or clinical equipment

Sit less than half the workday

• Stand and/or walk more than half the workday

Bend, stretch, twist, crouch and/or reach

• View electronic monitors for prolonged periods of time

• Use hands and arms for repetitive motion tasks consistently for more than one hour at a time

Lift or carry unaided up to 50 pounds

• Push or pull using more than moderate force
• See and hear with normal acuity

Working Conditions:

• Work is conducted in a standard office environment, an outside "field" environment, and a standard clinical environment to include exposure to latex, biohazard or other harmful substances-Some travel is required (between 25 and 50% of the time)

Travel is required via large aircraft

Travel is required via small (less than 16 passenger) aircraft

Travel is required using snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, or boat

• Work may be conducted outside in inclement weather conditions.