Substance Misuse Section Chief (Senior Public Service Administrator, Opt.6)

Position Overview

The Division of Emerging Health Issues (EHI) was created in the Office of Health Promotion (OHPm) in the Illinois Department of Public Health in January 2020. It consists of two Sections: Substance Misuse/Drug User Health Section and the Violence and Injury Prevention Section. The SMS Chief position being filled will apply evidence-based strategies to prevent and control overdoses and other harms from substance use in Illinois. The Chief is expected to write and manage federal and state grants and ensure collaboration with DHS/SUPR, the Illinois Attorney General's Office opioid remediation program, IDFPR Cannabis Regulatory Office, Illinois Poison Control, local public health agencies and mental health boards, harm reduction organizations, and drug user unions. Open, non-stigmatizing communication should be bi-directional and shared between persons with living and lived experience, communities, non-profits, academia and IDPH. The section chief communicates to the public via scientific and policy-related papers and presentations and interviews on drug user health, polysubstance use, novel psychoactive drug introduction and impacts in Illinois, controlled substance prescription disruption response, and other prevention and harm reduction of substance use topics. Major federal grants such as the Overdose Data to Action - States grant are a responsibility of this section. State general revenue funds managed in this section include those for overdose prevention. The position supervises epidemiology and program staff and interns (currently 8 people) and reports to the Division Chief for EHI.

Benefits Statement

As a State of Illinois Employee, you will receive a robust benefit package that includes the following:

• Flexible and hybrid work schedules are available in many program areas (when available and dependent upon position)
• Competitive Group Insurance benefits including health, life, dental and vision plans.
• Pension plan through the State Employees Retirement System
• Deferred Compensation Program – voluntary supplemental retirement plan
• Optional pre-tax programs -Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) & Dependent Care Assistant Plan (DCAP)
• 10-25 days of paid vacation time annually (10 days for first year of state employment)
• 12 paid sick days annually which carryover year to year
• 3 paid personal business days per calendar year (pro-rated dependent on start date)
• 13-14 paid holidays per year
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Employee Assistance Program and/or mental health resources

These are just a few of the many perks available to all State employees. For more information about our benefits please follow this link: https://www2.illinois.gov/cms/benefits/Pages/default.aspx

Essential Functions

• Serves as a programmatic and policy-making official for the Substance Misuse Section within the Division of Emerging Health Issues.
• Serves as full-line supervisor.
• Develops and leads the grant programs within the section.
• Identifies and obtain grant funding.
• Communicates and educates.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of college.
• Requires prior experience equivalent to four years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public health.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work, public administration, or public health.
• Four years experience with department fiscal policy, rules, and regulations.
• Four years of management and supervisory experience.
• Four years experience proposing, developing, and monitoring budgets.
• Two years experience establishing, maintaining, and improving cooperative working relationships with various stakeholders on health promotion issues.
• Thorough knowledge of agency programs and service objectives, activities, and operational systems.
• Thorough knowledge of agency policies and procedures.
• Ability to exercise judgement and discretion in developing, implementing, and interpreting departmental policies and procedures.
• Three years experience using Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Three years experience communicating both verbally and in writing.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties.
• Require appropriate, valid driver’s license.
• Per Executive Order 2018-07, engages with Business Enterprise Program (BEP) contractors and subcontractors and provides support for goals of BEP and the Fair Contracting Task Force.

*The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is tasked with the oversight of communities within Illinois to achieve and maintain optimal health and safety. With an annual budget of over $2 billion in state and federal funds, 6 regional offices, 3 laboratories and over 1,200 employees, IDPH is equipped to fulfill its mission of protecting the health and wellness of the people of Illinois through the prevention, health promotion, regulation and control of disease and injury.