STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Public Health Section Chief

Hybrid

Recruitment #231108-0564MP-001

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Introduction


THE POSITION
The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH), is currently seeking a qualified individual for the position of Public Health Section Chief. This position will serve as a direct report to the Branch Chief of the Environmental Health & Drinking Water Branch (EHDW) and will oversee the Drinking Water Section (DWS). The position will be responsible to administer and assure compliance with state and federal drinking water regulations, assure public drinking water quality and quantity oversee consistent enforcement of drinking water requirements, work to address public water system sustainability, consistently integrate the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program, and consistently address other drinking water management functions across the DWS.  

Within DPH the Drinking Water Section (DWS) has responsibility for the development, implementation, compliance and enforcement of regulations that ensure the safety, quality, and adequacy of approximately 2,350 public drinking water systems. Since 1977, the DPH has been delegated primacy from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement and enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and since the early 1900s CT DPH has a series of state laws which must be implemented and enforced that concern the preservation and protect of public drinking water quality and quantity.

Under the direct supervision of the EHDW Branch Chief, the PHSC will be responsible for the oversight of critical core functions of Connecticut’s drinking water primacy program as it relates to administration of safe drinking water standards under state and federal laws that concern public drinking water. This position will be responsible for direct management of the DPH Drinking Water Section; direct management of several Units and Unit supervisors and their staff within the Drinking Water Section; work with EHDW Branch Chief on development of public drinking water strategic planning initiatives, programmatic measure development and tracking; and developing plans and programmatic legislative updates while under the direction of the EHDW Branch Chief and Commissioner’s Office leadership team.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • UNIT: Environmental Health and Drinking Water Branch (EHDW) 
  • ADDRESS: 410 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT
  • WORK HOURS: Full-time, first shift, 40 hours per week
  • SCHEDULE: Typical work schedule of Monday through Friday
    • A hybrid work schedule may be available. 
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU 
  • The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule
  • A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings
  • Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings
  • Generous paid time off, including 13 paid holidays per calendar year
  • Professional growth and development opportunities
  • A healthy work/life balance to all employees
  • State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.  Click here for more information.
DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO
  • Engage in a rewarding career;
  • Provide support to a division that is passionate about improving the lives of those we serve; 
  • Assist our clients so they can achieve success;
  • Make a difference in the public sector;
  • Work together in a collaborative team environment.
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ABOUT US 
The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state. 

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: 
Please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page.

Please Note: In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited.  If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.

TO APPLY
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 
  • You must specify your qualifications on your application. You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.
  • In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
AFTER YOU APPLY 
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • NOTE: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
  • Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
CONNECT WITH US 
  • Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. 
  • Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Jensine Tran at jensine.tran@ct.gov. 

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Public Health this class is accountable for directing the design, development and implementation of multi-faceted health services programs of an assigned section.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Coordinate, plan and manage programs within the Drinking Water Section;
  • Provide leadership and direct oversight of safe drinking water regulatory requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and of state law that protects the adequacy and purity of the state’s drinking water supply;
  • Work to assure safe drinking water compliance and enforcement, work to assure compliance with all safe drinking water regulations;
  • Direct implementation, collaboration and integration with the DWSRF Program and investment of drinking water funding;
  • Provide leadership for, and implementation of, public health protection strategies for the CT DPH working with stakeholders within Connecticut, New England, the Northeast and nationally in the area of public drinking water regulation and oversight;
  • Proactively, and for the benefit of CT residents, address SDWA regulatory requirements, work to adopt and implement new SDWA Rules, work to adopt new state regulatory items that address the public health needs of Connecticut;
  • Monitor and comment on federal laws under the SDWA making decisions at EPA & evaluate the need to propose regulations or statutory amendments;
  • Prepare various SDWA primacy regulation packages and ensure legal adoption;
  • Work with the DPH legal staff and PURA on voluntary & involuntary acquisition cases per CGS 16-46 & CGS 16-262n;
  • Ensure required annual reports and other deliverables to EPA, OPM, Governor’s Office and legislative committees are completed;
  • Oversee the review and approval of the sale of excess water applications/permits;
  • Coordinate technical functions for protection of public water supplies and sewage disposal, sub-division, swimming pools and bathing areas as they affect drinking water supplies;
  • Lead staff in preparation of enforcement actions;
  • Participate in hearings and pre-hearings for variances, exemptions, contested environmental and public water cases, and acquisition dockets;
  • Work with staff to implement water supply planning statutes and regulations and address the interaction with the water utility coordinating committees (WUCCs);
  • Ensure applicable EPA laws, rules, and regulations for the DWSRF Program are followed and enacted;
  • Work with DPH and EHDW Branch management teams to provide BIL funds effectively and efficiently to public water systems;
  • Develop various  stakeholders groups and partnerships;
  • Provide managerial oversight to the DWSRF Program and its various requirements and cross cutters
  • Ensure all DWSRF Program implementation requirements of the BIL funding received by the DPH are met
  • Represent the DWS at local, regional, and national events;
  • Collaborate with other state agencies with DWSRF Program role as detailed in the Operating Agreement;
  • Collaborate with DPH fiscal and contracting offices to ensure expeditious execution of DWSRF loans and payment processing.
For more information, please see the job specification. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable knowledge of
    • and ability to apply management principles and practices;
    • relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
    • principles and practices of public health with emphasis on public health administration of programs;
  • Considerable
    • interpersonal skills;
    • oral and written communication skills;
  • Considerable ability to interpret laws, regulations and statistical reporting data;
  • Ability to develop health policies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Three (3) years of experience in a supervisory capacity in an organization with programmatic and/or regulatory responsibilities for promoting or protecting public health.

NOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a Health Program Supervisor, Supervising Nurse Consultant, Child Care Licensing Supervisor, Epidemiologist 4, Environmental Protection Supervising Environmental Analyst, Supervising Environmental Engineer or Supervising Environmental Sanitarian.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

One (1) year of experience as a Public Health Services Manager may be substituted for the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience supervising or managing environmental or engineering professionals
  • Experience implementing and enforcing state and federal drinking water regulations and statutes
  • Experience managing a significant program and reporting to upper management
  • Experience providing oversight of public water system projects
  • Experience with public drinking water supply planning or source water protection

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Incumbents in this class may be required to periodically undergo tests or immunizations for communicable or infectious diseases.
  • Incumbents in this class may be required to undergo and successfully complete security background checks.
  • Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.




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