Job Title: Environmental Public Health Division Director

Reports to: Director of Programs and Development

Salary Range: $135,000-$155,000

Benefits: Health, Vision, & Dental Insurance, Retirement Contributions, PTO & Paid Holidays

Classification: Salaried, Exempt

Status: Full-Time (1.0 FTE), Regular w/ Benefits

Location: Portland, OR

JOB SUMMARY

About the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB)

The Northwest Tribes have long recognized the need to exercise control over the design and development of health care delivery systems in their local communities. To this end, they formed the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (also referred to as NPAIHB or "the Board") in 1972.

Guided by a vision of "Health and Wellness for the Seventh Generation," NPAIHB is a 501(c)3 designated (non-profit) organization and Tribal organization, P.L. 93-638, under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) serving the 43 federally recognized Tribes in the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington (Northwest Tribes). Tribes become voting members of the Board through resolutions passed by their governing body. Each member Tribe designates a delegate to serve on the NPAIHB Board of Directors.

Led by our Board of Directors (Tribal Delegates), NPAIHB's mission is to "eliminate health disparities and improve the quality of life of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) by supporting Northwest Tribes in their delivery of culturally appropriate, high-quality health programs and services." We have a staff of over 120 professionals dedicated to advancing Tribal health for the 7th generation in the Pacific Northwest.

Position Summary

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.

The EPHDD reports directly to the Director of Programs and Development and serves as a member of the Management Team.

This position is based at NPAIHB's offices in Portland, Oregon; the option of teleworking may be available with approval from the Executive Director. Local travel and/or overnight travel outside of the area is required approximately 25% of the time.

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

Serves as a Member of the NPAIHB Management Team*

• Provides organizational leadership, problem-solving, planning, advocacy, teamwork, and critical communications to NPAIHB staff
• Creates and maintains a culture of professional excellence, integrity, and rigor
• Builds, in partnership with the Management Team, organizational strategies and policies to make efficient use of all human and financial resources, integrate programs services, and uphold the fiduciary responsibility of NPAIHB
• Provides updates to the Executive Director and/or Board of Directors and its Committees as requested by the Executive Director or the Director of Programs and Development
• Represents the NPAIHB and its Environmental Public Health Division at tribal, state, and national meetings, conferences, events, and workgroups
• Assists with special projects as assigned by the Executive Director or designee.
• *Upon completion of Probationary period (see "Qualifications")

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervises nine Environmental Public Health Division staff
• Leads Division-level quality improvement initiatives to strengthen programs and services, maximize performance, and meet the needs and priorities of Member Tribes and NPAIHB Delegates/Board of Directors.
• Promotes collaboration and learning between all NPAIHB Division projects, partners, and funding agencies to meet grant and organizational goals and objectives
• Evaluates staff performance and ensures that individual employee development plans result in an EPH Division which is equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to accomplish their jobs and meet NPAIHB's strategic goals
• Ensures that EPH Division staff comply with organizational policies and applicable laws, rules, regulations, and standards
• Provides direction, consultation, and support to EPH Division staff regarding issues related to the implementation of programs, policies, and procedures, priorities, and/or personnel concerns
• Receives, resolves, and reports to Director of Programs and Development any concerns or complaints related to EPH Division services or staff
• Ensures quality assurance and quality control over the collection, tracking, and analysis of Tribal data
• Upholds the principles of Tribal Data Sovereignty
• Ensures human subjects protections and Institutional Review Board (IRB) compliance meets or exceeds standards for clinical-based research, surveillance, and evaluation
• Promotes manuscript publication among NPAIHB staff and in collaboration with Northwest Tribes
• Works in collaboration Director of Programs and Development and Human Resources on staff hiring and staff disciplinary procedures, as needed.

Administrative and Reporting Functions

• Oversees all EPH Division budgets
• Oversees the EPH Division's preparation and submission of all grant, project or activity reports and/or updates
• Drafts and/or reviews project-related external contracts

Other Duties

• Oversees submission of EPH Division's articles for publication and external communication
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Programs and Development and/or Executive Director or designee.

Standards of Conduct

• Act in service to the Tribes and Tribal communities we serve
• Uphold the Mission, Values, and Vision of the NPAIHB
• Maintain the highest level of confidentiality with all NPAIHB information and documentation
• Consistently exhibit professional behavior and a high degree of personal and professional integrity and impartiality appropriate to the responsible and confidential nature of the position
• Exercise good judgment and initiative in performance of duties and responsibilities
• Demonstrate high emotional intelligence in the performance of all duties and responsibilities
• Orientation toward learning, innovation, service, and the building of second-line leadership
• Commitment to building an organizational culture which centers NPAIHB's service to Tribes, promotes professional excellence, and builds an environment where employees grow and thrive
• Commitment to build an inclusive workplace across a range of identities and experiences, including (but not limited to) geography, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, class, language, disability, religion, spiritual practices, and immigration status
• See diversity as a strength, and equity as a baseline
• Work in a cooperative manner with all levels of management and with all NPAIHB staff
• Effectively plan, organize workload, and schedule time to meet workload demands
• Use reasonable judgment to consistently display professional work attire during normal business hours, and/or dress appropriately for the workday, space, or event in lieu of a formal dress code
• Be present, available, and responsive for meetings and calls during regular working hours
• Commit to sharing knowledge and building expertise by participating in all virtual spaces in our workplace with cameras on
• Show consideration by communicating effectively and building collective understanding
• Recognize that relationships are the cornerstone of NPAIHB's work by treating all NPAIHB delegates/alternates, partners, staff, and American Indian/Alaska Native people with dignity and respect
• Participate in all NPAIHB events and activities.

Qualifications

Education

Minimum education required:

• PhD (or other Doctoral degree) in Environmental Public Health, public health, or related field
• Master's degree in environmental public health, public health, or related field AND 15 years or more of experience
• Professional licensure/credentialing as Registered Environmental Health Specialist and/or Registered Sanitarian by a state or national licensing board

Additional education preferred:

• Certification in Infection Control (CIC)

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)

Probationary Period

External applicants must agree to serve a minimum six-month probationary period during which time their employment can be terminated at will. For the purpose of evaluating job performance, internal applicants must agree to serve a minimum six-month probationary period when job duties change significantly.

Worksite Location

NPAIHB generally requires employees to work in its main office, located in Portland, OR.

Work Conditions

Physical Demands

This position:

• Frequently involves sedentary work (exerting up to 10 pounds of force and/or a negligible amount of force to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body)
• Occasionally involves light work (exerting up to 20 pounds of force and/or up to 10 pounds of force and/or a negligible amount of force to move objects)

Physical Requirements

This position:

• Consistently requires the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and expressing or exchanging ideas or important instructions accurately, loudly, or quickly
• Constantly requires working with fingers, rather than the whole hand or arm
• Constantly requires repetitive movement of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers
• Often requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks
• Occasionally requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time
• Occasionally requires ascending or descending stairs or ramps using feet and legs and/or hands and arms
• Occasionally requires raising objects from a lower to a higher position, or moving objects horizontally
• Occasionally requires stooping, which entails the use of the lower extremities and back muscles
• Infrequently requires crouching

Typical Environmental Conditions

The worker is frequently subject to inside and outside environmental conditions, which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes, and is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions.

Travel Requirements

Local travel and/or overnight travel outside of the area is required (approximately 25% of the time).

Disclaimer

The individual must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation efficiently and accurately without causing a significant safety threat to self or others describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required of all personnel so classified.

Except as provided by Title 25, U.S.C. § 450e(b), which allows for Indian preference in hiring, the NPAIHB does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, politics, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, genetic information, ancestry or any other characteristic protected by law.