DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF COMMUNITY HEALTH

As a member of the Commissioner of Health’s Cabinet, the Deputy Commissioner of Community Health is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Commissioner of Health.

 Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is an urban hub bursting with energy. Milwaukee provides a casual sophistication – big city appeal without the big-city hassles. We are accessible and affordable, and our residents are welcoming. Milwaukee brings together its unsurpassed old world charm with a breathtaking art museum, top-flight arts and cultural attractions, professional sports, lakefront festivals, recreational opportunities and great restaurants.

The Position 

The Deputy Commissioner of Community Health develops, implements, manages, and evaluates evidence-based programs for two divisions: Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP). The MCH division encompasses many grant-funded programs, including a large team of home visitors (i.e. nurses, social workers and public health educators), the Women’s, Infant’s, and Children’s (WIC) supplemental nutrition program and the newborn blood and hearing screening programs.  The OVP Division includes a team of community organizers, researchers and program managers with varying specialties. The Deputy Commissioner of Community Health provides direction, leadership, and supervision to divisional directors, program managers, supervisors, and coordinators, and works closely with the Deputy Commissioner of Clinical Services and the Clinic Operations Manager to assure that only the highest quality nursing and public health services are provided at MHD clinical sites and in the community.

The Department

Since 1867, the City of Milwaukee Health Department has served the residents of the City of Milwaukee, seeking to improve and protect the health of all who live, work and play within the City. One hundred and fifty years later, the MHD remains steadfast in this mission. As the largest local health department in the state of Wisconsin, the MHD now serves nearly 600,000 citizens through direct services, evidence-based programs, partnerships, and policy development. The MHD is committed to ensuring that every Milwaukeean is able to live life to the fullest. The MHD has an annual budget of approximately $14 million and a multidisciplinary team of over 250 public health employees across four branches: Community Health, Environmental Health, Clinical Services, and Policy, Innovation and Engagement.

 For more information about the Milwaukee Health Department, please visit https://city.milwaukee.gov/HEALTH.

Program Leadership       

• Plan and develop overall strategy for the Community Health Branch’s goals and objectives, work plans, budgets, intra-branch and divisional collaboration.        
• Engage in diverse needs assessment activities, including evaluation of community needs, program capacity and the success of previous and current activities and projects.          Coordinate and plan community health activities to ensure balanced and adequate programs. Formulate progressive programs designed with community-level data and feedback to meet the changing needs of the community.       
• Develop and oversee contracts and subcontracts in all areas of community health programming, including negotiating terms, drafting documents, authorizing payments and monitoring performance of contractors and subcontractors.       
• Evaluate, plan and develop standards for community health program measurement using existing and new resources and methods.      
• Write, edit, and approve reports produced by the branch personnel, including internal, foundation and government funding sources.        
• Participate in internal and external committees that relate to community health, particularly those that encourage or adopt innovative approaches to the work and those that focus on communities with the greatest need.        
• Monitor and participate in efforts to strengthen data collection within all data systems in the branch.       
• Analyze and interpret statistics deemed significant to program planning and budget preparation.      
• Direct branch research activities, including an analysis of service impact on target populations, data collection, comparative analysis of various interventions, and ongoing surveillance of community health indicators, such as infant mortality, teen pregnancy and adolescent suicide rates.      
• Prepare and recommend the annual budget for community health programs.       
• Propose and facilitate changes and improvements within the organization’s public health practices.  

Staff Management and Administration        

• Hire, train, support, supervise and evaluate staff responsible for new and innovative community interventions and community health strategies.       
• Help establish programs for guidance and professional development of community health staff, and policies, procedures and equitable performance standards.       
• Lead, coordinate, and contribute to staff training and educational sessions.        
• Promote an environment of critical and creative thinking, professional growth, adult learning, open communication, responsibility and accountability and collaboration.       
• Guide and mentor divisional directors, managers, and supervisors and branch staff.         Oversee, and participate in performance improvement plan development.       
• Approve student and intern program placement within the Community Health Branch.  
• Participate as a member of the senior management team, working with, and advising, the Commissioner of Health and MHD Chief Deputy Commissioner.  

Community Leadership        

• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with other city departments, state and federal regulatory and funding agencies, medical providers, community-based organizations, advocacy agencies, and academic institutions to coordinate and consult on comprehensive city-wide efforts.         
• Represent the MHD in community groups.        
• Participate in community planning concerning health and social welfare.         
• Act as spokesperson for all community health programs to the media as assigned.          Represent the MHD and the Community Health Branch programs at Common Council meetings.    

Grant Writing and Program Development        

• Plan mission-driven grant-strategy for community health in terms of proportion of grant funding vs. O&M funding, strategic areas of expansion and vision for medium to long-term future.       
• Identify and research corporate, foundation, and government sources of funding for community health activities.        
• Champion grant opportunities within the organization, and play a lead role in writing the grants, developing the budgets, and building new or existing projects through those grants. Manage grant-writing teams; sign off on final draft, and gain permission to submit from the Commissioner of Health and MHD Chief Deputy Commissioner. 

Reasonable accommodations requested by qualified individuals with disabilities will be made in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

1.      Qualified to serve as the local health officer (Level III), as established by Wis. Stat. § 251.06 (1) (c).  Accordingly, qualified candidates must meet one of the following requirements:

A.    A master’s degree in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field and three years of experience in a full−time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.

B.     A bachelor’s degree and 16 graduate semester credits towards a master’s degree in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field and five years of experience in a full−time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.

