DIRECTOR OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

About the Community

The City of Long Beach is located south of Los Angeles and adjacent to Orange County, offering oceanside activities, diverse culture, and a unique economy. With approximately 470,000 residents across 51 square miles, Long Beach features 169 parks, 26 community centers, and numerous public spaces. Known for its diversity, the city provides a Southern California climate year-round, supporting outdoor activities like surfing, hiking, golfing, and biking. Long Beach is rated the 10th "Most Walkable City" globally and includes six miles of beaches, the Long Beach Convention Center, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, and the annual IndyCar Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

About City Government

The City of Long Beach is a charter city governed by nine City Council members and a City-wide elected Mayor. The City Manager oversees 15 departments, including Health and Human Services, with a $3.2 billion budget and approximately 6,048 full-time employees. Long Beach operates its own health department and is one of the few municipalities with its own water and gas departments. The City prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, publishing workforce diversity data and pay equity information by race and gender.

About the Department

The Department of Health and Human Services has served the Long Beach community for over a century and is one of only three municipal health jurisdictions in California. With a $170 million budget (over 80% from grant funding), the Department addresses public health, safety, communicable disease, and equitable access to care. It comprises seven bureaus: Community Health, Communicable Disease and Emergency Response, Collective Impact, Environmental Health, Homeless Services, the Housing Authority, and Administrative and Financial Services. The Department emphasizes technology, innovation, and efficiency to enhance service quality.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Health and Human Services Department, including 500+ employees across nine locations, three homeless transitional living/shelter sites, and a $170 million budget.
• Manage 10 direct reports, including the City Health Officer, Deputy Director, Public Information Officer, and seven Bureau managers.
• Collaborate with management teams, national/state/regional partners, other City departments, and the Board of Health and Human Services to enact policies, programs, and objectives.
• Serve as a culture cultivator and mentor, fostering leadership and accountability within the Department.
• Engage in public speaking and community outreach, including presentations to City leadership, media, elected officials, and the public.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and publications for internal and external stakeholders using data and technology to inform strategic priorities.
• Act as a proactive problem solver and decisive leader, empowering and motivating staff.

Department Priorities

• Equity: Utilize an equity lens in planning and implementing programs, policies, and practices, with a focus on health and race equity initiatives.
• Data and Innovation: Lead integrated data solutions, performance measures, planning, and workforce development.
• Homelessness: Secure funding and resources to prevent and address homelessness, negotiate federal/state/regional funding, and coordinate services for youth, families, and adults.
• Food and Vector-Borne Disease: Enhance food safety policies for mobile and sidewalk vendors, conduct outreach and education, and streamline permitting and enforcement.
• HIV/STD Prevention and Care: Address rising HIV/STD rates through clinic services, community-based testing, PrEP, treatment, research, and development of a new strategic plan.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a mission-driven leader with an innovative mindset, committed to removing barriers for disenfranchised communities. They will demonstrate:

• Integrity: Ethical and fair decision-making.
• Excellence: Provision of quality, integrated, sustainable, and innovative public services.
• Leadership: Responsible and positive role modeling.
• Dignity: Respect for all individuals.
• Accountability: Fiscal responsibility and results-driven ownership.
• Serving the Most Vulnerable: Dedication to supporting social, ethnic, and cultural values, with an understanding of social determinants of health.

They will possess a strategic mindset, strong communication skills, and the ability to use data and technology to inform major strategies. The candidate will be a proactive problem solver, decisive leader, and effective mentor.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in public health, public or business administration, organizational psychology, social services, urban studies, or a related field.
• Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible management experience in complex human service planning and service delivery, including grant-funded programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in public health, public or business administration, organizational psychology, social services, urban studies, or a related field.