Agency Director

Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute

Position Summary

The UTHealth School of Public Health (SPH) is seeking qualified applicants for the role of Agency Director of the newly formed state agency: the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI). TEPHI’s mission is to collaboratively prepare Texas for threats by creating a Public Health Reserve based on a “surge capacity reservist” model for pandemic preparedness. As the first line of defense for Texas public health, TEPHI will provide workforce and infrastructure preparedness and response for the State of Texas and an integrated research program examining the long-term health impacts of a pandemic.

TEPHI will prepare Texas for the next high consequence emerging infectious agent, e.g., epi- or pandemic, and the resulting public health emergency by designing, piloting, and collaboratively launching a statewide response plan that is strategic, effective, efficient, inclusive, and specific to the needs of Texans. TEPHI will be a multidisciplinary collaboration that will leverage lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, train the existing and future public health workforce, model and prepare for future pandemics and disasters, and tailor the state’s response to the next public health emergency in order to protect the public, schools, businesses, and the overall economy.

Although TEPHI has an expansive list of academic, government, and private-sector partners, TEPHI is closely associated with the UTHealth School of Public Health which spans across multiple campuses including Houston, Dallas, Austin, Brownsville, El Paso, and San Antonio. This broad geographic representation enables the Institute to address the unique regional needs and challenges associated with pandemic and disaster preparedness. The Institute will draw on the vast resources which comprise The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) including the Cizik School of Nursing, School of Biomedical Informatics, School of Dentistry, McGovern Medical School, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences along with the School of Public Health. Organizing TEPHI to be a collaborative center to prepare Texas for the next emerging infectious, epidemic, or pandemic threat requires developing and maintaining successful partnerships with other public health agencies (including the Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Department of Emergency Management, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local public health authorities, universities including other Texas schools of public health), key industry representatives, and professional associations.

If you would like to learn more, by obtaining additional information, please contact the search committee chair, Jennifer Deegan, Vice President of Health Policy and Systems Strategy, through the office of Gwendolyn Smith-Jenkins, Associate Director, Executive Recruitment by email at Gwendolyn.SmithJenkins@uth.tmc.edu or by phone at (O) 713-500-316. Nominations are also welcomed. All inquiries will be held strictly confidential.

Position Key Accountabilities

1. Directs the day-to-day operations of the agency, which may include the agency’s financial and budget activities and other operational or programmatic activities.
2. Directs the preparation of agency policies, procedures, reports, and studies.
3. Directs and approves the preparation of the budget and determines long-range budgetary plans agency-wide, or for several departments and/or divisions.
4. Oversees and implements appropriate resources to ensure that the operations of the agency are appropriate.
5. Oversees the strategic planning process and implementation of strategic plans.
6. Participates in activities related to the legislative process to determine policy and legislative priorities; oversees the implementation of legislative changes.
7. Represents the agency in meetings with legislators, legislative staff, and other legislative liaisons; may provide testimony before legislative committees.
8. Confers with organization officials, and staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, and resolve problems.
9. Reviews and analyzes agency operations to evaluate the performance of the agency and to identify areas of potential program modifications and improvements.
10. Ensures that the agency adheres to agency goals, objectives, and strategies.
11. Identifies and manages strategic risks.
12. May oversee funding and operating agreements between agency and service providers.
13. Supervises the work of others including staff at the executive level and/or management level.
14. Manages Human Resources activities for direct reports in regards to recruiting and selection; hiring and termination, training, development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning.
15. Responsible for the design, execution, and effectiveness of a system of internal controls that provides reasonable assurance that operations are effective and efficient, assets are safeguarded; financial information is reliable and compliant with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
16. Performs other duties as assigned.