Policy Program Manager

As a Policy Program Manager, one of your main duties is to serve as the liaison between PHSS leadership and the Board of Health (BOH), the oversight advisory body for PHSS, building partnerships and ensuring materials are prepared and distributed in a timely manner. In this role, you will have a high focus on policy and advocacy as it affects PHSS and the BOH. This is highly responsible administrative support work. At the direction of the PHSS Director and BOH Chair, you will be responsible for scheduling and attending meetings, preparing meeting materials, handling routine and specialized Board communications, maintaining public records, fulfilling public records requests, preparing a written annual report for the Board's consideration at its annual meeting, and other duties as assigned.
You also serve as the main legislative liaison for PHSS. This entails keeping an eye on developments at the state and federal levels, providing information to the relevant PHSS teams so they can prepare for future rulings and legislation that can have an impact on their work, and vice versa. If there are aspects of current PHSS work that is prohibited by current legislation, you will assist in finding solutions.
Some of the essential job functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Schedule meetings for the Thurston County Board of Health; review materials for completeness; request additional information as required.
• Assure administrative support procedures comply with applicable State laws and County code provisions.
• Receive correspondence and documents requiring Board or Commission action; review materials for completeness; request additional information as required.
• Assist in PHSS strategic planning and other foundational public health such as the community health assessment and community health improvement plan with the goal of future Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) accreditation planning.
• Volunteer coordinator organizing other board memberships (e.g. Treatment Sales Tax Advisory Committee, Veterans Advisory Board and others) to include collecting conflict of interest forms and recruiting replacement or new members.
• Provide information on the status of specific issues to the general public, elected officials, attorneys, Commissioners and Board members, and governmental agencies.
• Compile and assemble information on a variety of matters requiring action by the Board or Commission.
• Develop PHSS public policy positions for public health at the local, county, and state levels via internal and external policy development and assurance in a systematic and comprehensive way.
• Identify and analyze other existing and proposed state and local policies.
• Participate in county and statewide groups to inform PHSS of current upcoming legislation affecting public health.
• Create policy briefs and make policy recommendations to the Executive Team on issues that impact public health and advance equity.
• Compose correspondence for all related hearings and meetings including meeting resolutions and hearing decisions.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records, files, and data.
• Research and analyze legislative action impacting the Board or PHSS; prepare information and reports for review by officials.
• Perform other work as required or assigned including but not limited to a 24/7 response during public health emergency situations and disease outbreak investigations.

The ideal candidate has the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Previous experience providing support to public boards or commissions.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Analytical abilities and aptitude in problem-solving.
• Self-starter who thrives on working both independently and collaboratively.
• Knowledge of Robert's Rules of Order.

What we offer our employees:

• Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensuring that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individual's lifestyle.
• Plan for Your Future: As a member of our team, you enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family. Please visit our 2023 Thurston County Employee Benefit Planswebsite for more information.
• Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn a minimum of 12 paid vacation days per year in addition to 11 paid holidays and 2 floating holidays.
• Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County-paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
• Flexible Work Schedules: Options some employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
• See under Benefitslater in this job description for detailed information about the many other benefits the County offers.

Why you'll love it here:
Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington's South Puget Sound Region. Perched between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more. The region is also home to the state capital city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmers markets, kids' activities, history, and art events. Discover more about life in Thurston County at Experienceolympia.com.

• Bachelor's degree in a field closely related to the specific position. Additional experience may be substituted for education on a year for year basis.
• Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience related to public program and policy development. Demonstrated competence in the principles and practices of public policy development and administration. Also must be able to demonstrate competency in supervising personnel involved in program implementation and in establishing and controlling budgets.
• Current Washington State Driver's License or have requested and obtained an appropriate accommodation.
• Ability to efficiently use a personal computer and applicable software to successfully perform the essential job functions of the position.
• Depending upon the area of assignment, a specialized certification or accreditation may be required of the position.

Respect and Organizational Culture:

• Create an environment where employees and partners can safely express needs or concerns and where employees can make and correct mistakes
• Effectively interact with sensitivity while working with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, and lifestyles
• Thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization maintaining a positive work environment

Communication:

• Serve the public in a timely, complete, accurate, and professional manner while ensuring that written and verbal communication is clearly understood by others
• Maintain cultural competency to support diverse perspectives in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of the community
• Strong oral communication for networking and interpersonal relationships
• Excellent written communication including the ability to craft correspondence, reports, and articles or web postings with minimal grammatical and syntax errors

Leadership:

• Supervise, motivate, and develop employees and team to become more productive and effective in achieving desired goals and career growth while encouraging employee critical reflection; able to give direction without conflict
• Show fairness and impartiality in interactions; is interested in employee welfare, elicits staff input where feasible; respond to staff suggestions and complaints in a sincere, sensitive, and timely manner

Goal Setting and Accomplishment:

• Use strategic thinking and planning for goal setting and evaluation
• Effectively plan, organize, and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure
• Create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling confidentiality, professional values, and ethics with honesty and integrity
• Operate with a high degree of flexibility, initiative, attention to detail, and commitment
• Delegate and use persuasion and negotiating skills for shared responsibility and acceptance of change

Questions about this recruitment?
The contact person for this recruitment is: Vickie Larkin: vickie.larkin@co.thurston.wa.us or (360) 867-2505
This position is:

• NOT represented by a union
• NOT eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Eligible for benefits
• Contingent on the ability to pass a criminal background check
• Grant Funded

Items required for consideration:

• Application
• Resume
• Cover letter

PLEASE NOTE: The candidate selected for this position is requiredto show proof of the following immunizations by their agreed upon start date:

• Proof of immunizations of measles/mumps/rubella (MMR)
• Proof of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap/TD)

Employment Type: Regular Full-Time Employee