Associate Director - Health (Director of Special Projects)

About the Detroit Health Department

The Detroit Health Department has served Detroiters for more than a century. Today, DHD is building a modern public health department that is visible, responsive, data-informed, and rooted in the daily realities of Detroit residents. Our work goes beyond traditional health services. Through a Health in All Policies approach, DHD recognizes that health is shaped by housing, transportation, environmental conditions, economic opportunity, public safety, education, and the broader systems that shape life in the city. We seek team members who can work across programs, City departments, and community partners to improve health, reduce inequities, and deliver better outcomes for Detroit residents.

The Detroit Health Department seeks a resourceful, adaptable leader to serve as Associate Director of Health (Director of Special Projects). Reporting to the Chief Public Health Officer, this leader will take on a broad mix of analytical work, public health, policy, partnership, and organizational initiatives and move them from early research and planning through implementation and evaluation. Health in All Policies will be a central part of the portfolio. The Associate Director will oversee a staff and work with programs across the Detroit Health Department, City departments, and community partners to consider how policies and services affect health and translate that understanding into practical action. The role is not limited to a single program or subject area.

The Director will also work with division directors and program managers to strengthen evidence-informed practice, performance management, and program evaluation. This includes helping teams assess relevant research, track meaningful outcomes, build partnerships with researchers, and develop the skills and tools to evaluate and improve their work.

We are looking for a strong communicator, quick learner, and practical problem-solver who can bring structure to an unfamiliar challenge, build productive relationships, and follow a project through to completion. This person must be comfortable both developing recommendations and doing the detailed work needed to put them into practice.

Special Projects and Health in All Policies

• Lead assigned special projects from start to finish. Define the problem, develop work plans and budgets, identify partners, establish deadlines, and track results.
• Coordinate Health in All Policies work with City departments, including housing, transportation, environmental conditions, economic opportunity, and other areas that shape health.
• Develop practical guidance, health impact action plans, and progress reports. Help departments identify feasible actions within their responsibilities and organize working groups to support implementation.
• Research emerging issues, assess policy and program options, and prepare clear briefs and recommendations. Work with epidemiology, data, and program staff to interpret evidence and identify information gaps.
• Develop and launch new initiatives with program leaders and community partners. Assignments may include improving access to services, connecting existing programs, or addressing a newly identified public health need.
• Build partnerships with public agencies, health systems, schools, universities, community organizations, and funders. Facilitate meetings and help develop implementation agreements for appropriate City review.
• Coordinate funding proposals, project budgets, spending, and grant deliverables with finance, grants, procurement, and program staff. Identify resources needed to sustain successful initiatives.
• Supervise assigned staff and lead project teams across disciplines. Establish clear responsibilities, provide feedback and coaching, and build effective working relationships, including with colleagues outside the Director’s supervisory authority.
• Evaluate project results and improve processes. Prepare progress reports, identify barriers early, and recommend whether to expand, revise, conclude, or transfer projects to an ongoing program owner.
• Represent the department on assigned initiatives and take on emerging priorities as directed by the Chief Public Health Officer. Complete required incident command and crisis management certifications and participate in preparedness exercises and public health emergencies.

Program Performance, Evidence, and Evaluation

• Help programs use evidence - work with program leaders to find and assess relevant studies, identify gaps in the evidence, and apply findings to program design and improvement. 
• Strengthen program evaluation – help teams define intended outcomes, select practical performance measures, and develop evaluation plans. Connect programs with epidemiology, data, and quality improvement staff and external researchers to track outcomes and assess effectiveness, not just activity. 
• Build evaluation skills across programs – coordinate with workforce development staff and academic partners to provide training, tools, and coaching in strategic planning, performance management, and program evaluation. Help managers use these skills in their ongoing work. 
• Connect findings to decisions – work with program and finance staff to use research and evaluation findings in program improvements, funding proposals, and resource recommendations. Recommend whether initiatives should be expanded, revised, concluded, or transferred to an ongoing program owner. 

• Master's or Doctoral degree in Medicine, Public Health, Business Administration, Health Science Administration or other related field 
• At least five years of management or leadership experience, with increasing responsibility in public health, government, or the nonprofit sector

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience taking complex projects from idea to implementation and leading work across multiple teams or organizations.
• Experience in Health in All Policies, policy analysis, program development, government partnerships, or work addressing the social and environmental conditions that shape health.
• Strong research, writing, project and budget management, facilitation, and problem-solving skills. Sound judgment, attention to detail, and a demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar subjects quickly.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be substituted to meet the education and experience requirements of this position.

Salary will be based on qualifications and experience within that range.

Evaluation Plan

• Interview: 70%
• Evaluation of Training, Experience & Personal Qualifications: 30%
• Total of Interview and Evaluation T.E.P: 100%

Additional points may be awarded for:

• Veteran Points: 0 – 15 points
• Detroit Residency Credit:   15 point