Detroit Health Department, MI – Director of Health

About the Office

The Detroit Health Department protects and promotes the health, safety, and well-being of all Detroiters through prevention, public-health programming, community partnerships, and neighborhood-based services. As Detroit advances an integrated approach to health and human services under the Sheffield Administration, the department plays a central role in advancing health equity, strengthening maternal and infant health, addressing chronic disease, expanding behavioral-health supports, and addressing the social, environmental, and economic drivers of health in partnership with city agencies, healthcare providers, community organizations, and residents.

About the Role

The Director of the Detroit Health Department serves as the City’s senior public-health executive, responsible for shaping Detroit’s health agenda and leading population-level strategies that improve outcomes across all neighborhoods. Reporting to the Mayor, the Director oversees public-health programs spanning maternal and infant health, behavioral health, chronic disease, environmental health, food security, preventative care, and emergency preparedness, while integrating health with housing, homelessness, education, senior services, and human-services systems through cross-agency collaboration.

Core Responsibilities

The Director leads Detroit’s population-level public-health strategy with a focus on prevention, equity, and community-centered service delivery; oversees communicable-disease prevention, maternal and infant health, chronic disease, behavioral health, environmental health, and clinical services; directs public-health components of the City’s homelessness-response system; integrates health services into Neighborhood Opportunity & Empowerment Hubs; expands mental-health, trauma-informed, and crisis-response services; strengthens maternal and infant health supports; coordinates environmental-health monitoring and response; advances youth and school-based health initiatives; oversees clinical and neighborhood-based care delivery; promotes culturally responsive and language-accessible services; leads emergency preparedness and response; strengthens data systems and analytics; and represents the City in regional, state, and federal public-health partnerships.

Qualifications

• Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH), or a closely related graduate degree required; MD preferred but not required
• Extensive executive-level experience in public-health leadership within a city, county, state agency, or major health system
• Demonstrated commitment to health equity and social justice, including addressing racial, economic, and neighborhood-based health disparities
• Proven ability to apply an equity lens to program design, budgeting, resource allocation, and policy development
• Experience partnering with community-based organizations, neighborhood leaders, advocacy groups, and faith communities
• Strong grounding in epidemiology and data-driven decision-making to guide strategy and measure outcomes
• Ability to collaborate effectively with hospitals, academic institutions, state and federal agencies, and cross-sector partners
• Experience in emergency preparedness, environmental health, maternal and infant health, population health, or communicable-disease prevention
• Skilled in navigating politically sensitive issues with sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and cultural humility
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Proven success leading teams, managing change, and strengthening organizational culture in fast-paced environments
• Deep commitment to Detroit’s neighborhoods and resident-centered public-health outcomes

Salary and Benefits

This position offers an annual salary of $166,494–$200,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience, along with generous healthcare and other benefits provided to eligible City of Detroit employees.

How to Apply:

Apply online with a resume, cover letter and contact information for five professional references.

Equal Opportunity in Employment: The Sheffield Administration is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Even if you do not meet all of the requirements listed above, we encourage you to apply if you believe you have the skills, experience, and expertise necessary to thrive in this role. The City of Detroit is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates of all backgrounds—including those historically underrepresented in municipal government—to apply.