Behavioral and Emotional Health Supervisor

Are you passionate about behavioral and emotional health? Do you want to help improve the lives of all people on Pierce County? The Behavioral and Emotional Health (BEH) team is hiring a supervisor to provide leadership, reflective supervision, and operational oversight for the BEH team delivering services within grant-funded programs. This is a Regular, Full-Time (1.0 FTE) position.

This supervisory role supports staff through daily guidance, one-on-one supervision, performance management, and professional development, while ensuring compliance with grant requirements, budget oversight, project timelines, and data reporting expectations. The Supervisor plays a key role in supporting staff success while maintaining accountability to funding sources, agency policies, and program outcomes. This is an advanced professional classification that performs supervisory duties under the general direction of a Program Manager or senior management. Employees in this classification are responsible for supervising, training, and developing teams of diverse staff. Work includes all aspects of managing staff including coordinating work assignments, conducting performance evaluations, professional development, hiring, and handling disciplinary issues.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a stand-alone classification, working under the direction of a Program Manager or senior management member. It is distinguished from the Program Manager classification in that Program Managers participate in developing, planning, monitoring, evaluating, and controlling program goals, objectives, and budget, closely working with the Assistant Division Director, Division Director, and/or Administrative Services Director. The Supervisor’s role is to manage the daily operations of the program, directly supervising staff and their work as it pertains to program services and meeting program and Department strategic initiatives and goals. Employees utilize independent judgement and consult with their immediate supervisor and Human Resources on the most complex and/or sensitive personnel and safety issues.

Career Path Options

Options to continue your career at the Health Department depend on your interest, education, and training. Possibilities include:

• Program Manager I, II
• Assistant Division Director
  
  

Essential Functions

• Oversees daily operations. Supervises and coordinates the work of employees in assigned program. Directs staff work to achieve program, project, and department strategic initiatives and goals.
• Manages staff performance, including safety, legal and interpersonal issues. Provides regular performance feedback to employees, including timely and thorough performance reviews. Performs regular employee check-ins and uses discretion to address issues that arise in a timely manner. Works with HR to administer discipline as needed.
• Effectively develops, mentors and coaches direct reports. Provides training and development. Identifies training needs and provides opportunities for growth.
• Forecasts staffing needs. Acts as hiring authority and partners with HR on recruiting staff. Develops and implements training plans to ensure new staff are properly onboarded and trained.
• Provides back-up coverage for Program Manager.
  
  

Examples of Key Duties

The items in this section are the key duties and responsibilities for this job and do not represent an exhaustive list. Our organization is dynamic, and duties may change based on business needs. Any new duties will remain within the scope of the job.

• Oversees daily operations. Supervises and coordinates the work of employees in assigned program. Directs staff work with a focus on achieving program, project, and department goals.
• Conduct regular 1:1 supervision using reflective supervision principles to support staff growth, critical thinking, and ethical practice
• Mentor staff in skill development, problem-solving, workload management, and professional decision-making
• Complete performance evaluations, goal setting, and corrective action in accordance with government and agency policies, include individual development plans
• Promote staff wellness, engagement, and retention in a high-accountability, public-sector environment
• Promotes Cultural Awareness and Empathy
• Foster an inclusive environment that values diverse cultural perspectives and experiences.
• Show empathy and understanding of the needs of people impacted by systematic barriers and ensure that all work are fair, inclusive, and community-centered.
• Identify staff training needs and coordinate professional development opportunities
• Support onboarding and ongoing learning related to program requirements, grant compliance, and best practices
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive team culture through team-building activities and clear communication
• Support oversight of grant-funded activities to ensure alignment with approved budgets and scopes of work
• Monitor staff time allocation and activities to ensure compliance with grant requirements, assist with budget recommendations.
• Collaborate with management and fiscal staff to track expenditures and identify potential budget or compliance issues or risks.
• Implements strategies that boost employee productivity, such as optimizing workflows and maximizing the use of technology and other Department resources.
• Manages staff performance. Provides regular performance feedback to employees, including timely and thorough performance reviews. Performs regular employee check ins and addresses issues that arise in a timely manner.
• Manages interpersonal issues with discretion in a timely manner and in a manner that minimizes future conflict. Facilitates a cohesive work team and manages staff with varied needs and personalities effectively. Leads employee engagement and satisfaction efforts.
• Partners with HR on the investigation and resolution of disciplinary matters. Issues discipline, including employee employment termination.
• Ensures employees comply with legal requirements and Department policies and procedures.
• Audits and approves employee’s timecards. Reviews and approves time off requests, taking into account staffing coverage and Department policies and procedures.
• Provide project management support to ensure staff meet deadlines, milestones, and deliverables
• Effectively develops their direct reports. Provides training and development. Identifies training needs and provides opportunities for growth. Mentors and coaches their staff.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and consistent data collection in accordance with grant and government reporting requirements
• Acts as hiring authority and partners with HR on recruiting staff. Develops and implements training plans to ensure new staff are properly onboarded and trained.
• Allocates program resources such as Department vehicles, training funds, and purchasing dollars. Approves and signs purchase orders.
• Reviews and evaluates processes, applying quality tools and techniques for continuous improvement. Creates and maintains process workflows and documentation.
• Forecasts staffing needs and presents them to the program manager.
• Provides back-up coverage for program manager.
• Contribute relevant updates/reporting to be shared with the Board of Health and any internal/external partners and stakeholders, as requested.
• Ensures employee follow all safety policies and procedures, and that safety trainings and requirements are completed. Takes employee in for reasonable suspicion and post-accident testing.
• The work you do might require you to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid Claiming Program.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

Safety & Emergency Preparedness

• Adheres to all workplace and trade safety laws, regulations, standards, and practices.
• Understands and properly follows established procedures in preventing and responding to unsafe or emergency situations. Identifies and reports potentially unsafe practices or conditions.
• Operates equipment, tools, machinery, and vehicles safely and understands processes for reporting an accident or injury.
• Understands and applies knowledge and skills necessary to successfully perform assigned emergency response role during an emergency.
  
