The Director is appointed by and operates under the direction of Harris County Commissioner's Court.  The Director of Harris County Pollution Control Services Department (PCS) is responsible for providing management and oversight of all HCPCS operations. The Director is responsible for the development and implementation of environmental regulatory policies and procedures for PCS and plays a key role in in the development and implementation of environmental pollution control policies for Harris County.  The Director will be an advocate for sound environmental and pollution control policy at the local, state and federal levels.   
 
Administrative:

• Responsible for overall recruitment, hiring, and supervision of PCS departmental employees. 
• Prepares PCS departmental annual budget and provides primary fiscal oversight for departmental general funds.

The PCS Director has a broad range of management responsibilities which include; operational activities, that include field operations (e.g. monitoring, inspection, sampling, etc.), regulatory activities (Issuance of Violation Notices, recommendation of civil and criminal cases and recommends appropriate fines and penalties, etc.), and laboratory testing activities.  In addition, the PCS Director oversees emergency response activities to meet the challenges of naturally-occurring or other environmental emergencies. 

The Director:

• Develops and implements strategies that: (a) prevent/minimize human exposure to a variety of environmental hazards to human health; and (b) eliminate/reduce the emission of pollutants into the environment (e.g. air contaminants, water contaminants, solid waste) to reduce the potential for adverse health impacts from environmental conditions. 
• Assures that all pertinent federal, state, local laws, and rules are interpreted and applied appropriately. 
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with relevant local, state and federal agencies. 
• Participates collaboratively in enforcement/compliance activities involving multiple jurisdictions. 

Policy:

• Works collaboratively with Harris County Commissioners Court to monitor, analyze, and develop departmental responses to local, state and federal environmental legislative and regulatory initiatives.
• Identifies any need for changes to public health laws and rules and acts as an advocate for those changes through appropriate channels. 

Other:

• Conducts presentations to professionals and to the general public.
• May be assigned to a variety of posts within an Incident/Unified Command Structure during departmental responses to emergencies.
• Responds to media inquiries and requests for interviews relevant to environmental/public health activities/issue.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• The PCS Director directly supervises six (6) managers; Field Services, Lab Operations, Emergency Response, Compliance, Support Services and Permits, Technical Services, Environmental Toxins and Special Projects.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

• Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering; related fields of study will be considered based upon relevant career experience; and 
• Extensive experience in the Petrochemical industry; in processes, safety, and emergency response.
• Minimum of five (5) years experience supervising professional staff in relevant fields.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Staff development and management experience including but not limited to planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, budgeting and fiscal management.
• Working knowledge of current environmental regulatory issues and a strong understanding of relevant rules and regulations.
• Proven Ability to communicate and work with leadership teams and the public.
• Proficient use of computer software for email communication, budget management, and database retrieval.  

• Must have solid understanding of scientific and policy principles and practice related to petrochemical processing, environmental regulations and pollution control.
• Must have a broad-based knowledge of applicable environmental and health laws and regulations (local, state, and federal) is a plus.
• Must be well organized and have the leadership skills to direct and manage multiple programs across several disciplines.
• Must maintain effective working relationships and be able to effectively communicate environmental issues verbally and in writing with PCS staff, the general public, policymakers, and the media.

• The Director may be required to work long hours (and possible oversight stays) during industrial-facility upsets, environmental disasters such as floods or hurricanes, or other public health emergencies. 

• Advanced degree in Chemical Engineering or Juris Doctorate degree with an emphasis on Environmental Law. 
• Experience working in a regulatory or public health agency such as the Chemical Safety Board (CSB).