Every day, roughly 370 employees work behind the scenes to fulfill the mission of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department: To protect and improve the health of all people and places in Pierce County. The work in almost 25 program areas means you can safely enjoy a meal, drink safe tap water, breathe clean air and stay illness-free. That's why public health is essential.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is an independent government agency with an appointed policymaking body. Board of Health members serve a two-year term. The Pierce County Council appoints three regular members. The Tacoma City Council appoints one regular member. Both the Pierce County Executive and the Tacoma Mayor serve on the Board of Health and may delegate the position if desired. The Pierce County Cities and Towns Association appoints a regular member. The Pierce County Medical Society appoints a regular member.
The work of the Department includes the following:
Communicable Disease Control
Prevents and controls the spread of diseases
Investigates and limits disease outbreaks.
Ensures people with diseases such as HIV/AIDS, whooping cough, and tuberculosis get care.
Prepares for and responds to emergencies.
Ensures food in restaurants and schools is safe to eat.
Environmental Health
Helps communities become healthier places to live, learn, work, and play.
Ensures people have access to healthy foods and healthy environments.
Makes sure water is safe to drink and swim.
Protects air quality so you can breathe easy.
Strengthening Families
Helps children, families, and communities thrive.
Supports families with young children.
Provides treatment, counseling, education and prevention for substance use disorder.
Coordinates comprehensive oral health in communities.
Administrative Services
Ensures our organization is high-performing, innovative and quality focused.
Ensures financial sustainability and capacity.
Ensures a responsive, well-trained and competent workforce.
Provides timely and effective communication.
Ensures optimal facilities and technology infrastructure.
Guides the Department's journey to become an anti-racist and multicultural agency
Analyzes data for assessment and evaluation
Vision
Healthy People in Healthy Communities.
Mission
We protect and improve the health of all people and places in Pierce County.
Priorities
People are healthy and safe here.
People have equitable opportunities for health.
Children, families and communities thrive.
Our organization is high performing, innovative and quality focused
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Values:
Equity We work to eliminate racism and cultivate a multicultural organization. We prioritize communities with the greatest needs to improve health for all. With our partners, we create policies, foster trust, and promote justice to improve social, economic and environmental conditions. We create spaces where everyone belongs. We act.
Integrity We show honesty, trust and fairness in words and actions. We encourage professional and personal growth. We share knowledge and skills with our colleagues and partners. We rely on one another and know those we serve rely on us. We help.
Respect We value our customers, partners and co-workers. We celebrate diversity in all forms. We pursue kindness, compassion and acceptance. We listen to and learn from others and encourage people to share ideas. We care.
Leadership We are all leaders, leading from different roles within the agency. We make sound decisions consistent with our values and policies. We strive for and promote excellence. Our communication is clear, positive and constructive. We serve.
ABOUT THE POSITION
Governed by a local board of health and guided by state legislation, the Health Officer reports to the Director of Public Health and serves as the medical subject matter expert for the department.
This position plays a strategic and critical role in collaborating with diverse partners representing many communities to set local public health priorities and policy.
This position will be involved in and participate on various committees and collaborations in the community. The Health Officer assesses the community health status, provides overall direction and guidance related to public health matters, and advises public health professionals, constituents, county leadership, and the Board of Health on community health issues.
Responsibilities:
Enforces the public health statutes of the state, rules of the state board of health and the secretary of health, and all local health rules, regulations and ordinances, including imposition of penalties authorized under state laws, within Pierce County.
Controls and prevents the spread of any dangerous, contagious, or infectious diseases that may occur within Pierce County.
Informs the public about the causes, nature, and prevention of disease and disability and the promotion and improvement of health.
Identifies emerging medical and environmental issues; confers with and makes recommendations to appropriate staff on public health-related policies and programs.
In collaboration with the Director of Public Health, advises the Board of Health on matters of public health importance in the community and makes recommendations to the Board on policies and programs.
Participates in assessing the health status of the community.
Serves as the official registrar for vital statistics.
Provide guidance, consultation and policy direction in a medical capacity to physicians, laboratories, hospitals, health care providers, schools, correctional facilities and the public for diagnosis, mitigation and prevention of reportable communicable diseases, including sexually transmitted diseases and Tuberculosis.
Promotes the advancement of maternal and child health.
Provides medical consultation to public and environmental health programs in compliance with Washington State law and local ordinances.
Provides medical leadership during a public health threat or emergency and determines the level of response required, with the authority to declare a public health emergency.
Works with the local medical community on medical issues related to Public Health.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
For this important role the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department seeks a credible, unifying leader who is deeply committed to serving the Tacoma-Pierce County Community. Successful candidates will have a solid understanding of what community public health is, a passion for public health and serving communities disproportionately affected by poor health outcomes.
The preferred candidate will have experience and demonstrated success in the following areas:
Knowledge of public health programs, policies, laws and regulations.
Knowledge of epidemiology, general principles of medicine, infectious diseases, and environmental health inspection, enforcement, and regulations.
Ability to demonstrate a commitment to valuing health equity and racial justice.
Ability to communicate complex medical information to people with various levels of understanding.
Ability to establish and maintain positive, effective working relationships and rapport with healthcare providers, elected officials, staff, representatives of other agencies and businesses, and diverse members of the public.
Ability to demonstrate cultural competency, interacting sensitively, effectively, and professionally with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages and lifestyle preferences.
Ability to perform epidemiological investigation of diseases prevalent in the area.
Ability to interpret laws, ordinances and regulations relating to the control of preventable diseases.
High level of integrity, ethics and transparency.
Knowledge of principles and practices of the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections and other acute and chronic diseases prevalent in the area.
