Career Center

About the Multnomah County Health Department

Every day, Multnomah County Health Department’s dedicated employees and partners work to make the community healthier. More than a third of Multnomah County families struggle to meet their basic needs. Residents face systemic challenges, from the crisis of homelessness and housing affordability; food instability and domestic violence to lack of access to health care and how people who are older or have a disability are treated. Against that backdrop, Multnomah County is a grounding force that has the people, the power, and the values to make a difference for those in need.

The Multnomah County Health Department works to keep the community healthy and provide quality care for people who otherwise might not be able to afford it. The Department works directly with patients to design and evaluate programs, partners with other agencies to provide comprehensive care, and addresses public health issues that affect everyone living and working in Multnomah County.         

The Health Department is the largest of all Multnomah County departments by budget and staff, with a $400 million budget and 1,500-person workforce. Its duties include promoting public health by working to prevent communicable disease, supporting environmental health, helping promote community health through prevention and health improvement initiatives, and providing health focused emergency response services and supports; providing high-quality clinical care through a large network of primary and dental clinics, student health centers in schools, plus a central laboratory and several pharmacies; supporting behavioral health that promotes access to behavioral health services for the local community; and caring for adults and youth who are incarcerated in the County’s three detention facilities to have access to primary, behavioral health and dental care.

The mission of the Health Department is to promote and protect the health of the people of Multnomah County. In order to best reach the diverse populations served, the Health Department has primary care clinics, dental clinics, pharmacies and other medical facilities located throughout the Multnomah County region.               

Additionally, the Department provides specialized programs, such as early childhood services, immunizations, environmental health services and school-based health centers. To read more about the work of the Multnomah County Health Department please visit https://www.multco.us/health/about-health-department/about-our-programs

Mission

We work with communities to advance health equity, protect the most vulnerable, and promote health and wellness for everyone.

Vision

Thriving communities that nurture the health and resilience of all.

Values

Compassion and Care: We treat all with kindness, dignity and respect as we seek to uplift one another’s humanity.

Empowerment: We work collaboratively to ensure that our policies and programs amplify people’s voices and uplift community-driven solutions.

Racial Equity: We acknowledge that racism negatively affects everyone in our county, and we commit to accelerating our progress in eliminating racial inequities.

Connection: Our success depends on the diversity, brilliance, and care of one another. So that employees reach their full potential, we further environments that instill trust,

About the Position

Reporting directly to the County Chair and COO, the Director oversees a team responsible for providing resources and leadership to Health Department employees in a way that fosters a supportive, compassionate, safe, trustworthy, respectful, and motivating work environment.

The Health Department Director sets strategy and policy, while acting as guardian for services that represent and support the diverse communities and needs within Multnomah County. The Director works with stakeholders, both internal and external, to collaborate and guide the legal and financial responsibilities of the Health Department, and on significant matters represents the county to the public, elected officials, other agencies, governments, and organizations. The Director creates a culture of respect, trust and understanding for the highly diverse populations the Health Department serves in the office and in the community.

Key responsibilities of this role are that the Director:

• Inspires and leads the department to achieve high level performance, quality, accountability and excellence. Maintains authentic and trusted leadership reputation.
• Assesses current Health Department operations, and develops and implements a plan of recommendations that will enhance effectiveness and efficiency toward efforts such as improved data, governance structures, communication strategies, and operations.
• Provides leadership, direction and support to the Health Department management teams to ensure high quality and effective administration of the Department’s programs and functions.
• Leads the department in the development and implementation of long-range strategic planning and budgeting; directs and oversees the development of department policies, procedures, and business practices.
• Oversees, directs and provides final approval on high profile/critical reports, policy reviews and studies; presents information regarding the department's business status, goals, objectives, operations, successes and challenges; oversees special projects and studies.
• Cultivates and maintains effective working relationships with elected officials, community organizations and leaders and with colleagues across departments to align shared services strategies.
• Directs and approves, through direct reports, the planning, prioritizing, assigning, supervising, training, and review of the work of a diverse workforce, including the implementation of workforce equity initiatives.
• Represents the county in response to media inquiries on county policy and to critical incidents.
• Facilitates partnership development with culturally-based organizations, businesses and governmental entities for service delivery and to build capacity.
• Coordinates and interacts with a broad range of community partners and public stakeholders to implement services to communities of color.
• Assists the County Chair, Chief Operating Officer and Board of Commissioners in determining, implementing, managing and administering county strategic plans, annual goals and objectives and their active engagement in regional and statewide actions and advocacy.
• Ensures Health Department programs and services align with County expectations as well as advisory committee guidelines specific to state, federal and regional funding streams.
• Participates in the interpretation, negotiation, management, and enforcement of contracts and grants; coordinates the finalization of budgets to ensure the timely submission of the department budget.
• Advocates with state elected and appointed officials for adequate funding of federal funded or required services, and services funded with state general funds.

