Director, Fairfax County Health Department

Director, Fairfax County Health Department

Salary

$255,000.00 - $400,000.00 Annually

Location

HEALTH DEPARTMENT KELLY SQUARE, 10777 MAIN ST, FAIRFAX (FJ56), VA

Job Type

FT Salary W BN

Job Number

26-00937

Department

Health Department

Opening Date

06/27/2026

Closing Date

7/24/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade

X-01

Posting Type

Open to General Public

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Announcement

Under general direction of the Deputy County Executive for Health, Housing and Human Services, the incumbent of this class serves at the pleasure of the County Executive in accordance with the Virginia Code Ann. §15.2-807, 15.2-808, and 15.2-809, and is subject to appointment by the County Board of Supervisors pursuant to Fairfax County Code 3-1-12(1)(a).

The Director of the Fairfax County Health Department serves as the official health advisor to the Board of Supervisors, Health Care Advisory Board, Human Services Council, and local government officials and other community groups on all health-related matters including health policy, access to care, health needs, community health planning, food safety, environmental health, and emergency preparedness and response.

Leading a workforce of approximately 900 employees and a FY2027 budget of over $100 million, the Director oversees one of Virginias largest and most complex local public health systems, providing strategic leadership for county operations while serving as a key regional public health leader across Northern Virginia and the National Capital Region.

The Director oversees a geographically dispersed operation that includes a central administrative office, four Public Health Centers which house public health clinics, a free-standing, Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory and staff embedded in additional satellite sites throughout the County. The Department's School Health Program ensures coverage for school health rooms located in each of the Fairfax County Public Schools' nearly 200 school locations as well as the schools within the City of Falls Church.

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Provides executive leadership, strategic direction, oversight, and evaluation for all public health programs and services administered through contract with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and on behalf of Fairfax County Government, the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and the towns of Herndon, Vienna, and Clifton.
• Serves as an integral member of the County's Health, Housing and Human Services System, collaborating across agencies to address complex community issues and advance coordinated human services strategies, including integrated service delivery, case management coordination, universal access to services, information technology integration, and collaborative budget planning.
• Develops and implements the Department's multi-year strategic plan, incorporating community health assessments, stakeholder collaboration, partnerships with private-sector and community organizations, and ongoing engagement with residents and consumers to inform priorities and improve outcomes.
• Collaborates with regional healthcare systems and community partners to maintain a robust safety net and ensure the delivery of essential public health services to all residents; maintains strong, effective relationships with VDH and other state agencies to secure essential funding, advance policy priorities, and support public health legislation.
• Participates in regional workgroups, committees and taskforces focused on public health programming, preparedness and response, including the committees and convenings of the Council on Governments, Northern Virginia Health Officials, Northern Virginia Emergency Response System, others; maintains Memoranda of Understanding and ensures mutual aid and working relationships with a wide variety of local, regional, state and federal authorities and organizations to ensure capacity for and coordination on public health response activities.
• Directs the development, administration, and oversight of the Health Department's operating and capital budgets for Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, including presenting budget recommendations and public health priorities to governing bodies, advisory boards, community organizations, and residents.
• Leads and supervises senior management staff by monitoring agency operations, providing strategic guidance on complex issues, resolving organizational challenges, overseeing program development and implementation, and evaluating organizational and staff performance.
• Represents the Health Department as the public face of public health in Fairfax County by communicating critical public health information through media relations, public presentations, community outreach, and engagement with local, regional, and state partners.

For a more detailed description of this position, please click here to view the position profile.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Graduation from an accredited medical school, with a license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Virginia or capacity to obtain a license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Virginia within 3 months of hire; and five years of professional experience working in either a public health agency or public health-related position, including three years of experience in a senior leadership role, such as senior manager, department director, executive director, or equivalent level position; or

Possession of a masters or doctoral degree in the area of public health, with at least seven years of professional experience working in either a public health agency or public health-related position, including three years of experience in a senior leadership role, such as senior manager, department director, executive director, or equivalent level position.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

AED - Required within 60 days of hire

CPR - Required within 60 days of hire

Valid driver's license

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

The ideal candidate has knowledge, experience and demonstrated success in the following:

• Licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Virginia or capacity to obtain a license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Virginia within 3 months of hire; and board certification in preventive medicine, primary care, or related specialty.

• At least eight years of progressively responsible experience in public health, health care administration, community health, or government health services, to include five years of experience in a senior leadership role, such as senior manager, department director, executive director, or equivalent level position.

• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices of public health administration, epidemiology, health promotion and health education, and public health emergency preparedness and response, including the application of medical science to community health trends, communicable disease control, and environmental sanitation.

• Senior, director or executive-level management experience in personnel administration, strategic planning, and budget development and management, including demonstrated ability to formulate and justify complex budgetary requirements and supervise multi-fund expenditures.

• Proven ability to select, train, and supervise a large, multidisciplinary workforce, and the analytical skill to resolve complex administrative and operational problems.

• Exceptional ability to establish and maintain cooperative, high-level relationships with federal, state, and local public and private agencies in the field.

• Thorough knowledge of community resources and the ability to apply a social equity lens to public health programs and community trends.

• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain a work environment that is respectful and accepting of diverse opinions while fostering a healthy organizational culture that encourages teamwork and collaboration.

• Exceptional executive-level verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking, presentations to elected officials and governing bodies, stakeholder engagement, and media relations.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Appointee will be required to complete a criminal background investigation, Child Protective Services Registry, sanction screening, credit check, social media check, and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

Contingent upon area of assignment, some positions within this class will require a National Provider Identifier.

Willingness to work extended hours to cover evening and weekend committees and events.

On-call for emergencies after hours, weekends, and holidays as needed. Must be able to maintain 24/7 "on-call" availability for public health emergencies.

This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).

A non-physician health director shall rely upon a licensed physician on staff, if applicable, or shall rely upon a consulting agreement (MOU/MOA) with a licensed physician for the purpose of executing prescribing duties, consulting on clinical matters, and carrying out all other State Health Commissioner delegated statutory authority requiring a physician in accordance with the Code of Virginia.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

This position is primarily sedentary in nature; however, visual acuity to work on electronic equipment such as a computer monitor, typing on a keyboard and carrying/lifting up to 15 pounds are essential to this position. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel interview; may include a practical exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact TTY DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.

#LI-NW1

Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click here for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: Public Service Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid

For additional details please visit the Countys benefits webpage.

Non-Merit Positions

• Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage

• Flexible Spending Program

• Deferred Compensation

• Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.

• No benefits

01

Do you possess a masters degree or doctoral degree in the area of public health?

• Yes
• No

02

If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, please list your master's or doctoral degree discipline(s). If not applicable, or if you do not hold a relevant degree, enter "Not applicable."

03

Have you graduated from an accredited school of medicine with an M.D. or D.O. degree?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you currently possess a valid license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Virginia?

• Yes
• No
• No, but I possess the capacity to obtain a license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Virginia within 3 months of hire

05

Do you currently possess a board certification in preventive medicine, primary care or other appropriate specialty?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you currently possess a valid drivers license?

• Yes
• No

07

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have working in either a public health agency or public health-related position?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight to less than nine years
• Nine to less than ten years
• Ten or more years

08

As a follow on to question #7, within that experience, how many years of full-time equivalent professional experience were working in a senior leadership role, such as senior manager, department director, executive director, or equivalent level position?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight to less than nine years
• Nine to less than ten years
• Ten or more years

09

Please indicate the size of the largest department or organization you managed.

• None
• Less than 100 employees
• 100 to less than 500 employees
• 500 to less than 1,000 employees
• 1,000 to less than 2,000 employees
• 2,000 to less than 3,000 employees
• 3,000 to less than 4,000 employees
• 4,000 or more employees

10

What is the largest number of direct staff you have managed?

• None
• Less than 10 direct staff
• 10 to less than 20 direct staff
• 20 to less than 30 direct staff
• 30 or more direct staff

11

Do you have at least eight years of full-time equivalent professional experience in any of the following areas? Check all that apply.

• Public Health Administration
• Health Care Administration
• Community Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Promotion/Health Education
• Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Communicable Disease Control
• Environmental Sanitation
• Governmental Health Services
• None of the above

12

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have presenting and communicating ideas and policies on public health and/or administrative subjects to large audiences?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight to less than nine years
• Nine to less than ten years
• Ten or more years

13

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have working in a local, state or federal public health agency?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven to less than eight years
• Eight to less than nine years
• Nine to less than ten years
• Ten or more years

14

Do you have experience collaborating and building effective business relationships with any of the following types of stakeholders? Check all that apply.

• Officials and/or representatives of federal, state, or local government agencies
• Advisory boards
• Board of Supervisors
• Executive staff
• Community organizations
• Service-providers
• Public citizens
• None of the above

15

What is the largest budget you have managed? Please specify the U.S. dollar ($) amount in the space below. If this question does not pertain to you, enter "Not applicable".

Required Question

Employer Fairfax County

Address 12000 Government Center Pkwy. Suite 270

Fairfax, Virginia, 22035

Phone 703-324-3311

Website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/fairfaxcounty/default.cfm