Secretary of Health

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) protects and improves the health of all people in Washington by integrating an equity lens into policy, systems and environmental strategy and interventions. The agency works closely with the state’s 35 local health jurisdictions, 29 sovereign tribal nations and state Board of Health to deliver public health services. Together these four entities make up the decentralized governmental public health system. This system is characterized by strong relationships and shared leadership.

DOH leads the state’s efforts to contain COVID-19, including testing, contact tracing, health system surge, PPE usage and supplies, isolation and quarantine practices, data analysis and modeling and distribution of treatments and a vaccine. In addition, DOH advises the Governor’s decision-making around COVID-19 and provides guidance and expertise on Washington’s experience to the Congressional delegation and national leaders to help inform a national response.

DOH has been recognized as a national leader in its transformation into a preparedness and response organization, use of strategic policy levers to drive population-level health improvement, advancing data-driven decision-making through modernizing our informatics and data analytics work, and shoring up funding for foundational public health services...

What’s on the horizon for DOH and the state of Washington?  We have much to accomplish as a leading organization.  The agency has committed to an ambitious, transformational strategic plan over the next 10 years to modernize the way we do business in fundamental ways.  These transformations not only represent the outcomes we will achieve, but profoundly transform the way we do our work.  We will not only see our customers and partners, but also adapt the way we work to support their objectives and needs.  We will break down systems of racism and other forms of oppression inherent in our state structure, and do so with our partners. We will step aside so our communities can create a future that is of, by and for them.  This is not easy work, and requires a leader that can continue to foster these compelling transformations within the agency, the state system and the public health system in Washington State.

We also have to reimagine (and drive) the role of public health as we transform:

• Evolving and dynamic integration of public health and the health care delivery system
• Creating a whole health support system with behavioral health
• Using big data and power BI across agencies and subject areas to make system decisions
• Redefining role of public health from equity and social justice lens in things like: One Health, homelessness, and poverty reduction
• New partnerships between private and public entities

As an organization we are ready to tackle these major areas of focus.  We are excited for a leader to bring their vision, influence and human-centered leadership to leap-frog us forward.

The main campus is located in Tumwater, with Public Health Laboratories located in Shoreline and satellite offices in Richland, Kent and Spokane.  We have a mobile workforce and promote telework to reduce our environmental impact.  We continue to strive to modernize our workplaces to create an environment and culture that supports our values with shared spaces, technology and workplace wellness.  The department is organized into five functional divisions:

• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Prevention and Community Health
• Disease Control and Health Statistics
• Environmental Public Health
• Health Systems Quality Assurance

Vision

Equity and optimal health for all.

Mission

The Department of Health works with others to protect and improve the health of all people in Washington State.

Values

Good organizations know what they do and how they do it. Great organizations know what they do, how they do it, and why they do it. Our values are:

• Human-centered: We see others as people who matter like we do and take into account their needs, challenges, contributions, and objectives.
• Equity: We are committed to fairness and justice to ensure access to services, programs, opportunities, and information for all.
• Collaboration: We seek partnership and collaboration to maximize our collective impact. We cannot achieve our vision alone.
• Seven Generations: Inspired by Native American culture, we seek wisdom from those who came before us to ensure our current work protects those who will come after us.
• Excellence: We strive to demonstrate best practices, high performance, and compelling value in our work every day.

The four key strategic transformations are:

Outward Mindset - Turn the agency outward for maximum positive impact on employees, partners, customers, and the agency as a whole

Funding - Diversify and secure funding and strategically deploy resources for maximum impact

Data, Information, and Technology Innovations - Make strategic decisions and create work environments that foster the data integration, data sharing, and data analysis necessary to support better health outcomes

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion - Transform our workplace to be inclusive of employees from marginalized and underrepresented communities. Integrate the voices of underrepresented communities into all policy, program, and resource decisions. Ensure equitable access to services, programs, opportunities, and information

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Secretary engages with a wide variety of high profile and often controversial issues. This can range from topics such as disease outbreaks, tobacco and vapor product prevention and control, immunizations, health provider discipline and shellfish growing area closures. The job requires , a deep knowledge of and familiarity with the root causes that impact health (also known as social determinants of health), the ability to assess the implications for public health protection and our strategic objectives, the ability to understand and synthesize information and details that include technical issues and political factors and the ability to present information to the public and elected officials so that the health of Washington residents can be protected. 

The Secretary of Health reports directly to the Governor and serves on the Executive Cabinet. DOH has 1,852 employees and a biennial budget of $1.3 billion with a mix of funds from the state budget, federal agencies, fees, and dedicated accounts. Most of the money the agency manages (67%) is invested with partners in local health jurisdictions and communities for direct service delivery.

