JOB TITLE: PHYSICIAN GENERAL STAFF ASSISTANT

JOB CODE: 34655

DEFINITION: This is professional public health policy analysis and development work as the Special Assistant to the Physician General.

The employee in this job serves as program and policy advisor on behalf of the Physician General to cabinet level officials and stakeholders in the commonwealth on health policy matters. Work involves identifying medical and public health issues, formulating policy and providing policy direction on behalf of the Physician General, and developing positions for the Physician General on health policy. Work also involves developing and providing presentations on behalf of the Physician General on health policy issues, providing advice and guidance on health policy issues, and representing the Physician General on various boards. Work also involves interacting with agency heads, agency staff, and the Governor’s Office to discuss health policy issues and to advocate the Governor’s health policies. Work is assigned in the form of health policy and program goals and is reviewed by the Physician General for overall effectiveness.

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.):

• Identifies medical and public health problems that impact the commonwealth’s public health programs and related service programs such as human services, drug and alcohol, education, corrections, or aging.

• Recommends and formulates health policies and strategic plans to address medical and public health problems.

• On behalf of the Physician General, the Governor’s Office, and other cabinet level officials, advises and informs agencies, committees, task forces, and other groups on health policy issues.

• Analyzes health policy issues and proposals which may have impact on areas such as medicine, health research, pharmaceuticals, social services, or health data, and develops recommendations.

• Reviews proposed legislation to evaluate program impacts and provides recommendations to address legislative changes.

• Conducts presentations at press conferences and other events on health policy issues to inform stakeholders and the general public on health policy issues of public interest.

• Manages special health policy research projects and ensures project adherence to health policies.

• Serves as a designee on various boards and task forces on behalf of the Physician General, such as the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Board, Governor's Policy Office LGBTQ Workgroup, and Safe and Effective Prescribing Practices Task Force.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

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

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of public health infrastructure at the federal, state, and local levels.

• Knowledge of public health laws and regulations.

• Knowledge of policy research methods.

• Ability to interpret laws, regulations, legislation, policies, and procedures.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: (NOTE: These are expected of an employee performing the work of this job at the full performance level. These may not be evaluated by the State Civil Service Commission or used for Civil Service examination purposes and are not position-specific performance standards.):

• Ability to lead the collection, analysis, and presentation of data used for the development of health policy.

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

• Three years of professional health policy analysis and planning experience, and a master’s degree in public health, health administration, health policy, or a related field;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training.