C.     A license to practice medicine and surgery under ch. 448 and at least one of the following:

i. Three years of experience in a full−time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.

ii. Eligibility for certification by the American board of preventive medicine in public health or general preventive medicine.

iii. A master’s degree in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field.

iv. Notwithstanding pars. (i) to (iii), relevant education, training, instruction, or other experience that an applicant obtained in connection with military service, as defined in s. 111.32 (12g), counts toward satisfying the requirements for education, training, instruction, or other experience to qualify as a public health officer if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the education, training, instruction, or other experience that the applicant obtained in connection with his or her military service is substantially equivalent to the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required to qualify as a public health officer.

2.      Five years of progressively responsible experience in public health care program planning, policy development, community health assessment or administration, including management of staff.

3.      Valid driver's license at time of appointment and throughout employment.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may also be considered.

IMPORTANT NOTE: College transcripts are required and must be emailed as an attachment to ljhoffm@milwaukee.gov by the closing date and time. Student/unofficial copies are acceptable; however, your transcript must be legible and include your college/university name, your name, the degree completed and the date completed.

Master’s Degree in public policy, public health or a related field from an accredited college or university.

Technical

·         Ability to lead or support community health assessments and community health improvement planning.

·         Knowledge of public health priority-setting, the socioecological model and the county health rankings model.

·         Knowledge of health equity concepts and the social determinants of health.

·         Knowledge of the public health science and best practices related to community health issues.

·         Ability to perform statistical analysis related to public health issues.

·         Ability to maintain and oversee data management systems related to the evaluation of outcomes, expenditures and revenues.

·         Ability to serve as the media contact relative to community health issues.

·         Knowledge of grant application and monitoring practices.

·         Ability to formulate policies related to community health issues.

·         Thorough knowledge of prevention-focused public health practice and of applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

·         Knowledge of the principles and practices of public health administration.

·         Ability to read and understand documents such as laws, policies and technical publications.

·         Ability to make decisions and recommendations to further the public health of the community that are based upon research and known mitigation strategies.

·         Ability to identify and interpret emerging trends in public health and to provide information, analysis and interpretation to stakeholders and community partners. 

·       Ability to learn the components of implementing a trauma-informed care model.

·         Ability to articulate and promote a vision for public health.

·         Ability to create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling professional values and ethics.

·         Ability to develop policies and processes that translate mission and vision into action.

·         Ability to facilitate and encourage the application of systems thinking.

·         Ability to develop and implement performance management strategies and measures and to facilitate assessment and planning.

·         Ability to facilitate and promote individual staff accomplishments toward organizational objectives, including shared responsibility, teamwork and acceptance of change.

·         Ability to develop and implement strategic public health policies through effective delegation, persuasion and negotiation skills.

·         Ability to translate policy decisions into organizational and community programs and services.

·         Honesty, integrity, the ability to maintain confidentiality and responsible stewardship of City resources.

Organizational Skills/Strategic Management

·         Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization.

·         Ability to effectively plan, organize and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure.

·         Skill in short and long-term strategic planning.

·         Ability to assess the organizational assets, resources and opportunities and to develop new organizational structures, systems and metrics that support accountability and efficiency in the delivery of public health.

Communication

·         Strong communication, public speaking and presentation skills.

·         Written communications skills to craft policies and procedures, reports and correspondence.

·         Ability to direct the utilization of media advocacy to communicate the public health mission to stakeholders, including the effective use of social media. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, boards of directors, media and legislative bodies.

Relationship Building

·         Ability to establish and maintain collaborative partnerships with private providers, community partners, and federal, state and local officials.

·         Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, elected officials, representatives of City departments, community organizations and other stakeholders in public health, including citizens.

·         Ability to engage key stakeholders in collaborative ventures, to develop partnering strategies and to develop strategic plans that involve the input and engagement of stakeholders.

·         Ability to ensure that the MHD has mechanisms for obtaining feedback and input from persons with diverse backgrounds and to ensure the consideration of the role of cultural, social and behavioral factors and in the accessibility, availability, acceptability and delivery of public health services.

The current salary range (1 JX) for City of Milwaukee is $80,442 - $112,627 annually and the residency incentive salary for City of Milwaukee residents is $82,855-$116.006.  Appointment above the minimum is possible based upon level of experience and other qualifications and is subject to approval.  

The City of Milwaukee provides a comprehensive benefit program that includes the following:

·         Defined Benefit Pension Plan       

·         457 Deferred Compensation Plan     

·         Health and Dental Insurance       

·         Comprehensive Wellness Program        

·         Onsite Clinic Services       

·         Onsite Employee Assistance Program       

·         Alternative Work Schedules        

·         Long Term Disability Insurance     

·         Group Life Insurance     

·         Tuition Benefits      

·         Paid Vacation        

·         11 Paid Holidays        

·         Paid Sick Leave and other paid leaves

·         Flexible Spending Arrangement       

·         Commuter Value Pass

For full details of the benefits offered by the City of Milwaukee, please visit http://city.milwaukee.gov/Benefits2019.

Screening for this position will be based on an evaluation of each applicant’s education, experience, and professional accomplishments, which should be detailed in a cover letter and resume.

Please email a cover letter and resume by 11:59 p.m. on July 15, 2019 to ljhoffm@milwaukee.gov. Please indicate “Deputy Commissioner of Community Health” in the subject line.  

Questions relative to the selection process may be directed to Lori Hoffmann at 414.286.3607.

The City of Milwaukee reserves the right to invite only the most qualified applicants to participate in the selection process.

INITIAL FILING DATE: The selection process will be conducted as soon as practical after July 15, 2019. Receipt of application materials may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the needs of the City have been met. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the job selection process at the time and place designated by the City of Milwaukee.

EEO 101

The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.