Associate Director, Office of Communication, Education and Engagement

Associate Director, Office of Communication, Education and Engagement

Salary

Depends on Qualifications

Location

Houston, TX

Job Type

Regular Full-time

Job Number

16946

Department

Public Health Services

Division

Office of Communications, Education, & Engagement

Opening Date

07/14/2026

Closing Date

9/14/2026 11:59 PM Central

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Position Description

If you're looking to be a part of a collaborative environment where your skills can make an impact, explore our current opportunities in creating a better future for public health.

About Harris County Public Health:

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) includes a network of more than 1,100 public health professionals working together to improve health outcomes for the third most populous county in the United States. HCPH provides a multitude of services such as medical and dental services, community programming, and health education for the approximately 2.3 million people in unincorporated Harris County. Through its core values of innovation, engagement, and health equity, HCPH strives to bring meaningful solutions to public health issues while keeping Harris County healthy and vibrant.

Our Values:

HCPH embraces a foundation of progressive work anchored by the department's cornerstone values guiding our work to improve the community's health and well-being.

• Transparency - We share information openly and honestly so that staff, partners, and the community understand our actions and the reasons behind them.
• Integrity - Our actions reflect strong ethical principles, ensuring we remain trustworthy, accountable, and consistent with our mission.
• Respect - We foster a supportive environment by valuing diverse perspectives, listening intentionally, and treating people with dignity in every interaction.
• Impact - We focus our efforts on activities that improve health, reduce disparities, and create meaningful, measurable outcomes for the communities we serve.
• Collaboration - We actively partner across teams, disciplines, organizations, and communities to align our efforts toward common goals.

Position Overview:

Under the supervision of the Director, Office of Communication, Education & Engagement (OCEE), the Associate Director will be responsible for providing leadership, oversight, and overall operational management to this critical area. The Associate Director is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of OCEE while leading strategic communications, public information, health education, marketing, outreach, large scale event planning, stakeholder engagement, and media relations initiatives that advance the mission of Harris County Public Health.

Provides leadership for multiple service areas and managers, oversees departmental communications and engagement strategies, establishes performance measures, manages budgets and personnel, and serves as acting Director in the Directors absence. The Associate Director ensures communications and engagement activities are evidence-based, data-driven, culturally responsive, and aligned with departmental strategic priorities and emergency response efforts.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Stakeholder and Community Partnerships: Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with community organizations, governmental agencies, healthcare partners, educational institutions, and other stakeholder to advance public health initiatives and objectives.
• Operational Management and Performance: Directs daily operations to ensure efficient delivery of communications, events, outreach, and engagement services. Establishes performance measures, monitors outcomes, and drives continuous improvement to achieve OCEE objectives.
• Budget Management: Oversees office budgets, contracts, staffing plans, procurement activities, and resource allocation.
• Communications Strategy: Leads the development and implementation of comprehensive internal and external communication and engagement strategies that align with departmental strategic priorities and emergency response efforts.
• Outreach Strategy: Ensures communications and outreach strategies are evidence-based, data-driven, culturally responsive, and incorporate public health practices, behavioral theory, and health literacy principles.
• Strategic Leadership and Program Oversight: Provides strategic leadership, management, and operational oversight for all OCEE sections, programs, and initiatives. Serves as acting Director in the Directors absence to ensure continuity of operations and strategic priorities.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

Education:

• Bachelors degree in communication, marketing, public relations, public health, or closely related field

Experience:

• Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in communications, marketing, public information, community engagement, public affairs, public health, or related field.
• Five (5) years of supervisory or executive leadership experience managing multiple large scale teams.
• Three (3) years of experience leading strategic communications initiatives within a governmental, healthcare, nonprofit, or public health organization.
• Five (5) years of experience managing budgets, contracts, personnel, and organizational operations.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of strategic communications, marketing, public information, media relations, health education, and community engagement.
• Strong understanding of public health principles and population health.
• Demonstrated executive leadership and organizational management skills.
• Experience leading multiple teams with diverse responsibilities and competing priorities.
• Ability to develop strategic initiatives and translate vision into operational execution.
• Strong project management, budgeting, and resource management skills.
• Experience developing organizational performance metrics and evaluating outcomes.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with executive leadership, elected officials, media, community organizations, and governmental agencies.
• Strong decision-making, conflict resolution, and organizational change management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, communications platforms, social media management systems, content management systems, and project management software.

