The Commissioner, as a member of the Mayor's Cabinet, actively participates in the establishment of Department policy, planning for the accomplishment of primary programs, providing advice concerning implications of major program decisions, and assuring coordination of overall health program planning and objectives with social services programs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES
The Commissioner of the CDPH will have several key responsibilities, including but not limited to:
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Work with communities and partners to protect and improve the health of all Chicagoans, develop and oversee the execution of the Mayor's strategic priorities related to public health. This will necessarily include:
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Directing strategic implementation of a negotiated Treatment not Trauma policy initiative including expansion of 911 alternative crisis response, City-run mental health clinics and public health workforce
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Advancing Chicago’s community health improvement plan, Healthy Chicago 2025, to address the racial life expectancy gap between Black and white Chicagoans through community engagement and the declining life expectancy for all Chicagoans especially those most affected by the pandemic;
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Collaborating with city leaders on implementing recommendations that stem from the City’s Cumulative Impact Assessment and protecting communities most impacted by environmental burden and cost.
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Makes strategic decisions, in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office and stakeholders across the city, to control public health threats; build local public health capacity; and protect Chicago’s health system;
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Ensure the City's compliance with federal, state, and municipal public health mandates, including environmental functions such as air quality control;
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Enforce federal, state, and municipal public health laws and regulations;
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Coordinate across the Mayor's Office cabinet and community stakeholders to oversee response efforts to public health crises;
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In collaboration with Mayor’s Office, establish public health policy and strategic plan for Chicago;
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Serve as a liaison and subject matter expert with commissioners and agency heads on all related policy matters, including working with other departments to use authorities and resources to promote and protect public health (“health in all policies”);
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Build and manage an executive team of 13 (see org chart on page 2), a budget of $900M, and approximately 650 employees, with a dedication to sustaining and growing a strong public health workforce and capacity;
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Help troubleshoot emerging issues, crises, or events as they arise, by direction of the Mayor; and
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Represent the Mayor as necessary at public events and maintain relationships with key constituents;
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Maintain department accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board;
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Maintains communication and relationship with the Chicago Board of Health;
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Within six months of hire complete the appropriate National Incident Management System (NIMS)/Incident Command System training;
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Actively participate and give leadership to local, regional and national professional health organizations (e.g. NACCHO, Big Cities Health Coalition, American Public Health Association);
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Ensure that Public Health programs follow the Public Health ethical principles in the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of data and information.

The Commissioner of the CDPH should either be a physician, duly licensed in Illinois, or have an 
advanced degree in a
field related to public health and professional experience in public health administration or 
hospital administration. A successful candidate should demonstrate competencies from each of the 8 
domains of the Core Competencies of Public Health Professionals developed by the Council on 
Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, and understand the 10 essential public health 
services that comprise the framework for Public Health in the US. They will also have the following 
professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
•  Significant expertise and at least 5 years of leadership experience in the medical field or 
public health policies and programs in areas such as chronic disease, infectious disease, 
behavioral and mental health, substance use, violence prevention and reduction, maternal and child 
health, and community health;
•  Demonstrated experience in understanding and addressing health inequities that were created 
through structural drivers of health, including racism and unjust health policies which has deeply 
widened the life expectancy gap across Chicago communities;
•  Skilled at cultivating and managing relationships with broad constituent networks, including but 
not limited to elected officials, state and national public health organizations, civic 
associations, community-based organizations, and private sector partnerships;
•  Understands legislative processes and landscape across the city, county, state, and federal 
government and has a vision for the integration of multiple perspectives both within the City and 
more broadly;
•  Provides strategic guidance for the identification and analysis of community-wide health status 
indicators, and evaluates service levels to ensure appropriate access and quality of public health 
services including services provided by the CDPH;
•  Understands the history and complexities of Chicago's public health landscape, including 
challenges in building community trust with medical institutions, and the need for co-governance 
strategies to build greater trust;
•  Understands the history and complexities of public health funding in the United States including 
the current federal grant landscape and time-limited COVID-19 response and recovery funds, and is 
prepared to advocate for sustainable funding for the department including from private sources;
•  Experience with government administration, preferably within a state or local public health 
agency, and overseeing large departments with complex budgets and diverse funding mixes;
•  Critical, innovative, and collaborative thinker who will find creative, data-driven solutions to 
address urgent public health concerns and crises;
•  Experienced organization and people manager that successfully balances accountability with 
coaching, motivating, and celebrating the team;
•  Respected and experienced leader that understands and applies an equity lens to working with 
diverse populations and communities and building coalitions; and
•  Passionate about the City of Chicago, particularly a strong advocate for working people and 
lower income & marginalized communities;
•  Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with experience informing and educating a 
range of stakeholders (including media) and the public about health, factors that influence it and 
how to improve it.

The salary for this position is budgeted at $203,640. Upon accepting employment, the CDPH 
Commissioner must live
in the