Position Summary

Division: Environmental Health

Working Title: License and Permit Specialist

Direct Supervisor: Environmental Health Administrative Manager

This position performs moderately complex environmental health licensing and permitting work for the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD). Receives and reviews license and permit applications for food establishments and for general sanitation at childcare, daycare, foster, and adoption homes. Ensures compliance with applicable policies, administrative codes, and statutes including with local orders, state regulations, and federal mandates. Communicates with external and internal customers to obtain and accept complete permit applications. Responsible for providing customer service support, receiving, and responding to various public inquiries, processing payments for permits, managing telephone calls, and general duties related to environmental health administrative support. Works under general supervision with limited latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned. Job descriptions list the specific tasks to be accomplished by the position the employee is filling at WCCHD. The WCCHD Employee Responsibilities are a set of general expectations for employees about how they should work with each other and the public we serve. Each employee must sign and acknowledge that they have been informed, understand, and agree to abide by these expectations. Violation of these responsibilities may lead to implementation of WCCHD’s disciplinary procedures.

Analytical/Assessment

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  Receives and reviews license and permit applications, revisions, and renewals
• Inputs license and permit information, payments, and required technical data for licenses and permits into WCCHD computer applications, databases, and systems
• Analyzes the quality and comparability of existing data
• Identifies gaps in existing data

Policy Development/Program Planning

• Assists in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies and procedures
• Collaborates in and contributes to individual, team, program and branch program management, quality improvement, and evaluation activities
• Participates in QI activities to support a culture of Quality Improvement within the program and division

Communication and Cultural Competency

• Provides complex information to customers in person, by telephone and by email concerning public health issues according to federal, state, and local regulations
• Provides information necessary to complete the permitting process for all public health regulatory permits
• Facilitates communication, refers customers to website, other staff, and mails information packets
• Develops basic awareness of related laws and regulations as needed to provide information to customers
• Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professional with persons of all ages and from diverse, cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation, lifestyles, and physical abilities
• Adheres to ethical principles and WCCHD policy in the maintenance, use, and dissemination of data and information
• Provides quality internal and external customer service

Community Dimensions of Practice

• Receives/processes complaints from customers and distributes to program team leads or other environmental health services staff
• Assists and responds to public health, environmental health, or health hazard complaints by providing the appropriate information, including referral to another agency if the location or issue of the complaint is outside WCCHD jurisdiction
• Refers foodborne illness complaints to WCCHD Epidemiology and Emergency Preparedness Division
• Provides administrative and technical assistance related to license and permit requirements to the general public, agency staff, government, and elected officials
• Maintains files, paper and electronic, related to all complaints reports and inspections
• May complete purchases for division office supplies and certified letter mailouts

Public Health Sciences

• Provides program specific information to internal and external customers over the telephone, in writing, or in person
• Maintains records and assists with correspondence, mailings, and open record requests
• Processes payments for permits, plan reviews, general sanitation inspections, and other fees
• Provides information to inspectors to schedule site inspections relating to complaints and to set-up inspections for each day’s workload
• Screens incoming calls regarding environmental health questions and directs calls to the appropriate EHS staff
• Refers questions regarding other issues or other WCCHD resources to the appropriate WCCHD program or outside agency
• Manages incoming and outgoing mail/correspondence daily
• Maintains files, paper and electronic, related to all inspections and permits
• Purges files in accordance to record retention policies and procedures
• Develops and identifies methods relating to improving records maintenance and to providing better services relating to food and other environmental health issues

Other

• May participate on a WCCHD committee, task force, or assigned other duties
• In the event of a public health emergency, employees may be called upon to support WCCHD’s response in ways that are outside the usual scope of their job responsibilities. This may involve working hours that are outside the employee’s usual work hours. Employees will not be required to perform duties that are outside of their competence or professional licensure.

Education, Licensure, Certifications, Experience

• High school diploma or GED required
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
• Computer skills including but not limited to Microsoft Office, data entry, and data analysis required
• Valid Texas driver’s license and access to reliable transportation to all assigned work locations required
• One-year experience in any of these areas: public health, office administration/management, teaching, regulatory enforcement agency, and/or licensing and permit work preferred
• CPR certified or willingness to obtain
• Selected candidates in the Clinical Services Division, Environmental Health Division, and WIC Division, will receive a conditional offer of employment contingent upon the candidate passing a pre-employment-controlled substances screening test. The candidate must be tested and receive a negative result before starting to work.
• All selected candidates are required to pass a background check as a condition of employment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed without posing a direct threat to health or safety of themselves or others.

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  Knowledge of public health essential services.
• Knowledge of office practices and administrative procedures
• Knowledge of business English, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
• Knowledge of state and local regulations, and program operations relating to food programs and rules and regulations regarding environmental and consumer health programs
• Skill in using a computer, including but not limited to Microsoft Office Professional
• Skill in public relations involving collaborative consultations with the public and community agencies.
• Skill in using a computer, including but not limited to Microsoft Office Professional.
• Skill in administrative support operations, including file maintenance and mail handling
• Skill in the operation of general office machines
• Skill in typing and data entry
• Ability to communicate and interact effectively with members of the public and to provide information by telephone and in person
• Ability to handle stressful situations as they arise, on the telephone, and in the office
• Ability to work independently and as a team member
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions
• Ability to adhere to policies and procedures including those pertaining to confidential records and information
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with supervisory personnel, co-workers, and others
• Ability to adhere to Department rules for travel while performing duties
• Ability to work in a collaborative manner.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding governmental information.
• Ability to adhere to Department rules for travel while performing duties.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively in a culturally sensitive manner with regulated industry, other regulatory agencies, and the public on environmental and consumer health issue.
• Ability to prioritize activities and manage multiple responsibilities; time management.
• Ability to respond to public inquiries in a timely manner.
• Ability to train others.
• Ability to interpret applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to communicate effectively; good writing skills.

Environmental Factors: Works mostly in a well-lighted, air-conditioned office. May work in various WCCHD offices around the county and in a variety of community locations. Occasional work activities may be outdoors and, therefore, employee will be exposed to heat and cold. May have extensive contact with the public. May have contact with persons who may be infected with contagious diseases. Certain immunizations and/or TB skin test may be required. Tobacco/vapor-free workplace.

Direct Supervisor of: 0

FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt

Location and Hours: 355 Texas Ave., Round Rock, TX 78664; general hours 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, M-F. Position eligible for flexible schedule and/or 1 day of telecommuting a week. While eligible for remote work, may be required to be onsite on planned remote days (i.e., employer needs, training, emergency response efforts). This position may be subject to travel; possible overnight travel. Work may require occasional early morning, evening, weekend, and/or holiday hours. Extended hours may be required in the event of a public health emergency.

Job Performance Evaluation: The employee will be evaluated at least annually, but more often if warranted.