JOB TITLE: DIRECTOR, MEDICAL MARIJUANA OFFICE

JOB CODE: 34000

DEFINITION: This is highly responsible managerial and policy work directing the Medical Marijuana Office in the Department of Health.

The employee in this job serves as the principal program and policy advisor to the Secretary of Health and executive level decision makers in the department regarding the design, development, and implementation of policies, procedures, and systems to implement the medical marijuana program established by the Medical Marijuana Act. Work involves providing policy direction and input; developing, coordinating, and implementing policy, processes, and methods for the safe and effective delivery of medical marijuana to patients with a certified medical condition; planning and directing program activities; evaluating executive level planning and policy making within the department to ensure that public health and medical marijuana issues are reflected in program statutes, rules, and ordinances; identifying and recommending potential rulemaking and legislation for the improvement of program administration; and directing staff that oversee, regulate, license, and inspect manufacturers and dispensers of medical marijuana products. Work also involves serving as the department’s key policy advisor for the medical marijuana program and coordinating policy matters with the legislature, law enforcement, health care providers, legal advisors, and national, state, and local agencies and organizations. Work is assigned in the form of broad policy and program goals, and the employee exercises considerable judgment in determining specific policy and program outcomes. Work is reviewed by the Executive Deputy Secretary through reports and conferences for attainment of overall program goals.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.):

• Collaborates with stakeholder groups, medical professionals, consumer groups, and the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board to solicit input and feedback on the medical marijuana program and to develop related policies.

• Reviews proposed legislation to evaluate program impacts.

• Leads the development of policies and procedures related to the certification process for patients, registration process for health care providers, permit application and renewal processes for medical marijuana organizations, and recordkeeping requirements.

• Directs the design and implementation of a registry to evaluate the benefits, risks, and outcomes for patients who are prescribed medical marijuana for the therapeutic use of a qualifying medical condition.

• Oversees the development of communication methods to inform state and local government leaders, community based agencies, and the public about the Medical Marijuana Office and its activities.

• Directs the design and implementation of an electronic database and processes to collect and maintain data related to growers, processors, dispensaries, certifications and identification cards issued, practitioner registration, and electronic tracking of medical marijuana.

• Implements medical marijuana training programs for health care providers and principals and employees of medical marijuana organizations.

• Develops and implements methods to report potential adverse incidents of the medical marijuana program, such as unauthorized possession of medical marijuana or overdoses.

• Collaborates with department staff to address public health program issues related to the use of medical marijuana, including health education, epidemiology, security, laboratory reporting, compliance monitoring, emergency response, and communications.

• Develops and implements program goals, work plans, budgets, methods to identify program funding, and evaluation methods for program activities.

• Coordinates regulatory and policy efforts with representatives from federal, state, and local entities.

• Evaluates and implements best practices in the development of the medical marijuana program.

• Ensures that the program promotes high quality research into the usefulness and effectiveness of medical marijuana.

• Directs information technology vendors, project managers, public health professionals, and other professional, technical, and clerical staff.

• The employee in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates' work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the principles and methods applied to collecting, reviewing, analyzing, and interpreting health-related data.

• Knowledge of federal laws and regulations governing health information.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of policy development and implementation.

• Knowledge of the principles and methods of program planning, development, and implementation.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of supervision.

• Ability to analyze and interpret policies, procedures, and regulations.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities):

• Ten years of professional public health, health, or drug and alcohol program experience, which includes seven years of supervisory experience in program planning and policy development, and a bachelor’s degree in public health, health, or a related field;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training, which includes seven years of supervisory experience in professional public health, health, or drug and alcohol program planning and policy development.