The Environmental Health Services Division, Food & Facilities Section is seeking a skilled, enthusiastic, and dedicated individual to fill the position of Field Operations Team Lead (also known as Health & Environmental Investigator III or HEI III). The HEI III position is a key member of the Food & Facilities Section leadership team and works collaboratively with businesses, trade associations, agencies, staff and the public. Examples of responsibilities for this position may include, but are not limited to staying up to date on emerging food processes and enterprises; training field investigators and new hires; supporting field staff in conducting inspections of challenging food and water recreational facilities; implementing the program’s ongoing quality assurance and quality control needs; coordinating investigations for foodborne outbreak illnesses and injuries/drowning accidents at water recreational facilities; coordinating inspections of temporary and farmer’s market events; and developing and interpreting public health and environmental health codes, regulations and policies.
The Food & Facilities Section contributes to healthy communities by permitting, educating and inspecting over 1,800 water recreation facilities, 11,500 permanent food businesses, 40 farmers markets, 3,000 temporary food businesses and issues over 50,000 food worker cards annually. We serve an incredibly diverse, culturally rich, and culinary innovative community. Our 60 person team operates with a $13 million annual budget. The Food and Facilities Section strives to provide equitable service and applies an educational approach toward regulatory compliance.
The successful candidate will have a passion for environmental public health and creating heathier lives for all people in King County, enjoy developing people and teams, possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and be effective at developing productive relationships with agency partners and regulated entities. The successful applicant will work with a team of supervisors and other team leads in the section and will directly lead a field operations team of 6 to 8 people.
The position supports and advances Environmental Health Services Division’s values for fair and culturally competent service delivery, innovative, effective and efficient application of resources, building a culture of performance and expanding opportunities to seek input, listen and respond to industry and residents. The position will be located within the Environmental Health Division of Public Health – Seattle & King County.
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DIVISION:
The Environmental Health Services Division’s mission is to identify and sustain environmental conditions that promote healthy people and healthy communities. Through the work of over 150 dedicated employees, the Environmental Health Services Division identifies and sustains environmental conditions that promote health equity and healthy people and communities in Seattle and King County. Our vision is healthy, safe, and vibrant communities that are free of health disparities based on race, gender or economic status. The Division’s core values include equity and social justice, integrity, community service, collaboration, a supportive work culture, and learning from each other and the communities we serve.
To learn more, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/ehs.
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE:
As the only jurisdiction in the world named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation’s history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from vulnerable communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.
Job Duties
A key expectation for this position is to implement program activities and priorities outlined by the King County Equity and Social Justice Ordinance, the King County Strategic Plan, and the Environmental Health Division Strategic Plan.
Field Operations Team Leadership
Contribute to a collaborative and empowered work team and work environment
Effectively and efficiently lead teams and manage resources including staff, project resources, work plans and service agreements; ensure consistency with Department and Division policies.
Conduct and facilitate staff trainings. Coach, mentor and train current and new HEI I and II field investigators and other HEI IIIs.
Perform quality assurance/quality control activities. Review inspection reports of food and water recreational facilities, provide constructive feedback to investigators and evaluate and support ongoing training needs.
Anticipate and participate in solving conflicts between colleagues and other agencies/work groups.
Provide coordination and response for field investigations of foodborne outbreak illnesses and injuries and drownings and incidents at water recreational facilities.
Stay up-to-date on new and cutting-edge food policies, practices and processes to enable the program to be responsive to the changing food and environmental health climate.
Participate in the implementation and monitoring of the food safety rating system, including training staff and conducting on-going quality assurance and control.
Coordinate and conduct plan reviews and field investigations of temporary and farmer’s market events.
Provide backup and support to other seniors and supervisors as needed, and other duties as assigned by program supervisors and managers.
Program and Project Management
Prepare new or amended Food Program and Water Recreation Program policies, procedures, and rules and regulations for consideration by program supervisors, managers and the King County Board of Health (BOH).
Provide culturally competent education, technical assistance, and regulatory compliance guidance to industries, facilities, the media, and the general public. In collaboration with businesses, trade associations, agencies, staff and the public, participate in the development of environmental-best management practices, regulations and initiatives.
Participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of long and short range plans for overall program and quality assurance efforts. Assist with program development initiatives, quality assurance efforts and program evaluations such as participation in the Food and Drug Administration Voluntary Standards Program.
Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Within six months of hire, Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) or from the Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians (WSBRS). See below detailed information about this requirement.
Demonstrated cultural competence working with diverse populations including race, ethnicity, gender, ability, age, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. Demonstrated ability applying principles of equity and social justice in local government programs.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams and create a climate in which people want to do their best and an ability to motivate and enable co-workers to grow and succeed through constructive feedback, instruction, and encouragement.
Demonstrated ability to facilitate meetings and provide presentations to a wide range and size of audiences.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with the public, program staff and other agencies; and to participate effectively on committees and work groups to collaboratively discuss and resolve issues and develop recommendations for long term program evaluation and planning.
Demonstrated knowledge of food safety and water recreation facility statutes, rules and regulations.
Demonstrated ability to research and draft program policies, procedures, correspondence and technical reports.
Demonstrated proficiency with computer systems, Microsoft Office suite and with database or planning/design software.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience working in a highly-collaborative government program or coalition.
Established effective working relationships with program partner agencies.
Bilingual in one of the most common non-English languages in King County (such as Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Hindi, Punjabi, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean).
LICENSING/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Within six months of hire, Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) or from the Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians (WSBRS). Both NEHA and WSBRS provide applications for REHS/RS credentialing by examination or via reciprocity.
REHS/RS credentialing information is available from NEHA at:
www.neha.org/professional-development/credentials/rehsrs-credential
REHS/RS credentialing information is available from WSBRS at: www.wsbrs.org
Valid Washington State driver’s license.
All required licenses and certifications must be maintained in active status without suspension or revocation throughout employment.
Supplemental Information
Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State’s best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we’re changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation’s best places to live, work and play.
Guided by our “True North”, we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles-we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Who May Apply: This position is open to all qualified candidates. Currently, we are recruiting for one full time Career Service position. In addition, applicants from this recruitment may be used to create a list of qualified candidates for future career service, term-limited temporary, and special duty assignment (SDA) positions that may occur in the next 6 months in this program.
Application Process:
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:
An electronic application through www.kingcounty.gov/jobs or www.governmentjobs.com (use the “Apply” link) including work history and position duties.
A cover letter describing your interest in this position and how do you meet the required qualifications for this job.
A current resume
Responses to supplemental questions.
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state “see my resume” or “see my personnel file” are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.
The selection process may include but is not limited to: evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring.
Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a public health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities, work location, and working hours.
Necessary Special Requirements
The selected candidate will be required to submit to a thorough background investigation. Records are not automatically disqualifying.
Candidates selected are required to pass a pre-employment physical exam.
Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing required training on time.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirement
This position requires the ability to perform work duties both indoors in an office environment and in the field in a variety physical and weather conditions that may include walking uneven terrain, working around heavy machinery, strong odors, dusts, animals, and various types of wastes.
Exposure to individuals from the public who are upset, angry, agitated, and sometimes hostile, requiring the use of conflict management and de-escalation skills.
This position may require strength enough to lift, push, or pull field equipment weighing between 20-40 pounds.
Performance of job duties requires driving on a regular basis and a valid Washington State Driver’s license.
This position may require the incumbent to occasionally access or travel by ferry or boat.
Work Schedule
This position is overtime eligible and is covered by the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The regular workweek is 40 hours, Monday to Friday. Occasional evenings, weekends, on-call work, and some travel are required.
Work Location:
Telework and North Creek Environmental Health, Bothell (not a public location)
The Environmental Health Division reserves the right to place staff at worksite locations or transfer staff to new worksite locations that best support the efficient delivery of services.
Temporary Telecommuting Requirement
The work associated with this position will be performed remotely, at least through July 5, 2021 in compliance with King County’s telecommuting mandate. It is possible that the work will be primarily performed remotely on an ongoing basis after July 5, 2021.
Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Employees must reside in WA state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. There will be situations where the employee is required to report to a County worksite. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required by the department in alignment with the Public Health Directive from the Seattle & King County Public Health Officer.
To support employees during this time King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.
Union Affiliation:
This position is represented by Protect Local 17 Union.
Contact:
If you have questions about the position, please contact Ki Straughn at [email protected] or (206)263-8437. If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Nic Horea, Senior Human Resource Analyst at [email protected] or 206-263-8088.
Apply Now
To help us with our recruitment effort, please indicate your email/cover letter where (vacanciesinsyria.com) you saw this job posting.