Key Objectives:

• Turn the agency outward by understanding and incorporating the goals and objectives of employees, partners, and customers into our actions, systems, and decisions
• Diversify and secure funding and strategically deploy resources for maximum impact
• Make strategic decisions and create working environments that foster the data integration, data sharing, and data analysis necessary to support better health outcomes
• Transform the workplace to be inclusive of employees from marginalized and underrepresented communities
• Integrate the voices of underrepresented communities into all policy, program, and resource decisions
• Ensure equitable access to services, programs, opportunities, and information

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

For this important role Governor Inslee seeks a credible, unifying leader who is deeply committed to the success of the agency and is a strategic big-picture thinker. The successful candidate will possess strong community engagement and interpersonal skills and a high level of emotional intelligence. They will have a desire to collaborate with diverse stakeholder groups including providers, community leaders, tribes, coalitions, advocates, legislators, and health and social service providers.

The preferred candidate will have experience and demonstrated success in the following areas:

• Proven large-scale leadership and management experience.
• Experience planning for and responding to emergency situations that threaten life, public health or property.
• Experience applying or leading with principles of equity, diversity and inclusion in a large, complex organization
• Knowledge of risk communication and health promotion.
• Significant fiscal responsibility in a complex organization managing budgets, which include multiple sources of funds.
• Recognition as thoughtful leader and innovator.
• Ability to lead and direct groups of diverse and highly technical employees such as physicians, toxicologists, epidemiologists, nurses, attorneys and laboratory scientists.
• Significant fiscal responsibility in a complex organization managing budgets, which include multiple sources of funds.
• High level of integrity, ethics and transparency.
• Knowledge of general principles and best practices in the field of public health.
• Ability to implement executive and legislative policies and ability to make internal policy decisions with large-scale implications.
• Successful experience working with private sector, policy makers, tribes, governments, community leaders and other stakeholders and partners.
• Experience working with public health systems and understanding the roles of and relationships between state, local and federal health agencies.
• Ability to recognize their own privilege and Commit to challenging themselves to grow in order to enable effective outcomes and working relationships in cross-cultural situations.
• Experience implementing continuous improvement methods aimed at better outcomes, simplifying processes and reducing costs.

The preferred candidate will have a passion to:

• Lead in an organizational culture of mobile work and shared, creative workspaces where employees are encouraged to show up as their authentic selves
• Lead with cultural humility and advocate strongly for equity, diversity and inclusion
• Advance health informatics
• Co-create integrated systems that are person centered crossing public health, human services, and medical and behavioral healthcare

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

An advanced degree with at least ten years of experience in a senior leadership role within a substantial and complex organization that involves leading a diverse staff and management of significant funds. Candidates should bring strengths in both external relations and high-level internal management, with an ability to balance the two.

COMPENSATION

The maximum annual salary for this position is $182,556 depending on qualifications. For physicians, the salary maximum is $218,808. Benefits include health, dental, life and long-term disability insurance; vacation, sick, family, military and civil leave; dependent care assistance program; employee advisory service; deferred compensation plans; educational benefits program; 11 paid holidays; and state retirement plans.

APPLICATION PROCESS

If you are interested in this position, submit a cover letter and a current resume or CV.

If you have questions regarding this announcement, please call Marissa Karras at 360-956-1336. The position will remain open until filled. In order to be considered for the first round of interviews, please submit your application materials by July 6^th, 2020 by visiting www.karrasconsulting.net and clicking on “view open positions.”

The State of Washington is an equal opportunity employer and is strongly committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce. We will provide assistance in the recruitment, application and selection process to applicants with disabilities who request such assistance.

LIVE AND WORK IN A GREAT STATE

Washington State is a progressive place to live and work where differences are celebrated; Washington State Department of Health employees are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. 

Washington State offers a total work/life package of pay, benefits, flexibility and workplace opportunities to help you get the most out of your career and out of life. Washington State is a great place to work, play, and be a part of a community. Washington offers a quality of life that is unsurpassed. From the high- energy urban center of Seattle, one of the nation’s top-ranked cities, to the more relaxed pace of our rural communities, Washington’s distinctive Northwest lifestyle blends a progressive, creative culture with a casual nature.

The position is located in Tumwater, located just outside of the city of Olympia which is the capital city of Washington State. Olympia and Tumwater are vibrant cities with a small- town feel conveniently situated between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Mount Rainier and the rugged Cascade Mountains provide majestic scenery to the east while Washington’s Pacific Coast is just an hour’s drive to the west. Olympia and the surrounding area enjoy the benefits of an engaged and educated community and a well-supported school system, augmented by two universities and a community college.