The Ideal Candidate

For this important role Multnomah County seeks a credible, unifying leader who is deeply committed to the success of the Department 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 community leaders, tribes, coalitions, advocates, elected officials, 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.
• Ability to interpret laws, ordinances and regulations relating to the control of preventable diseases.
• Ability to lead and direct groups of diverse and highly technical employees such as physicians, toxicologists, epidemiologists, nurses, attorneys and scientists.
• High level of integrity, ethics and transparency.
• Knowledge of general principles and best practices in the field of public health.
• Ability to strategically communicate with particular audiences to advance the position and role of the department and its initiatives, such as with elected officials, partner agencies, and the media.
• Successful experience working with private sector, policy makers, tribes, governments, unions, 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.
• Ability to lead with cultural humility and advocate strongly for equity, diversity and inclusion

Desirable Qualifications

A Bachelor’s Degree and at least seven years of experience leading public health or other healthcare programs with considerable practical experience in a senior leadership role within a substantial and complex organization that involves leading a diverse staff and management of significant funds. Public sector experience and labor relations experience is highly desirable.

About the Area

Multnomah County Oregon has a diverse population exceeding 800,000, covering an area of over 465 square miles. Although the county’s beautiful and progressive city of Portland has the cultural and recreational opportunities of a large city, it has the heart of a small town. In addition to Portland, Multnomah County encompasses cities such as Fairview, Gresham, Maywood Park, Troutdale and Wood Village. Portland is just thirty minutes from the Cascade Mountains, with hiking, world-class ski resorts, camping and fishing. Travel one-hour west to find some of the most dramatic and pristine beaches on the west coast. Portland lies in the Marine west coast climate region, marked by warm, dry summers and rainy but mild winters.  Portland is a foodie's dream, with regional cuisine featuring microbreweries and micro distilleries, local wine, seafood, and produce. Classical music, ballet and our art museum live comfortably alongside vibrant contemporary art and jazz music scenes. Portland is a reader's paradise - our libraries boast the largest circulation in the country and bookstores abound. Sauvie Island, an agricultural and scenic wildlife preserve, has some of the region's best produce, including Oregon's famous berries.  Portland has been referred to as one of the most environmentally friendly or “green” cities in the world. The city and region are noted for strong land-use planning and investment in light rail, supported by Multnomah County, a distinctive regional government.

Application Process

Persons interested in this position should submit the following information:

• A cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position
• A current resume

If you have questions regarding this announcement, please call Marissa Karras at 360-956-1336. This position will remain open until filled but the screening process will move quickly. In order to be considered for the first round of interviews please submit your application materials at karrasconsulting.net by June 30, 2023.

Multnomah County 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.

If you are a veteran and want to apply for veterans' preference, please include a statement in your cover letter that you are a veteran AND submit a copy of your DD214 or DD215 or other documentation with your application packet by the closing date. Veterans' preference cannot be honored for this recruitment without it.

Total Compensation

The annual salary range for this position is $166K - $266K.  Multnomah County is an excellent employer offering an outstanding benefit package including health, dental, disability and life insurance; defined benefit pension; 6% of salary contribution to retirement paid by the County; work-life balance; annual public transit pass; vacation and sick leave.  For more information about Multnomah County benefits please visit http://web.multco.us/benefits/new-hire-benefits