Environmental Health Division Manager

General Statement of Duties / Distinguishing Features of the Class

The Butte-Silver Bow Health Department is seeking a dynamic and experienced leader to serve as our Environmental Health Division Manager. This senior management role oversees the daily operations and personnel of the Environmental Health Division, ensuring alignment with the department's mission, vision, and core values. As a key member of our leadership team, the Division Manager will guide the strategic planning, development, and evaluation of comprehensive environmental health programs that protect and promote public health across Butte-Silver Bow. This position goes beyond technical inspections-it's about shaping policy, driving program success, and leading a dedicated team toward meaningful community impact. If you're passionate about environmental health and ready to lead with purpose, we invite you to bring your expertise to a role that makes a lasting difference

The incumbent exercises considerable independent judgment and decision-making authority in directing environmental health operations, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and developing long-range strategies to address emerging environmental health issues. Work involves supervising professional staff, managing budgets and resources, and representing the department to governmental agencies, community partners, and the public. Unlike subordinate staff, the Environmental Health Division Manager is accountable for establishing divisional priorities, integrating environmental health objectives into the overall public health strategy, and providing expert guidance to elected officials and senior leadership. The position requires a high level of technical expertise in environmental health science combined with proven administrative and leadership skills.

Examples of Essential Work (Illustrative Only)

• Plans, directs, and evaluates the activities of the Environmental Health Division, including inspection, permitting, enforcement, and public education programs.
• Develops and implements policies, procedures, and standards to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local environmental health laws and regulations.
• Supervises, trains, and evaluates professional staff; assigns work priorities and monitors performance.
• Prepares and manages the Environmental Health Division budget; monitors expenditures and allocates resources efficiently.
• Analyzes environmental health trends and data to identify emerging public health threats and recommend strategic interventions.
• Collaborate with other health department employees to investigate food-borne and water-borne illness outbreaks.
• Provide environmental health education activities.
• Assists in preparing reports and presentations for elected officials, boards, and committees, summarizing program performance, compliance activities, and policy recommendations.
• Responds to environmental health emergencies and coordinates appropriate response actions with internal and external stakeholders.
• Performs all duties and work assignments in a safe, healthy, and environmentally sound manner. Specifically, complies with the Health & Safety Program; maintains work area in a safe and orderly manner; identifies and reports unsafe conditions; reports all accidents; wears required personal protective equipment; and attends safety-related meetings, training sessions, fit testing, etc.
• Performs all duties and work assignments in compliance with project quality requirements.
• Acts responsibly and ethically, and in conformance with generally accepted business, occupational, and professional standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills for Success:

• Leadership and Supervision: Ability to inspire, motivate, and guide a diverse team; delegate effectively and foster professional growth among staff.
• Strategic Planning: Skill in setting both long- and short-term goals, prioritizing resources, and aligning division objectives with the broader public health mission.
• Analytical Thinking: Proficiency in analyzing data, identifying trends, and using evidence-based decision- making to solve complex environmental health issues.
• Communication: Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills to effectively communicate with elected officials, community partners, the media, and the public.
• Conflict Resolution: Ability to manage and resolve disputes with tact, diplomacy, and fairness in situations involving the public, staff, or partner agencies.
• Budget and Resource Management: Skill in developing and managing budgets, optimizing resources, and ensuring cost-effective program operations.
• Public Engagement: Ability to build trust and maintain positive relationships with community members, stakeholders, and partner organizations.
• Emergency Response: Competence in leading and coordinating environmental health responses during public health emergencies and environmental incidents.
• Technological Proficiency: Comfortable with environmental health management systems, GIS mapping tools, and other relevant technology platforms.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Commitment to ongoing learning, innovation, and process improvement to enhance program effectiveness.
• Manages multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Adheres to the Health Department of Code of Conduct.

Working Conditions While Performing Essential Functions:

• Work Environment: Primarily performed in an office setting with frequent travel to field sites, including food establishments, public facilities, construction sites, industrial operations, and outdoor locations. Fieldwork may involve exposure to inclement weather, environmental hazards, unsanitary conditions, and potentially hazardous materials.
• Physical Requirements: Duties may require sitting, standing, walking, bending, and reaching for extended periods. Field inspections may involve climbing stairs or ladders, waling over uneven terrain, and lifting or carrying equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Travel: Regular local travel within the jurisdiction and occasional travel to regional or statewide meetings, trainings, or conferences.

If unable to demonstrate these abilities based upon a standardized, objective assessment by Butte-Silver Bow's occupational health professional, all reasonable accommodations will be made, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and any other applicable federal and Montana law.

Reports to:Health Officer

Directs Work of: Environmental Health Division Staff

Blood-borne Pathogen Risk Code: None X Low Medium__High

Required Experience, Training, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of the core functions and essential services of public health.
• Thorough knowledge of all food services and food establishment rules and regulations, including standards for construction and operation of food service facilities.
• Thorough knowledge of all other public health, safety and nuisance laws, rules and regulations, as issued by federal, state, and local agencies.
• Thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental laws, rules and regulations.
• Thorough knowledge of state and local housing and related laws, rules and regulations.
• Thorough knowledge of chemistry and bacteriology.
• Skill in public speaking.
• Ability to communicate well with property owners, business owners, architects, contractors, subcontractors, public officials and the general public to secure compliance with appropriate public health and safety codes, laws, ordinances, and rules and regulations.
• Ability to read and interpret building plans and blueprints.
• Ability to operate machines and equipment used in various environmental sampling and testing procedures.
• Ability to prepare accurate and reliable reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Ability to operate a personal computer using standard word processing, database and spreadsheet applications appropriate to assigned duties.
• Ability to use logical thought processes to develop solutions according to written specifications and oral instructions.
• Ability to perform a wide variety of difficult technical tasks with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information.
• Ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of tasks assigned.
• Knowledge of population-based health status indicators, determinants of health and illness, factors contributing to health promotion and disease prevention, and factors influencing the use of health services.
• Knowledge of relevant OSHA standards.
• Knowledge of current epidemiological data analysis and surveillance methods used in the management of communicable and infectious disease. .
• Knowledge of group processes, including facilitation, collaboration, negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Knowledge of research techniques and principles as well as quality assurance/improvement systems.
• Knowledge of data collection, analysis and interpretation techniques.
• Knowledge of emergency preparedness, at home, work and in the community.
• Knowledge of incident command structure and its use.
• Demonstrates ability to maintain working relationships with diverse populations and cultures.
• Demonstrates communication skills (oral and written).
• Demonstrates knowledge of the leadership skills required to delegate tasks, coordinate patient and family care, and mobilize community resources.

Acceptable Education, Experience and Training:

• Master's degree in environmental health or other related degree preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in environmental health or related field will be considered.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills (i.e., non-judgmental, objective, reflective, empathic, patient, tactful).
• Ability to establish rapport with client(s) and empower them by building on their strengths.
• Strong organizational and record-keeping skills.
• Computer skills, including email, Microsoft programs, and various database systems.
• Supervisory experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in public health, environmental health and/or environmental stewardship is strongly preferred.
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work.

Required Special Qualifications:

• Current Registered Sanitarian License or successful passage of the Registered Environmental Health Specialist examination provided by the National Environmental Health Association.
• National Incident Management System (NIMS)/ Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200, and 700 certifications within six months of employment.
• Valid Montana driver's license, a current certificate of vehicle insurance, and access to reliable transportation to all assigned work locations.
• Must be a resident of Butte-Silver Bow during employment, according to Butte-Silver Bow Ordinance. See below.

"2.08.010 Residence during employment.

From and after October 1, 1979, all employees of the local government of Butte-Silver Bow shall be bona fide residents within the boundaries of Butte-Silver Bow during the period of their employment by the government of Butte-Silver Bow.

(Ord. 85 1, 1979)"

Preferred Special Qualifications:

Public Health Certificate encouraged.

Essential Physical Abilities:

• Clarity of speech and hearing, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to communicate well with other employees, department heads and supervisory personnel, applicants for employment and interviewees, and the general public.
• Sufficient vision, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to produce and review a wide variety of materials in both electronic and hardcopy forms.
• Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to operate a keyboard and to make handwritten notations.
• Sufficient personal mobility, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to attend and observe the work in other offices and field work locations.

Additional City-County information

This job description is a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities. Tasks and duties of the employee may differ from those outlined above.

The City-County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical disability, or veteran status.