Commissioner of Health
About the Company
Baltimore is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maryland, and the 29th-most populous city in the country. It was established by the Constitution of Maryland and is not part of any county; thus, it is the largest independent city in the United States. Baltimore has more public monuments than any other city per capita in the country and is home to some of the earliest National Register historic districts in the nation, including Fell's Point (1969), Federal Hill (1970) and Mount Vernon Place (1971). More than 65,000 properties, or roughly one in three buildings in the city, are listed on the National Register, more than any other city in the nation.
The Baltimore City Health Department is the oldest, continuously-operating health department in the United States, formed in 1793 when the governor appointed the city’s first health officers in response to a yellow fever outbreak in the Fells Point neighborhood. During the more than 220 years since then, we’ve been working to improve the health and well-being of Baltimore residents. We strive to make Baltimore City a city where all residents realize their full health potential.
About the Job
Mayor Brandon Scott and the City of Baltimore seek their next Commissioner of Health. The Commissioner of Health leads the oldest continuously operating health department in the United States and provides essential leadership to make Baltimore a healthier and more equitable city for the benefit of all the city’s residents.
Responsibilities
Oversees two public health clinics for the treatment of HIV, Hepatitis C, TB, and other sexually transmitted infections; a diagnostic lab; HIV and STI prevention; immunizations; dental services; and acute and communicable disease monitoring and investigation
Serves as incident commander for public health emergencies, including emerging/infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID and MPX
Serves as chair of the Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC), a multisector stakeholder group charged with creating the City’s public health agenda
Serves as chair of the City’s Child Fatality Review (CFR) team, a multidisciplinary stakeholder group charged with making policy and programmatic recommendations to reduce child fatalities in Baltimore City
Serves as ex-officio chair of the board of the local behavioral health authority, Behavioral Health System Baltimore (BHSB)
Serves as a member on the board of the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), Family League of Baltimore, Baltimore City Healthy Start, and Baltimore’s Promise, and as part of other advisory boards and commissions including the Postmortem Examiners Commission (PMEC) and Maryland Association of County Health Officers (MACHO)
Directs programs aimed at addressing health disparities, improving health outcomes for children, youth, and families, youth violence prevention, environmental health, substance use disorder, school health, and chronic disease prevention
Directs programs that deliver services to older adults, their families, and caregivers in the City of Baltimore
Plans, develops, and implements public health policies and programs, including the recommendation of new legislation and policy initiatives using a Health in All Policies approach
Provides expert testimony and guidance to other agencies, city council, state legislature, and federal delegation on a wide variety of public health issues
Serves as lead spokesperson on health issues with news media
Serves as a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet and as the lead health adviser to the Mayor
Co-chairs the Restitution Advisory Board and plays a central role in the city’s effort to reduce substance abuse and overdose
Leads production of a BCHD annual report
Serves as primary City liaison with the Maryland Department of Health, representing BCHD and the City
Serves as primary liaison with City-based healthcare facilities including hospitals, academic medical centers, federally qualified health centers, and MCOs
Qualifications
Education & Experience:
Educational requirements include a (1) MD or DO or (2) doctoral public health degree or (3) DRNP degree or (4) Master’s public health combined with a law, business, or nursing degree
Equivalent relevant education may be considered
A minimum of five years in a senior management role overseeing direct reports is essential, along with exceptional emotional intelligence, strong administrative, delegation, communication, project management, budgeting and grant writing skills
Government experience is preferred but not required
Knowledge & Skills:
Strong oral and written communication skills along with cultural humility and the ability to navigate complexity are essential
Comfort with being highly visible and actively engaging residents and local organizations
Experience managing program budgets and grants, leading teams with compassion, and delivering high-level presentations
Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically on public health issues
