Public Health and Medical Operations Team Lead

Brief Job Description: 

Under the direction of the Response and Recovery Operations Manager, perform highly advanced (senior-level) consultative and technical assistance work related to public health and medical emergency preparedness and response to DSHS personnel, governmental agencies, and other emergency preparedness and response partners. Serve as the Team Lead for the Operations Team and serve as the technical expert and primary point of contact for all core functional areas related to Emergency Support Function 8, public health and medical services (ESF-8). Train, lead, assign and prioritize the work of the Operations Team personnel for the various ESF-8 functional areas and coordinate with DSHS Central Office and Public Health Region (PHRs) Preparedness staff in implementing ESF-8 operational plans. Assists with the development and maintenance of tactical operating plans and procedures for ESF-8 activities. Responsible for ESF-8 deployable team integration at all levels of ESF-8 coordination in the State of Texas for all-hazards response activities. Oversee the coordination of deployable team activities and operational plans with local, regional, state, and federal response partners. Serve as a member of the DSHS Incident Management Team in the State Operations Center (SOC), State Medical Operations Center (SMOC) and/or Deployable Teams during emergency response and recovery operations. Work under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. This position actively participates in the State Medical Operations Center (SMOC) or State Operations Center (SOC) during disaster response and/or recovery and completes all training and exercise requirements. CHEPR supports DSHS' mission of providing response support to the SMOC or SOC, requires staff to report onsite within two hours, and the ability to work 12–14-hour shifts. Disaster response activations can require working in-person, 7-days a week, for as long as 2-4 weeks, or more. This position requires the ability to work extended hours including weekends and holidays during health response activation. This position is 100% grant funded and is contingent on grant funding. 

Essential Job Functions (EJFs): 

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned. 

(60%) Serve as the Team Lead for the Operations Team. Develop team goals, objectives and trains, leads, assigns, and/or prioritizes the work of others. Assist in administrative matters to include developing performance standards, developing performance evaluations, tracking leave, and hiring of personnel. Oversees the team’s development/ update of tactical documents to include standard operating guides, technical guides and task sheets. Oversee emergency planning conferences, meetings, workgroups, and committees to develop coordinated emergency response plans. Oversee, lead, manage, develop, contribute to, and/or implement projects related to improving the response and recovery capabilities within ESF-8 with little supervision. Contribute to After Action Reviews (AAR); oversee the integration of best practices/lessons learned into revised policies, plans and procedures to improve future response activities. Use initiative to improve the team, operations, training, exercises and processes. Recommend and oversee the development of and participate in the training and exercise activities which support or interface with DSHS responders in the State Medical Operation Center (SMOC), State Operation Center (SOC), Regional Health and Medical Operation Center (RHMOC), or deployed teams.   

(20%) Maintain expert level knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of public health and medical in emergency preparedness, and response. Broad understanding of planning, training, exercises and the agency’s role in disasters. Provides consultative services in formulating, implementing, and monitoring effective emergency and disaster response operational plans and contracts. Coordinates with other DSHS Central Office programs, and other local, state and federal partners in planning and response. Integrate federal assistance into operational planning and procedures.  Prepare and issue written, and verbal reports related to tactical and operational level operations.   

(15%) Serves as an initial first responder for DSHS within the DSHS incident management structure in the event of a natural or man-made disaster including serving in key command and general staff positions such as Deputy SMOC Director or Section Chief. Able to effectively communicate and coordinate with response partners and issue guidance to SMOC sections. Advise response partners, and other stakeholders on public health and medical preparedness and response, as well as recommend action plans. Act as a liaison to local, regional, state and federal agencies to coordinate joint and reciprocal inter-jurisdictional response and recovery activities. Serve as a senior DSHS representative to the SOC during disaster response activations. May deploy to an affected jurisdiction in Texas to assist in emergency response. Disaster support may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.   

(5%) Gather, analyze, prepare reports and disseminate information and intelligence.  Serve as the intelligence subject matter expert and point of contact for public health and medical all-hazards intelligence and information for the State of Texas. Navigate a variety of records, reports, miscellaneous publications, files, and other sources to support research and analysis. Determine trends and provide an accurate understanding of present and potential public health threats. Apply highly developed inductive reasoning skills to resolve operational problems and provide a proactive approach to potential threats.   

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

Knowledge of state laws and regulations relating to emergency management and public health and medical preparedness, response and recovery 

Knowledge of ESF 8 Core Functional Areas 

Knowledge of the National Incidental Management Systems (NIMS) and the National Response Framework 

Knowledge of project management and personnel management techniques 

Knowledge of the concepts of disaster planning, training, and exercising principles and methodologies 

Knowledge of organizational development, strategic planning, program planning, and program evaluation 

Knowledge in the use of communication tools such as WebEOC, and EMSystems 

Knowledge of research techniques and analysis processes 

Knowledge of intelligence sources  

Skill in project management 

Skill in organizing and prioritizing workload and meeting deadlines 

Skill in implementing plans and procedures 

Skill in developing training and exercising activities 

Skill in using computer software including e-mail, word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and presentation software 

Skill in conducting intelligence analysis 

Ability to train, lead, plan, assign, and prioritize the work of others 

Ability to develop, evaluate, and interpret policies, procedures, and operating guidelines 

Ability to work effectively in a stressful, high paced environment and tolerate adverse living conditions 

Ability to foster partnerships and broker agreements with individuals and entities on a national, state, regional and local basis 

Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts; devise solutions to problems 

Ability to prepare clear and concise reports 

Ability to effectively manage a team 

Ability to work flexible schedules including extended hours, nights and weekends for an extended period of time 

Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, and make public presentations 

Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, analyze and disseminate information and intelligence 

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications: 

Texas driver's license or driver's license from another state with the intent to obtain a Texas driver's license.   

Initial Screening Criteria: 

1. Experience as the Incident Commander, Deputy Incident Commander, Section Chief or Deputy Section Chief position (or equivalent military positions) in a disaster (not an exercise).  

2. At least 2 years of experience in writing complex documents describing process flows, operational plans or standard operating guidelines.  

3. At least a bachelor’s degree in public health, emergency management or a related field. Three years of experience in public health or emergency management may be substituted for a degree. 

Additional Information: 

N/A