Description

The Public Health department is seeking an Environmental Health Manager to join a team of Environmental Health professionals. This position will provide strategic leadership and direction overseeing food, pools, lodging, and septic inspection teams while driving regulatory compliance, strengthening interagency partnerships, and advancing countywide environmental health priorities through strategic leadership, high-level decision-making, and data-driven program management.

Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus. For more information visit employee referral program.

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Location and hours:
This position is hybrid and will be performed both on-site at the Hennepin County Eden Prairie location at 479 Prairie Center Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55334, and remote as job duties require. Work hours will primarily be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.– 5 p.m. While this position is designated as hybrid, based on current requirements hires must reside in or relocate to Minnesota or Wisconsin. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for all new benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis. Details about NEO will be provided upon hire.

About the position type:
This is a full-time, benefit earning position.

This position is internally classified as a Human Services and Public Health Program Manager.
To view the job classification specification, click here.

In this position you will:

Provide strategic leadership for inspection teams to ensure consistent policies, effective service delivery, and alignment with county goals.
Oversee managerial-level supervision, including hiring, staff development, and performance management across work areas.
Manage workload distribution and performance for environmental health programs to ensure compliance with state and county ordinances.
Represent Hennepin County in coordination with local, state, and federal partners to strengthen interagency relationships.
Oversee and delegate resolution of complex or escalated public complaints related to environmental health issues.
Lead environmental health's role in planning, training, response, and coordination for outbreaks and public health emergencies.
Direct the development, implementation, and evaluation of environmental health programs and long-term strategies.
Interpret and apply federal, state, and county food protection regulations to make high-level regulatory decisions.
Serve as the primary liaison with Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and other regulatory partners and act as the county’s retail food standardization expert.
Oversee the preparation of program performance reports and develop data-driven budget proposals aligned with strategic and operational priorities.

Need to have:

One of the following:
- Seven years or more of supervisory experience in an area related to the position.
- A bachelor's degree in behavioral/social science, business administration, public administration, public health, or a related field and three years or more of supervisory experience in an area related to the position.
- A master's degree or higher in one of the above fields and two years or more of supervisory experience in an area related to the position.

Nice to have:

Current registration as an Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian.
Experience:
- Overseeing food, beverage, lodging, and related environmental health inspection programs.
- Managing multiple environmental health program areas such as pools, septic systems, lodging, wells, or similar regulatory fields.
- Leading staff training, facilitation, and team development.
- With state laws, rules, regulations, county ordinances, and local codes governing environmental health programs.
- Applying leadership strengths to support team performance and dynamics.
Knowledge of:
- Departmental policies, operational procedures, and regulatory frameworks.
- Food protection principles, foodborne illness prevention, and associated control strategies.
- Environmental health program operations, inspection standards, and public health risk mitigation.
Ability to:
- Lead and coordinate multiple teams while ensuring consistent application of standards and policies.
- Make high-level informed decisions, manage program workloads, balance priorities, and ensure operational efficiency.
- Demonstrate effective communication and relationship-building skills with internal teams and external partners.
- Educate staff, partners, and stakeholders on environmental health principles and regulatory requirements in both verbal and written formats.

About the department:
Hennepin County Public Health’s vision is for all people who live, work and play in Hennepin County to experience optimal health grounded in health and racial equity. Our department works to improve the health of all county residents by addressing the social and environmental factors that impact their health and offering programs and services that help them to be healthy. We promote physical and mental health, prevent illness and injury associated with communicable diseases and environmental conditions, and reduce chronic diseases.

About Hennepin County:
Hennepin is the largest county government organization in Minnesota. Our employees work every day to improve the health, safety and quality of life for our residents and communities. All of our jobs align with our mission to serve residents through transformative services that eliminate disparities, eliminate inequities, and create opportunity for all and our vision of a community where all people are healthy, all people are valued, and all people thrive.

Our employees receive a combination of competitive benefits and positive workplace culture not found at other organizations. This includes meaningful work that impacts our community, competitive pay, work-life balance, a variety of benefits and opportunities to grow. Learn more at The Bridge (login as Guest).

Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the elimination of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community.

Your future. Made here.

This posting may be used to fill current and future vacancies.

Watch this video for application best practices and tips.

This position will have access to systems or other documentation that contains HIPAA data.

Invitations to interview will be based upon an assessment of education and experience. Final candidates may be required to complete a criminal background check.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Taylor Dahlberg
Taylor.Dahlberg@hennepin.us

Hennepin County

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Environmental Health Manager