GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES

The primary purpose of this position is to direct, manage, and administer all phases of activities as directed by the North Carolina Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response in addition to coordinating with local Emergency Management and the Centers for Disease Control during local, state, and/or federal emergencies. This position is responsible for programmatic and fiscal decisions concerning this program.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

This position is responsible for programmatic, personnel, supervisory, and fiscal decisions concerning this program. It directs and coordinates the emergency preparedness and response efforts of 450+ public health professionals and paraprofessionals. The position leads the Guilford County Department of Public Health in response to public health emergencies, i.e., bioterrorism events, pandemics and natural and manmade disasters. The Disaster Preparedness Manager serves as Operations Chief to the Health Director during bio-terrorism and public health emergency events in Guilford County. The position is also responsible for coordinating with other Guilford County Emergency Response Agencies, Health Department programs, hospitals, and with private/public providers of like services. This position reports to the Assistant Health Director and provides managerial and administrative oversight for the Public Health Regional Surveillance Team which is responsible for providing public health preparedness and response services to a 15-county region of northwest North Carolina.

TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED

A copy of your transcript must be submitted with your online application An official college transcripts is required at time of hire. Please attach an unofficial transcript copy to your online application.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Essential Duties and Tasks

Program Management:

• Manage all deliverables in 514 NC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Agreement Addendum and other AA’s for specific emergency response activities for Public Health Preparedness.
• Assess public health needs of people in Guilford County through surveillance, investigation and review of health trends and goals set by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Guilford County Department of Public Health. Ensure staff participation in the online Workforce Development through FEMA regarding ICS training to ensure 75% participation by GCDPH staff.
• Develop all operational procedures with respect to planning, preparing, responding, and recovering from public health emergencies and disasters.
• Develop training programs for health department staff with regards to preparing for public health emergencies. Participate in Integrated Preparedness Planning and EM identified exercises with EM and other county partners.
• Prepare, monitor progress, and regularly update the department’s All Hazards Plan (AHP) to meet the public health emergency response and health risk assessment needs of Guilford County and the Guilford County Department of Public Health. Ensure AHP works in conjunction with the GC Emergency Operations Plans.
• Provide yearly fit testing for staff required to wear N95 protection. Maintain fit testing equipment. Ensure fit testing protocols meet OSHA requirements.
• Update AHP as needed when EM updates the Jurisdictional Risk and Hazard Analysis.
• Manage the American Heart Association Training Center program.
• Establish, supervise, and maintain the standards of practice for emergency response staff and emergency response programs.
• Review with Assistant Health Director the progress, activities, areas of concern, and current issues of the programs.
• Set priorities for work projects and delegate duties; maintain records and materials for state review.
• Plan and implement as partners with hospitals, Local Emergency Planning Committee and emergency response/public health risk assessment coalitions (Triad Healthcare Preparedness Coalition) to implement effective, cooperative, public health emergency response/risk assessment initiatives.
• Ensure we have contracts, memoranda of understandings and mutual aid agreements necessary to secure outside services and resources for the program.
• Prepare and/or present information as needed to community groups, Board of County Commissioners/Board of Health and New Employee Orientation.
• Maintain and update Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) plans for detailed procedures in emergency situations.
• Acts as one of the main points of contact for safety and/or operational issues at public health onsite locations such as failures with power, water, assailant issues, or weather conditions.
• Is an active member of the spill team and responds as appropriate to incidents as needed; Serves on the on-call rotation schedule.

Fiscal Management:

• Prepare the annual budget proposals for program budget.
• Provide administrative oversight and monitoring of the budget.
• Review monthly financial reports.
• Initiate budget transfers and revisions and approve requisitions.
• Provide financial reports to funding sources. (Federal, State, Local contracts and grants, etc.)
• Explore non-county funding sources to support program endeavors.

Consultation, Community Engagement, and Health Equity:

• Work with internal and external stakeholders to develop and implement program policies in keeping with current legislation, and regulations.
• Serve on State and Local committees to advocate for Domestic Preparedness issues. Committees include, but are not limited to, the Guilford County Public Health Epidemiological Response Team (Epi Team), Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), Guilford County Human Services Committee, Regional Workgroup, School Health Advisory Council, Triad Healthcare Preparedness Coalition, Cone Hospital, North Carolina DHHS Disaster Preparedness Central Regional Office (CRO), etc.
• Assure compliance with OSHA and other federal and state regulations pertaining to employee safety in the workplace with regards to TB and proper respirator use.
• Meet with community groups to share information about the Emergency Response Program and public health emergency response/health risk assessment issues, seek support for the programs, and assess community needs and desires for public health emergency response/public health risk assessment.
• Work with Communications Manager to provide information to the print and broadcast media on public health issues for emergency response/public health risk assessment upon request; Serve as a media spokesperson, as needed, to address preparedness topics.

RECRUITMENT STANDARDS
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of Public Health, Domestic Preparedness, and Health & Environmental Risk Assessment, practices, principles and programs.
• Knowledge of management theory including planning skills, personnel, administrative, budget and financial skills.
• Knowledge of management theory including planning, skills, personnel, administrative, budget and financial skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally, and in writing.
• Ability to provide Incident Command functions for Biological Weapons of Mass Destruction.
• Ability to direct and control mass casualty operations.
• Ability to direct multi-faceted organization geared toward Public Health Emergency Response and Public Health Risk Assessment.
• Ability to work cooperatively with multiple-emergency response agencies and hospitals locally and across a 15-county regional area.

Minimum Education and Experience

Master’s degree in Public Health, Emergency Management or related degree and two years of relevant public health experience, OR;
Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Emergency Management or related degree and five years of relevant public health experience.

Necessary Special Qualifications : Incident Command System (ICS) trainings and course as required.

Preferred Qualifications:
Working knowledge of Public Health, Domestic Preparedness, and Health and Environmental Risk Assessment principles, practices and programs. Supervisory experience with knowledge of management theory including planning, personnel administrative, budget and financial skills. Must be able to effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, and be able to work well with others. Multi-lingual persons are encouraged to apply.

Physical Demands and Work Conditions

An employee in this position must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of stooping, reaching, standing, fingering, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions. The work is sedentary exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or other wise move objects, including the human body.

May Require Driving
This position may require driving for this position whether driving a County owned or personal vehicle to conduct county business such as but not limited to attending conferences, meetings, or any other county related functions. Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver's license and that the driving record is compatible with the county's driving criteria. If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County's vehicle use policy.

Special Note

This generic class description gives and overview of the job class; its essential job functions and recommended job requirements. However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job description with physical abilities checklist which can be reviewed before initiating a selection process. They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal defensible personnel decisions.