Deputy Local Health Authority/Associate Medical Director

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About Harris County Public Health:

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) includes a network of more than 1,100 public health professionals working together to improve health outcomes for the third most populous county in the United States. HCPH provides a multitude of services such as medical and dental services, community programming, and health education for the approximately 2.3 million people in unincorporated Harris County. Through its core values of innovation, engagement, and health equity, HCPH strives to bring meaningful solutions to public health issues while keeping Harris County healthy and vibrant.

Position Overview:

The Deputy Local Health Authority (LHA) acts as the Associate Medical Director for the Community Health and Wellness (CHW) Division, overseeing clinics, mobile health, dental services, healthy lifestyle programs, mental and behavioral health, and many other programs, services and grants. This position is also responsible for fiscal management, technical expertise, personnel supervision, and the operational success of the programs in partnership with the CHW Associate Director and Director of Nursing.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Serves as an alternate Local Health Authority (LHA) in compliance with state and local regulations, stepping in when LHAs are unavailable.
• Provides medical leadership and oversight for clinical operations, including service delivery, quality assurance, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Acts as a medical consultant for agency programs, ensuring compliance with health regulations and best practices.
• Leads the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical public health programs, including setting goals, strategies, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Guides the creation and improvement of programs based on emerging public health trends, evidence-based practices, and agency strategic priorities such as health equity and prevention.
• Works with epidemiology partners to mitigate the spread of infectious disease
• Oversees budget planning and financial management of both general and grant funding, ensuring efficient use of resources and supporting fund development efforts.
• Collaborates with division and departmental leadership in strategic planning, organizational development, and alignment with public health goals.

Education:

Experience:

• At least 5 (five) years of administration, management and/or supervisory experience in public health, medical, or health administration field.
• At least 1 (one) year of public speaking experience

Licenses/Certifications:

• Must have active Texas Medical license
• Must have active Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and National Provide Identified (NPI) number.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Proficient in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Excellent communication skills (verbal & written).
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and foster teamwork in a diverse environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information.
• In-depth understanding state and federal public health laws, regulations, and standards, including scope of authority for Local Health Authorities (LHAs).
• Strong clinical decision-making and medical consultation skills.
• Ability to analyze and synthesize complex information to make sound policy and operational decisions.

Core Competencies 

• Ability to obtain and filter information, identify, and address key issues relevant to the achievement of strategic organizational goals
• Exceptional project management skills to manage a variety of projects simultaneously
• Positively influence all levels within the organization to drive change and enable effective coordination
• Ability to create strong, positive working relationships
• Previous experience building and managing high performance teams
• High-level of flexibility in fast-paced environments
• Must be a Systems-level thinker
• Proactive, self-motivated, and mission-driven
• Progressive, intrapreneurial leadership style to enable systemic change

Leading Change

• Creates strategic change within and outside the organization to meet organizational goals
• Develops new insights into situations, encourages new ideas and innovations
• Takes a long-term view and builds a shared vision with others, acts as a catalyst for organizational change
• Deals effectively with pressure; remains optimistic and persistent even under adversity.
• Recovers quickly from setbacks

Leading People

• Fosters an inclusive workplace where equity, diversity, and individual differences are valued and leveraged to achieve the vision and mission
• Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods
• Fosters and inspires team commitment, spirit, pride, and trust. Facilitates cooperation and motivates team members to accomplish group goals.
• Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results
• Anticipates and meets the needs of internal and external customers
• Makes well-informed, effective, and timely decisions

Building Coalitions

• Develops networks and builds alliances, collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships
• Identifies external and internal politics that impact the work of the organization

Interpersonal Abilities/Personal Characteristics

• Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect
• Behaves in an honest, fair, and ethical manner and models high standards
• Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses

Communication

• Communicates clearly, effectively, and persuasively both orally and in writing
• Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

• Encourage a respectful and collaborative work environment that recognizes and celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Identify inequitable practices and policies and assist in implementing strategies to ensure equitable outcomes
• Demonstrate awareness and respect of cross-cultural differences and create inclusive programmatic solutions
• Practice cultural humility to build honest relationships with co-workers and the community that will ultimately enhance workplace culture and deliver better community health program

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• This is a full-time position.
• Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, from 8am to 5 pm.
• Other days and hours as necessary.
• Ability to travel across Harris County jurisdiction.

Work Environment:

Physical Demands:

Work Location: