The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) seeks a Senior Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs

Founded in 1793, BCHD is the oldest health department in the country, with nearly 1,000 employees and an annual budget of $150 million that aims to protect health, eliminate disparities, and ensure the well-being of every resident of Baltimore through education, advocacy, and direct service delivery. BCHD’s wide-ranging responsibilities include maternal and child health, youth wellness, school health, senior services, animal control, restaurant inspections, violence prevention, emergency preparedness, STI/HIV treatment, and acute and chronic disease prevention.

The successful candidate will serve as Senior Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, reporting to the Chief of Staff. The position serves as general counsel and principal legal advisor to BCHD’s senior leadership team and will provide support throughout the agency on a wide range of legal matters including health law and regulatory compliance. The successful candidate will be expected to advise on health-related transactional matters, provide risk assessment support, and coordinate affirmative litigation efforts with the City’s Law Department.

Essential Functions Include:

1. Serves as general counsel and chief legal advisor for the Department by providing counsel on current and proposed laws, regulations, and case guidance related to various public health topics including HIPPA/privacy matters, the Maryland Public Information Act, and data sharing laws;
2. Monitors changes in relevant regulatory and legal areas and provide education and legal counsel to BCHD staff on those changes;
3. Provides legal support on public health transactional matters including payor agreements, contracts and MOUs, and data use agreements;
4. Ensures that internal policies, guidelines, and procedures comply with applicable laws; recommends changes in policy and practices to comply with new legal requirements and align with applicable best practices and standards;
5. Coordinates the activities with the Baltimore City Law Department for one or more specialized types of litigation;
6. Assist the Agency to achieve programmatic strategies and results through legal advice that reflects an advanced ability to understand and evaluate legal and regulatory matters in the context of programmatic objectives;
7. Other duties as assigned.

Successful candidates should have:

• Ability to work cross-functionally to implement legal strategies and solutions;
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to review and draft legal documents;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with proven ability and experience in quickly translating complex health issues in understandable terms for varied audiences;