Job Specification Details

Compliance and enforcement at a senior professional level for the Department of Health. The role involves extensive interactions with environmental health division director, program managers, assistant attorney general, and senior policy and legal advisor.

Duties are performed with significant independence under the general direction of the Senior Policy and Legal Advisor.

All employees of the Agency of Human Services perform their respective functions adhering to four key practices: customer service, holistic service, strength-based relationships and results orientation.

Develop standard operating procedures, protocols, rules and forms for environmental health related to compliance and enforcement activities. Regulatory programs in environmental health include Food and Lodging, Asbestos and Lead, and the Chemical Disclosure Program. Serve as an advisor to program managers to provide pre-screening for enforcement actions prior to referral to the Attorney General office. Provide technical guidance on current statutes and regulations to ensure Standard Operating Procedures are within VDH's legal authority. Investigate and coordinate compliance actions for Environmental Health including initial letters of action seeking voluntary compliance, communicating with the non-compliant parties and fully processing all compliance and enforcement actions. Develop and monitor tracking system for enforcement actions, pre-hearing and hearing meetings. Serve as a technical advisor from the Department to Town Health Officers and Deputy Town Health Officers (THOs) across the state. Develops, coordinates and advises on policy for Environmental Health.

Duties are performed largely in an office setting, with some required travel for which private means of transportation must be available. Evening and weekend duty may be necessary.

Stress may be encountered in dealing with a variety of industries and issues, as well as with conflicting opinions. Good human relations skills are needed to deal with sensitive enforcement issues that may evoke strong adversarial opinions which should be positively channeled.

Considerable knowledge of state law and administrative penalties, hearings and legal proceedings.

Ability to negotiate and to advocate aggressively without jeopardizing working relationships.

Considerable knowledge of legal processes.

Considerable knowledge of policy development and regulatory enforcement.

Ability to read and write complex documents.

Ability to effectively deal with controversial issues.

Ability to exercise considerable tact and diplomacy.

Knowledge of state and federal environmental statutes, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Ability to correctly interpret and apply complex rules and regulations to specific cases.

Ability to mediate in stressful situations.

Ability to gather, analyze, and accurately interpret evidence and data.

Ability to testify in a clear, competent manner in court.

Ability to perform job duties within the framework of the four key practices of the Agency of Human Services: customer service, holistic service, strengths-based relationships and results orientation.

Bachelor's degree or higher in political science, communication, health, public health, journalism, public relations or related field AND five (5) years or more of experience at a professional level in government relations, communication, public health, health policy, lobbying/advocacy or public relations.

Law degree

Master's degree in public administration, political science, public health or communication.

Candidates must pass any level of background investigation applicable to the position. In accordance with AHS Policy 4.02, Hiring Standards, Vermont and/or national criminal record checks, as well as DMV and adult and child abuse registry checks, as appropriate to the position under recruitment, will be conducted on candidates, with the exception of those who are current classified state employees seeking transfer, promotion or demotion into an AHS classified position or are persons exercising re-employment (RIF) rights.