Core Competencies

• Data Analytics and Assessment Skills: Ability to use data to analyze community health needs and support decisions that improve community health outcomes.
• Policy Development and Program Planning Skills: This competency focuses on developing, implementing, and improving policies, programs, and services that support effective public health strategies and improve community health outcomes.
• Communication Skills: This competency focuses on using clear and effective communication to engage audiences, address misinformation, and build trust, supporting informed decisions and stronger public health outcomes.
• Health Advancement Skills: This competency focuses on applying principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to public health, addressing systemic barriers, and promoting fair access to resources for healthier communities.
• Community Partnership Skills: This competency focuses on collaborating with communities to address the systems and policies affecting health, fostering engagement, shared ownership, and sustainable improvements in well-being.
• Public Health Science Skills: This competency focuses on using public health science and evidence-based approaches to develop and improve policies and programs, ensuring effective delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services.
• Management and Finance Skills: This competency focuses on managing human and financial resources, promoting equity and collaboration, and optimizing organizational performance to support effective public health programs.
• Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills: This competency focuses on aligning stakeholders, fostering innovation, and managing change to implement effective public health initiatives that strengthen community health.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Preferences

Education:

• Masters degree in communication, marketing, public relations, public health, or closely related field.

General Information

Position Type, and Typical Hours of Work:

• Regular | Full-Time Position
• Monday - Friday | 8 am - 5 pm
• Occasional weekends, holidays, and overtime may be required based on the specific needs and demands of the department.
• This position may also require extended and/or irregular hours during public health incidents, infectious disease outbreaks, or other emergency response activities.

Work Environment:

• This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

• Individuals in these positions frequently lift, carry, push and pull objects weighing up to 10 lbs. They also occasionally move objects weighing up to 20 lbs., and sometimes, but rarely, up to 50 lbs.

Work location:

• Harris County Public Health: Office of Communication, Education & Engagement - 1111 Fannin St. Houston, TX 77002

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan.

The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions:

Health & Wellness Benefits

• Medical Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Wellness Plan
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Ten (10) days of vacation leave per year (accrual rate increases after 5 years of service)
• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays
• One (1) floating holiday per year
• Paid Parental Leave*
• Sick Leave

Retirement Savings Benefit

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions:

• Professional learning & development opportunities
• Retirement pension (TCDRS defined benefit plan)
• Flexible work schedule*
• METRO RideSponsor Program*
• Participation may vary by County department. The employee benefits plans of Harris County are extended to all eligible participants across various departments with the exception of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, for which the cited Health & Wellness Benefits are administered through the State of Texas.

In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the Countys behalf as needed.

For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website:

www.benefitsathctx.com

01

Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position?

• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree or higher
• N/A; No Degree

02

If you selected a degree in response to the previous question, which of the following disciplines best relates to your degree most relevant to this position?

• Communication
• Marketing
• Public Relations
• Public Health
• Other Related Field
• N/A; No Degree

03

Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience in communications, marketing, public information, community engagement, public affairs, public health, or related field. (To be considered, the qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)

• Less than eight (8) years
• Eight (8) years or more.
• I do not have this experience.

04

Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience in supervisory or executive leadership experience managing multiple large scale teams. (To be considered, the qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)

• Less than five (5) years
• Five (5) years or more.
• I do not have this experience.

05

Please provide details about your verifiable experience in supervisory or executive leadership experience managing multiple large scale teams. DO NOT USE "Please see Resume" or "See Resume" (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history) Please include your (a) roles, (b) types of organizations, (c) scope of duties and responsibilities, (d) employment dates (ex. MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY). If you do not have this experience, please type "None" in the space provided.

06

Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience in leading strategic communications initiatives within a governmental, healthcare, nonprofit, or public health organization. (To be considered, the qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)

• Less than three (3) years
• Three (3) years or more.
• I do not have this experience.

07

Please provide details about your verifiable experience in leading strategic communications initiatives within a governmental, healthcare, nonprofit, or public health organization. DO NOT USE "Please see Resume" or "See Resume" (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history) Please include your (a) roles, (b) types of organizations, (c) scope of duties and responsibilities, (d) employment dates (ex. MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY). If you do not have this experience, please type "None" in the space provided.

08

Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience in managing budgets, contracts, personnel, and organizational operations. (To be considered, the qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)

• Less than five (5) years
• Five (5) years or more.
• I do not have this experience.

Required Question

Employer Harris County

Address 1111 Fannin St

Ste. 600

Houston, Texas, 77002

Phone 713-274-5445

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx