Health Director, Orange County

Developmental Associates, LLC; Hillsborough (NC); On-site; USD 124,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid holidays

Job summary

Orange County is seeking a Health Director to lead the OCHD, guiding public health strategy and ensuring data-driven decision making that improves health outcomes for residents. This executive role emphasizes equity, cross-agency collaboration, and strong fiscal stewardship within an in-person leadership model serving Hillsborough and surrounding areas.

The successful candidate will bring a master’s degree in public health or public administration, 3+ years of director-level experience, and deep

Qualifications

• Master's degree in public health or public administration with emphasis on public health is highly preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of manager-level experience as a Director or Division Director overseeing public health programming and multi-million-dollar budgets.
• Five (5) years of public health administration experience within a similarly sized or larger urban/rural mixed jurisdiction is highly preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of North Carolina public health law and regulatory frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate, visible servant leadership to establish trust, enhance morale, foster cross-functional collaboration and relationship building following recent organizational shifts.
• Navigate an evolving funding environment by making data-informed decisions regarding clinical, environmental, and preventive health programming, optimizing payor mixes, and securing competitive grant opportunities.
• Recruit, retain, and develop key leadership roles, including filling the newly created Deputy Health Director position to establish a resilient, high-performing executive team.
• Stand firm on core public health values and regulations, while navigating complex relationships across the University of North Carolina Health system, corporate partners, county departments, and community members.
• Advance the 2025-2027 Strategic Plan by addressing health disparities, access to care, behavioral health needs, and supporting the Family Success Alliance and Crisis Diversion Facility.

Skills

Public health leadership

Budget management

Data-driven decision making

Strategic planning

Emergency response leadership

Education

Master’s degree in public health or public administration

Job description

Orange County is seeking a visionary, decisive, and empathetic leader to serve as its next Health Director. This executive leadership role offers a dynamic opportunity to guide a progressive public health department through an evolving healthcare landscape, serving a diverse community with an emphasis on health for all, data-informed innovation, and collaborative service delivery.

Lead a department dedicated to promoting and protecting health, enhancing quality of life,

and preserving a safe and healthy environment for everyone in Orange County, North Carolina.

Position Overview:

• Annual Department Budget:$14.1 Million
• Department Multi-Disciplinary Workforce: 100 permanent employees, 7 temporary staff, and 7 direct reports, including a Deputy Director.
• Work Structure: In-Person (Hillsborough/Chapel Hill, NC region)
• Governance & Oversight: Reports to an 11-member Board of Health (BOH) while working closely with the County Leadership and the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).

About the Community:

Orange County is a community, home to over 150,000 residents.

Orange County features 4 municipalities: historic Hillsborough, the county seat; Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina (the oldest state-supported university in the United States); the bustling commercial corridors of Carrboro, and parts of Mebane, a former railroad and mill town.

Orange County forms a key corner of the Triangle region. The Triangle is home to major universities (UNC, Duke, NCCU, NCSU and numerous colleges) and leading non-governmental organizations such as RTI International and FHI 360.

Orange County perfectly pairs an energetic urban vibe with scenic, peaceful farmland to the north. Rolling hills and lush green countryside deliver a welcoming, rural feel that blends seamlessly with a cosmopolitan worldview.

Orange County’s economy is driven by top-tier education, advanced healthcare, and strong local business and agricultural sectors. At its center is UNC-Chapel Hill, the flagship campus of a 16-member state university system that is consistently rated as one of the country’s finest public institutions of higher learning. UNC-Chapel Hill is the home of top tier Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Public Health, and Social Work.

Orange County is strategically positioned along the Eastern Seaboard, with major metro areas like Washington, D.C., and New York just a quick flight or a few hours’ drive away. Interstates I-40 and I-85 crisscross the region, facilitating quick and efficient travel in all directions and providing quick proximity to major universities, worldclass healthcare, the Blue Ridge mountains, and Atlantic beaches.

About the Organization:

Orange County government is a highly collaborative and forward-thinking organization, governed by an seven-member Board of Commissioners. The commissioners are elected to four-year terms by district and at-large in partisan elections. The County’s mission is to serve as a visionary leader in providing governmental services valued by its community, beyond those required by law, in an equitable, sustainable, innovative, and efficient way. The County’s FY 25-26 budget of $435M ($312M General Fund) supports its nearly 1,200 FTEs across 27 departments.

Orange County’s Strategic Plan, adopted in 2024, outlines a clear vision to be a diverse, inclusive, and healthy community that continuously enhances quality of life for all residents.

About the Department:

The Orange County Health Department (OCHD) is a community-centered public health agency dedicated to creating conditions for all residents to achieve optimal health. OCHD serves a diverse population spanning both urban and rural communities. OCHD and the BOH operate under a Strategic Plan and use feedback from their recent Community Assessment to drive their decision-making.

Operating under a servant-leadership framework that prioritizes transparency, innovation, equity, and trust, the OCHD is known for its:

• foundational public health and environmental health protection practices and services;
• direct clinical, dental, and maternal-child health care; and
• high-impact, equity-driven, stakeholder collaborative initiatives like the Family Success Alliance.

The department thrives on deep cross-sector collaboration, working closely with county leadership, the Board of Health, community partners, and world-class institutions like the University of North Carolina. OCHD is actively shaping a supportive, sustainable workplace culture focused on empowering its staff, addressing systemic health disparities, and driving data-informed initiatives that safeguard the community’s future.

Key Priorities & Strategic Leadership:

• Departmental Stability & Culture: Provide compassionate, visible servant leadership to establish trust, enhance morale, foster cross-functional collaboration and relationship building following recent organizational shifts.
• Fiscal Stewardship & Data-Driven Strategy: Navigate an evolving funding environment by making data-informed decisions regarding clinical, environmental, and preventive health programming, optimizing payor mixes, and securing competitive grant opportunities.
• Executive Team Building: Recruit, retain, and develop key leadership roles, including filling the newly created Deputy Health Director position to establish a resilient, high-performing executive team.
• Stakeholder & Community Engagement: Stand firm on core public health values and state and federal regulations, while navigating complex, high-level relationships across the University of North Carolina Health system, corporate partners, county departments, and community members.
• Equity & Social Determinants of Health: Advance the 2025-2027 Strategic Plan by addressing health disparities, access to care, behavioral health needs, and supporting the strategic implementation of key initiatives like the Family Success Alliance and the new Crisis Diversion Facility.

Minimum and Preferred Qualifications:

• Education: A master’s degree in public health or public administration with an emphasis on public health is highly preferred. Any combination of closely related or equivalent education and experience will be considered.
• Experience:
  • Requires a minimum of three (3) years of manager-level experience as a Director or Division Director overseeing public health programming and multi-million-dollar budgets.
  • Five (5) years of public health administration experience within a similarly sized or larger urban/rural mixed jurisdiction is highly preferred.
• Core Competencies: Extensive knowledge of North Carolina public health law and regulatory frameworks preferred with strong command of quantitative skills, program evaluation, public health data analysis capabilities, proven personnel management skills, and emergency response leadership experience.
• Please note that this executive position requires 24/7 availability to respond to public health emergencies.

Salary and Benefits

• Salary Range:$124,317.00 - $185,000.00 (Starting salary depends on qualifications and experience).
  • Benefits: Orange County provides a comprehensive benefits package, including:
    • 100% employer-paid health, dental, and life insurance
    • Bi-annual leave accrual, sick leave, and 11 paid holidays
    • Participation in the N.C. Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System and supplemental retirement plans
    • Tuition reimbursement, longevity pay, and more
  • Residency: County residency is preferred but not required.

Orange County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.