  

When public health responds to an emergency, you may be assigned duties and responsibilities that are outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time and reporting to a location other than the department with different working conditions and physical requirements. You are expected to participate in emergency preparedness activities including our emergency notification system, WA SECURES. Drills and real-world events may take place at any time.

• Public health experience
• Reflective supervision and coaching skills
• Mentorship and staff development expertise
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and funding requirements
• Knowledgeable in trauma informed care practices
• Intermediate knowledge of standard Microsoft Office programs, databases, timekeeping systems.
• Working knowledge of local, state, and federal laws applicable to the body of work, including wage and hour law.
• Working knowledge of Department policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Skill in building effective and cohesive teams.
• Skilled in planning, organizing and leading work activities to meet established goals and objectives.
• Knowledge and skill in management and leadership principles.
• Knowledge of budget management.
• Skilled in maintaining sensitive and confidential data and using discretion when sharing information.
• Skilled in communication:
• Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner.
• Asks questions in ways that enhance the clarity, quality, and reliability of information.
• Understands and learns from what others say, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Grasps the meaning of written information and applies it to work situations.
• Conveys ideas and facts using language the audience will best understand, taking into consideration the audience and nature of the information.
• Writes in a clear, concise, and organized manner for the intended audience.
  

Foundational Competencies

• Knowing and managing oneself: Understands that all equity, trauma-informed, and restorative practices start with oneself. Exercises a high degree of self-reflection, personal accountability, resilience, flexibility, and adaptability. Is willing to learn, apply, and model agency values and ethical standards.
• Restorative practices and conflict resolution: Articulates through words and actions authentic commitment to create an environment in which all people are treated with dignity and respect and afforded equal opportunities and impartial treatment. Centers work inequity and trauma informed and restorative practices to achieve and maintain collaboration and teamwork and to effectively work with historically underrepresented and/or underserved populations to advance community health. Utilizes restorative practices to address harm and promote healing to strengthen relationships between individuals and social connections within communities.
• Collaboration and engagement: Provides balanced and objective information to help teammates, partners, and the public understand problems, alternatives, opportunities, and solutions. Works directly with partners within the Department, in the community, and members of the public affected by the work to obtain feedback and understand diverse points of view, concerns, and aspirations. Identifies preferred solutions together, incorporating advice and recommendations to the maximum extent possible.
• Evidence informed practices and decision-making: Applies evidence informed practices and methodologies to achieve the greatest impact in delivery of services to internal and external customers and partners. Incorporates the social determinants of health into public health work. Integrates research and evidence into the decision-making process. Seeks to systematically identify and eliminate inequities resulting in differences in health and in overall living conditions. Utilizes evidence informed practices to increase equity in systems and policy. Creates a robust culture of assessment and evaluation and continuous process improvement.
• Cross cultural communication and engagement: Understands that cultural awareness, appreciation, and humility can only occur when you practice curiosity and open-mindedness. Operates with a high level of humility and cultural agility to achieve effective intercultural communication, engagement, and collaboration in the workplace and in the community. Is open to feedback and continuously self-reflects on one’s own actions and responses. Centers personal accountability on the Department’s mission, values, and ethical standards.
  
  

The items below are the requirements for the job and are relevant to this position. The organization values work experience, lived experience, and education and realizes that people take different paths to acquire knowledge.

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 2 years experience related to the area of supervision.
• 2 years of experience as a supervisor or lead required.
  
  

We will consider any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the necessary qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Professional Certifications, Licensure, And Other Requirements

We require or prefer the below for this classification.

• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driver’s abstract required prior to employment for some programs.
  
  

Work Environment

• Work is typically performed inside, work exposure hazards are limited to those commonly found in government office environments.
• Work is up to 100% in-person.
  
  

Physical and Cognitive Demands

• Regularly required to sit or stand continuously.
• Regularly communicate clearly in-person, over the phone, and via written communication.
• Capable of reading physical and electronic documents and working for prolonged periods on a computer monitor.
• Fine motor skills sufficient to grip and manipulate paper and operate a telephone, computer mouse, and keyboard.
• Reaching and gross manipulation capabilities sufficient to pick up and use standard office supplies.
• This position may require lifting, carrying, pulling, or moving objects up to 10 pounds consistently, 20 pounds frequently, and exerting up to 30 pounds of force occasionally.
• Regularly work effectively in the presence of visual, auditory, or other distractions.
• Work effectively when exposed to workplace stressors, such as emotional and/or confrontational individuals.
• Effectively perform frequent task-swapping and work with frequent interruptions.
• Maintain concentration and attention for extended periods of time.
  
  

Tools and Equipment

• Duties require the use of standard office furniture and equipment (e.g., desk, filing cabinet, computer, printer, telephone, fax machine, copy machine, etc.)
  
  

Travel

• Travel may be required, and is typically local or regional, to meet with clients, conduct business, attend, or provide training.
• Driving a vehicle requiring a license.
  
  

Click Here for more details on reasonable accommodations, safety, risk management and more.