Title: Health Equity Strategist

Organization: Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Summary of Position

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), Office of Health Equity (OHE) is seeking a dynamic and self-motivated professional to coordinate the Office’s community engagement efforts as part of the Vaccine Equity Initiative team in the role of Health Equity Strategist. To support this goal, the incoming Health Equity Strategist will implement an integrated strategy of community engagement and technical assistance to priority communities related to the COVID-19 response and in support of eliminating health disparities. The priority communities receiving intentional support in this effort include Black/African American, Latino, Asian American & Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+, Immigrant and Refugee, and Tribal communities across the Commonwealth. The Strategist will provide strong direct supervision and strategic input to the Priority Population Communities Health Equity Coordinators. Their oversight will direct the implementation of community-driven programming across the Commonwealth through an intersectional, disability justice, and racial justice lens to ensure robust population health initiatives with impactful community outcomes. They will bring strong expertise in community-centered engagement with experience partnering with community members, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations to inform program design, implementation, and prioritization.

The Vaccine Equity Initiative (VEI) is committed to improving the quality of life for all Commonwealth residents while eliminating the inequities that threaten the lives of communities of color and other priority communities who are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and its risk factors. The Office of Health Equity (OHE) works to address social determinants so everyone can attain their full health potential. We acknowledge the history of structural racism and its impact on health. All efforts are centered on dismantling ableist systems, ensuring equitable access, and supporting the needs of people with disabilities, in partnership with the OHE’s Health and Disability Program. People with lived experience in these communities and/or in protected classes are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

The Health Equity Strategists is an essential part of the Office of Health Equity and the Vaccine Equity Initiative, reporting to the Health Equity Managers, Office of Health Equity. The Strategist provides day-to-day management to the comprehensive community-based technical assistance initiative addressing the needs of priority population communities in the COVID response and other pressing health equity priorities.

Management & Collaboration

• Supervise the OHE Priority Population Communities Health Equity Coordinators, including but not limited to setting and monitoring goals, organizing and delegating work, and providing a strategic vision to meet the specific and varied needs of priority populations
• Integrate OHE’s community engagement efforts with other DPH community engagement initiatives in an equity-centered way by working collaboratively with other divisions, programs, offices, and bureaus to leverage best practices, cross-department resources, and equity frameworks
• Model transparent and open communication that centers discussions around the experience of residents; demonstrate relationship-building skills and ability to listen to and take direction from the priority population.
• Build internal capacity for community engagement work across Department-wide initiatives

Strategic Coordination

• Develop strategies for community engagement initiatives, including engaging diverse stakeholders (e.g. LBOHs, municipal government, community health centers, community-based organizations, faith leaders, etc.) in the COVID-19 response and other health equity priorities across the Commonwealth, in partnership with OHE and VEI leadership
• Coordinate community engagement efforts with a state-wide scope, meeting the needs of a priority population wherever they work, play, and live in an accessible manner
• Review and analyze data to evaluate progress, make recommendations, and facilitate more effective strategies for accomplishing initiative objectives and leveraging the assets of each community

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain multi-sectoral collaborations with external community partners that use data to address the underlying root causes that lead to social determinants of health’s harmful impacts. Facilitate communication channels between stakeholders and efforts

Health Equity

• Contribute actively to the work of MDPH and OPH/OHE’s health and racial equity portfolio and proactively support the incorporation of equity in team operations and processes
• Lead with a health equity approach that considers the history, context, and culture of populations being served supports racial, health, and disability justice reframing in stakeholder work and processes

Required Qualifications

• Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with others.
• Facility to adjust to varying or changing situations to meet emergency or changing program requirements.
• The capacity to exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
• Proficiency to supervise, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished, the capabilities of subordinates, and available resources; controlling work through periodic reviews and/or evaluations; determining subordinates, training needs, and providing or attaining for such training; motivating subordinates to work effectively; determining the need for disciplinary action and either recommending or initiating disciplinary action.
• Competence to understand, explain, and apply the laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, etc. governing assigned unit activities.
• Ability to analyze and determine the applicability of data, draw conclusions and make appropriate recommendations.
• The willingness to travel to various locations throughout the state.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to apply and articulate a racial and health equity approach to their work, including the ability to identify interventions upstream, midstream, and downstream.
• Knowledge of community resources, key stakeholders, and community-based efforts in Massachusetts regarding one or more of the communities. Experience with coalition/partnership development and stakeholder and community engagement.
• Minimum of 2 years experience, knowledge and demonstrated ability, including lived experience, to work with organizations serving one or more of the following Communities in Massachusetts: LGBTQ+ Communities, Tribal and Indigenous Peoples’ Communities.
• Ability to supervise staff, preferably diverse staff across race, gender, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of diversity.
• Demonstrated experience with cultural competence in a professional setting as well as experience in planning, organizing, and facilitating meetings.
• Knowledge of community engagement theories and best practices and social determinants of health.
• Proven ability to communicate and build relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders, including health equity and community-based stakeholders, with a commitment to health equity, particularly racial equity; ability to listen to and take direction from the community.
• Experience coordinating community engagement efforts in public health settings.
• Ability to work collaboratively alongside diverse colleagues across race, gender, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of diversity.
• Comfort in a relatively high-profile role with political context; ability to take ownership over tasks and actions with sound judgment.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently as well as collaboratively with colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Effective communication with a wide range of people, one-on-one and/or groups. Modes of communication may include written correspondence (emails, memos), phone and video calls, proposals, reports, and in-person presentations.

Salary Range: Salary: 68,016.52 – 98,517.12 Yearly

To Apply

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