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.
Qualifications
Candidates must possess a license to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in the State of Washington; a Masters of Public Health (may be completed within the first 3 years of employment); and a minimum of five years’ experience as a licensed practicing physician.
In addition, registration with the Drug Enforcement Agency for prescription of controlled substances or ability to obtain such registration within 60 days of employment is required.
COMPENSATION
The annual salary range for this position is $200,740 - $267,280 depending on qualifications.
Benefits Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department offers an excellent pay and benefits package, combined with the opportunity to provide innovative Public Health services to our community, making this a rewarding place to work!
Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance: The Department pays a significant portion of these premiums for employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and dependent children.
Life Insurance: The Department provides a term Life Insurance policy equal to the employee's annual salary, up to a maximum of $50,000. Affordable voluntary, spouse, and dependent life insurance is also available.
Long Term Disability Insurance (LTD):The Department provides a base LTD policy which provides 40% income replacement for participants who are unable to work due to illness or injury for greater than 180 days. Buy-Up LTD is available at group rates and provides 60% income replacement to participants who are unable to work due to illness or injury for greater than 90 days.
Retirement:Eligible employees participate in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (TERS). TERS is a defined retirement benefit plan funded by both the employee and the Department. We also have a 457 Deferred Compensation retirement program available which allows individuals to set aside a portion of their income on a tax deferred basis.
Additional Benefits include:Generous paid vacation, sick, personal, and holiday leave; Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA); Employee Assistance Program; On-site Fitness Center; Commute Trip Reduction program;; Direct Deposit; Infant at Work Program; Safety Program, and Executive Benefits Plan.
APPLICATION PROCESS
If you are interested in this position, submit a cover letter and a current resume.
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 December 8, 2023 by visiting www.karrasconsulting.net and clicking on “view open positions.”
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is strongly committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce. We want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve, and we commit to recruiting accordingly. We partner with our racial, ethnic and other communities to honor their voices and mobilize their strength. You will support our work to become an anti-racist, multicultural organization. And you’ll be part of an agency that creates policies, practices and actions to achieve health equity and make Pierce County a better place for everyone. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer embracing the rich diversity of our community. We comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment.
LIVE AND WORK IN A GREAT COUNTY
Pierce County offers a quality of life that is unsurpassed. From the high- energy urban center of the City of Tacoma, to the more relaxed pace of rural communities, Pierce County’s distinctive Northwest lifestyle blends a progressive, creative culture with a casual nature. Pierce County boasts tremendous outdoor opportunities with miles of Puget Sound waterfront, Mt. Rainier National Park, 180 fresh-water lakes, alpine and cross-country skiing a short drive away and nationally ranked year-round golf courses in the vicinity, while also offering all the urban amenities. Major industries include health care, technology, agriculture, timber products and military installations. Pierce County’s moderate climate combined with a contrasting geography of water and mountains encourage a wealth of year-round outdoor activities such as sailing, kayaking, fishing, skiing and hiking.
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:Every day, roughly 370 employees work behind the scenes to fulfill the mission of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department: To protect and improve the health of all people and places in Pierce County. The work in almost 25 program areas means you can safely enjoy a meal, drink safe tap water, breathe clean air and stay illness-free. That's why public health is essential.The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is an independent government agency with an appointed policymaking body. Board of Health members serve a two-year term. The Pierce County Council appoints three regular members. The Tacoma City Council appoints one regular member. Both the Pierce County Executive and the Tacoma Mayor serve on the Board of Health and may delegate the position if desired. The Pierce County Cities and Towns Association appoints a regular member. The Pierce County Medical Society appoints a regular member.The work of the Department includes the following:Communicable Disease Control•Prevents and controls the spread of diseases•Investigates and limits disease outbreaks.•Ensures people with diseases such as HIV/AIDS, whooping cough, and tuberculosis get care.•Prepares for ...and responds to emergencies.•Ensures food in restaurants and schools is safe to eat.• Prepares for and responds to emergencies.Environmental Health•Helps communities become healthier places to live, learn, work, and play.•Ensures people have access to healthy foods and healthy environments.•Makes sure water is safe to drink and swim.•Protects air quality so you can breathe easy.Strengthening Families•Helps children, families, and communities thrive.•Supports families with young children. •Provides treatment, counseling, education and prevention for substance use disorder.•Coordinates comprehensive oral health in communities.Administrative Services•Ensures our organization is high-performing, innovative and quality focused.•Ensures financial sustainability and capacity.•Ensures a responsive, well-trained and competent workforce.•Provides timely and effective communication.•Ensures optimal facilities and technology infrastructure.Vision Healthy People in Healthy Communities. MissionWe protect and improve the health of all people and places in Pierce County. Priorities•People are healthy and safe here.•People have equitable opportunities for health.•Children, families and communities thrive.Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Values:•Equity We work to eliminate racism and cultivate a multicultural organization. We prioritize communities with the greatest needs to improve health for all. With our partners, we create policies, foster trust, and promote justice to improve social, economic and environmental conditions. We create spaces where everyone belongs. We act.•Integrity We show honesty, trust and fairness in words and actions. We encourage professional and personal growth. We share knowledge and skills with our colleagues and partners. We rely on one another and know those we serve rely on us. We help.•Respect We value our customers, partners and co-workers. We celebrate diversity in all forms. We pursue kindness, compassion and acceptance. We listen to and learn from others and encourage people to share ideas. We care.•Leadership We are all leaders, leading from different roles within the agency. We make sound decisions consistent with our values and policies. We strive for and promote excellence. Our communication is clear, positive and constructive. We serve.
