Description:

The Environmental Public Health Division Director (EPHDD) is a senior leader responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of the Environmental Public Health Division (EPH Division) at the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB). The EPHDD ensures that the EPH Division works in service to the 43 federally recognized tribes Idaho, Oregon, and Washington by meeting Division goals in alignment with NPAIHB’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, by ensuring operational efficiency and fiscal compliance, and by fostering a positive and productive work environment. The EPHDD serves as leader and central resource for tribal environmental public health technical assistance, training, management, and quality assurance, along with leading the supervision of all NPAIHB’s EPH Division programs, projects, and services. Key responsibilities include team leadership, program development and implementation, critical communication, strategic planning, financial management, and performance oversight.

Essential Functions

Environmental Public Health Division Excellence and Success

• Ensures that NPAIHB’s Environmental Public Health programs are developed with input and direction from Northwest Tribes
• Ensures EPH Division achieves performance deliverables and objectives set forth in contracts with Tribes and funding partners and in the NPAIHB 2025-2030 Strategic Plan
• Works with Indian Health Service (IHS), federal, and state agencies to monitor and protect tribal public health systems including built and natural environments
• Oversees the EPH Division’s planning, implementation, and evaluation of a set of comprehensive tribal environmental public health programs. Programs may include a focus on safe water, solid and hazardous waste management, food protection, pool safety, healthy homes, occupational health and safety, safe childcare environments, vector control, community injury prevention, institutional health, and tribally-based traditional ecological knowledge
• Oversees the EPH Division’s delivery of direct environmental health services to 27 Northwest Tribes in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington including comprehensive surveys of all Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal facilities including schools, day care centers, gaming facilities, health facilities, and tribal businesses, etc.
• Monitors and reports on EPH Division accomplishments, workload trends and needs, and unmet needs
• Supports tribes in workforce development in a variety of areas supporting Environmental Public Health.
• Serves as a technical advisor to Northwest Tribes, as requested, on environmental health hazard identification, response, and mitigation
• Serves as Principal Investigator on research grant proposals, as applicable
• Formulates and interprets environmental health policy, data, and systems to enhance health outcomes
• Supports tribes in attainment of licensure AAAHC and JCAHO.
• Strengthens the field of tribal environmental public health in partnership with Northwest Tribes
• Establishes and maintains relationships with federal and state partners and Northwest Tribal Nations

Skills/Eligibility:

Experience

Minimum experience required:

• Ten (10) or more years of experience with executive and project management
• At least five (5) years of experience as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and/or Registered Sanitarian
• At least five (5) years of professional experience working with Tribes, Tribal Organizations, or the Indian Health system
• Working knowledge of the laws, rules, and regulations relating to environmental public health at local, state and federal level, including legislative processes

Additional experience preferred:

• Direct experience working with Northwest Tribes
• Experience in the planning, organization, implementation, and follow-up of public health-related coalitions
• Experience with disaster and/or emergency management
• Experience with ServSafe Training

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge, discretion, tact, judgment, and overall ability in working effectively with federal, Tribal, and other professionals, and facilitating participation and partnership in the activities of the Environmental Public Health Program, the Clinical Support Services Division, and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Indian Health Care Improvement Act, and other relevant laws, regulations, policies and rules related to Indian Health.
• Proficiency with computer applications (specifically Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft Office Suite programs)
• Strong technical writing skills, including good spelling and grammatical skills, and the ability to produce polished writing under a deadline
• Excellent research and analysis skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Must be sensitive to cross-cultural differences, and able to work effectively within their context
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, exercise initiative, and make independent decisions and recommendations
• Ability to make professional oral presentations in settings at the national, regional, and community levels, as well as in Tribal settings
• Ability to complete tasks in a timely and accurate manner
• Ability to travel occasionally (approximately 25% of the time)