Director-Health Officer

The Eau Claire Board of Health is recruiting for the position of Department Director – Health Officer for the Eau Claire City-County Health Department. This position leads a dynamic and innovative health department that is the largest local health department in Western Wisconsin.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Eau Claire City-County Health Department (ECCCHD) is to build a healthier community for all through prevention-focused programs and partnerships. This work is guided by five overarching principles: integrity, prevention, quality, collaboration, and equity, that contribute to the vision of a community where everyone can live a healthier life. The Department accomplishes this through a broad range of strong programs in areas of public health nursing; environmental health; public health nutrition; and community health education.

About the Department

The ECCCHD is a local governmental agency providing public health services for all people in Eau Claire City and County since 1941. It was established as the only consolidated city-county department in the state and remained so until 2005 when a second city-county department was established in the state’s capital city and its associated county. Eau Claire, in west central Wisconsin, is 90 miles east of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan area.

The Department is governed by an autonomous, volunteer Board of Health with full authority over budget, policies and operations. The board is comprised of one representative each from the City Council and County Board of Supervisors, two physicians, one dentist, two citizen members-at-large, and a jointly appointed nurse with public health experience. The Board of Health employs a total of 60 FTE staff members with a budget of $7.78 million, of which approximately 35 percent is grant generated.

The ECCCHD is a Level III, nationally accredited, multi-program health department. Level III status was determined by a Wisconsin Division of Public Health review last conducted in 2025. Accreditation was first received in 2018, with reaccreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board in 2025.

In addition to public health programming, the Department engages community partners through a broad range of initiatives to promote the health and well-being of the public. The Department is also a resource for other local health departments and the Wisconsin Department of Public Health and is a regional provider of services in multiple programs, ensuring shared health outcomes.

About the Position

The Director-Health Officer oversees a Level III public health department for a combined city-county population of 108,830 (2023) with an annual operating budget of $7.78 million (2026). The Director-Health Officer reports to the Board of Health and is responsible for fulfilling duties in alignment with Wisconsin State Statue, Chapter 251.

Along with an Assistant Director and strong leadership team, the Director-Health Officer is responsible for the leadership of the 7 Department divisions:

• Operations – leads, supports, and oversees operations for all divisions, including human resources, finance, and technical support.
• Policy & Systems – identifies and communicates about health needs, gaps, resources, and policy and system changes.
• Communicable Disease & Clinical Services – prevents and controls outbreaks of communicable disease, provides inclusive sexual health services, and educates about risk reduction and preventing disease.
• Healthy Beginnings – supports families, especially maternal and child health, by facilitating a wide variety of programs and services.
• Community Health Promotion – provides education, coordinates programs, and promotes policies and practices that impact local health priorities.
• Regulation & Licensing – inspects and educates facilities that provide food, housing, pools, lodging, recreation, and body art facilities.
• Environmental Sciences – enhances and protects our environment and educates about how the environment affects our community’s health.

In compliance with the Wisconsin State Statute, Chapter 251.06(1)(c), a Local Health Officer of a Level III local health department shall have at least one of the following:

1. A master's degree in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field and 3 years of experience in a full-time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.
2. A bachelor's degree and 16 graduate semester credits towards a master's degree in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field and 5 years of experience in a full-time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.
3. A license to practice medicine and surgery under ch. 448 and at least one of the following:
   1. Three years of experience in a full-time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.
   2. Eligibility for certification by the American board of preventive medicine in public health or general preventive medicine.
   3. A master's degree in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field.