Policy Manager

Position Summary:
The Policy Manager is responsible for working across the Bureau to analyze and help implement policies associated with reducing or eliminating opportunities for exposures and adverse health impacts. This responsibility requires working with the Bureau’s Senior Management, Program Directors, other Bureau staff, and the Office of General Counsel to interpret statutes, develop new regulations and policies, analyze legislation and develop legislative testimony, and analyze information to develop new initiatives. The Policy Manager will establish and oversee a Bureau Policy Working Group of internal professional colleagues familiar with the

Bureau’s

priority policy issues. The Policy Manager supports the

Bureau’s

senior managers to develop programmatic and policy priorities.

The Policy Manager also assists other DPH managers on policies and regulations that require the collaboration of multiple stakeholders. As a point person for the Bureau with the Commissioner’s office, the Policy Manager works with the Department’s Director of Government Affairs to coordinate BEH-related policy work with the Commissioner’s Office. The Policy Manager processes requests for information from the Commissioner’s Office, communicating with senior Bureau staff to fill the requests. The Policy Manager also works the Director of the DPH Communications Office to prepare press releases and respond to press inquiries, and

is responsible for planning and coordinating special projects and supervises professional, administrative, and clerical staff as assigned.

The position requires regular contact with Bureau staff; staff from the Commissioner’s Office; contacts from other federal/state/local agencies; legislators; representatives of environmental and health-related organizations and industries; and consumers. The individual in this position participates in public meetings where often conflicting views are presented. The Bureau’s actions taken to protect the public’s health may occasionally have a financial impact on the regulated community, or raise objections on the part of regulated establishments and consumers.

The Policy Manager does not directly manage a budget but does provide significant support to the Bureau senior staff and the Commissioner’s Office related to BEH budgetary planning.

The Policy Manager reports directly to the Bureau Director who provides general guidance and oversight. The Deputy Director, DPH legal counsel, and Director of Government Affairs provide review, guidance, and support on an ongoing basis. Work performance is reviewed through written reports and conferences and success is measured through the successful planning of regulatory implementation, policy development, and interaction with and support given to senior staff and the Commissioner’s Office.

Detailed Statements of Duties and Responsibilities:
Manage Bureau’s Policy Activities:
Manage the planning, analysis, and implementation of policies and regulations for the Bureau of Environmental Health, collaborating with senior managers and staff to do so. Convene regular meetings of the Bureau’s Policy Working Group. Draft new regulations and policies, analyze legislation and develop legislative testimony, and analyze and report on information to address changing needs as well as to develop new initiatives and programs.

Coordinate with Commissioner’s Office:
Serve as the point person for the Bureau with the Commissioner’s office and the Department’s Director of Government Affairs on legislative and policy matters. Interact with the

Commissioner’s

Office on matters brought before the Public Health Council. Assist Bureau senior managers to prepare for Public Health Council presentations and present to the Public Health Council as appropriate. Coordinate press releases and press inquiries with the DPH Communications Office.

Supervise activities of professional and support staff, as assigned: Perform personnel functions by interviewing and recommending the hiring of staff members, as assigned; provide or arrange for training for subordinates; evaluate subordinates’ performance; and recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, or disciplinary action to ensure adequate and competent staffing.

Must have direct knowledge of state and federal legislative and political processes and be able to identify and track bills relevant to the Bureau.

Must be able to field inquiries from state and municipal officials, advocates and lobbyists on Bureau positions on environmental health issues and policies in a mature and thoughtful manner. Must also be able to work closely with other secretariats (e.g. EEA, MassDOT).

Work under tight deadlines and multi-task regularly. The ability to prioritize competing demands is key to success in this position.

Collaborate with senior managers in the Bureau who have very busy programs and schedules to manage.

With the Bureau Director and Deputy Director, help formulate decisions and recommendations to the Commissioner’s Office regarding particular courses of action with respect to regulation development and new policy initiatives.

In collaboration with the Bureau senior management, determine legislative, budget, and policy priorities for the Bureau and develop plans for their advocacy/support and implementation.

Recommend strategic policy for Bureau Director and Deputy Director consideration.

Recommend regulations, policies, and legislative testimony for Bureau Director and Deputy Director consideration and review.

Working with the Bureau Director and/or Deputy Director, you may delegate the operational aspects of projects and initiatives, as well as

the technical research and drafting of regulations, policies, procedures and reports.

May direct staff at a lower level for policy and/or administrative matters.

Must demonstrate the ability to:
Establish clear goals and develop and implement plans to achieve them;

Work under specified deadlines in a dynamic environment;

Work with the DPH Communications Office to prepare press releases and respond to press inquiries, coordinating with Bureau content experts as needed;

Coordinate the efforts of others in accomplishing assigned work objectives in accordance with policy priorities of the Bureau and the Department;

Conduct or participate in legal and policy research; interpret statutes, regulations, and sub-regulatory documents; and prepare policy briefs and statutory, regulatory, and sub-regulatory proposals;

Communicate clearly, concisely, logically, accurately and persuasively in written, verbal, and visual formats for internal and external meetings;

Foster and maintain productive harmonious relationships with other state, municipal and federal officials, non-government organizations, professionals and other stakeholders.

Agency Mission:
The mission of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is to prevent illness, injury, and premature death, to assure access to high quality public health and health care services, and to promote wellness and health equity for all people in the Commonwealth.

We envision a Commonwealth in which all people enjoy optimal health. Massachusetts ranks among the healthiest of states according to comparative analyses, but we face numerous challenges, including chronic and infectious disease, substance abuse, violence, preventable hospitalizations, and health disparities.

DPH coordinates programs and policies to address specific diseases and conditions and offer services to address the needs of vulnerable populations. We also develop, implement, promote, and enforce regulations and policies to assure that the conditions under which people live are most conducive to health and enable people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. We license health professionals, healthcare facilities and a variety of businesses that impact public health. We operate the state laboratory and four public health hospitals. We monitor health status and manage vital records including births, marriages and deaths. We educate people about public health issues and work closely with local boards of health and community partners to identify and solve public health problems.

Total Compensation:
As an employee of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are offered a great career opportunity influencing a wide-spectrum of services to the diverse populations we serve – but it’s more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits which you should consider towards your overall compensation, including:

75% state paid medical insurance premium

Reasonable Dental and Vision Plans

Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Assistance programs

Low cost basic and optional life insurance

Retirement Savings: State Employees’ Pension and a Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan

11 paid holidays per year and competitive Sick, Vacation and Personal Time

Tuition Remission for employee and spouse at state colleges and universities

Short-Term Disability and Extended Illness program participation options

Incentive-based Wellness Programs

Professional Development and Continuing Education opportunities

Qualified Employer for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Pre-Offer Process:
A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit

http://www.mass.gov/hhs/cori

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines.

Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth’s website.

For questions, please contact Health Human Resources at 1-800-850-6968.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, or public administration and (B) of which at least three years must have been in a supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

Substitutions:
I. A Master’s or higher degree with a major in business administration, management, public administration, industrial engineering, industrial psychology, or hospital administration may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required (A) experience.*

• Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.