Job Description

ONLY PERMANENT EMPLOYEES IN THE TITLE AND THOSE THAT ARE REACHABLE ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISER CIVIL SERVICE LIST ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.

Division/Program Summary:
The School Compliance Unit (SCU) is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with school immunization requirements among children and students enrolled in childcare centers and schools (grades kindergarten through 12) in New York City (NYC). The unit covers more than 1.2 million students enrolled in roughly 5,381 public and non-public schools and childcare centers throughout NYC.

The mission of the Bureau of Immunization (BOI) is to prevent the occurrence and transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) through comprehensive immunization programs. BOI promotes immunization across the lifespan from infancy through adulthood, works to eliminate disparities in vaccination coverage through data evaluation and support of equitable vaccination services, and actively responds to VPD outbreaks to mitigate their spread and impact on communities.

The School Compliance Unit (SCU) supports policy implementation by translating regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance for schools, maintains surveillance and data systems to monitor compliance trends, identify risks, and inform decision-making, advances equity-focused practices by ensuring compliance processes are fair, transparent, and supportive of all student populations, while also guiding the strategic use of resources to strengthen accountability and continuous improvement; serving as a bridge between school leadership and families, ensures that compliance expectations are clearly communicated and that reporting requirements are consistently understood and met.

The Public Health Adviser II (PHA II) reports to the Supervising Public Health Adviser (SPHA) and serves as part of a multidisciplinary team responsible for monitoring and enforcing school immunization requirements throughout New York City. The PHA II reviews student immunization records to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable public health regulations; communicates compliance concerns with principals, school administrators, and staff; provides audit summaries and feedback to schools and daycare centers; and supports outbreak investigations and response activities, as needed.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Schedule and coordinate immunization compliance audits with school administrators and childcare personnel, including:
o Conducting on-site and remote compliance audits at schools and childcare facilities throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
o Communicating audit findings, compliance deficiencies, and corrective action requirements to school and childcare administrators in a professional and timely manner.
o Preparing audit summaries, compliance reports, and technical guidance documents for schools and childcare centers.
o Maintaining accurate records and documentation related to audit findings, enforcement actions, and compliance activities in the MAVEN database system.
- Review student immunization records to ensure compliance with New York State and New York City public health regulations.
- Complete New York State mandated School Immunization Surveys accurately and within required deadlines.
- Assist schools and daycare centers with enrollment and linkage to the Citywide Immunization Registry (CIR).
- Provide education, technical assistance, and guidance to school personnel, childcare providers, and community stakeholders regarding immunization requirements and public health policies.
- Serve as a liaison between public health agencies, schools, and childcare programs regarding immunization compliance and regulatory requirements.
- Support public health initiatives and outbreak prevention efforts related to vaccine-preventable diseases.

Why you should work for us:

- Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:
o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
o a tax-deferred savings program and
o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
- Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
- Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

Commitment to Equity:

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at sahn1@health.nyc.gov or 347-396-6549.

PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISER - 51191

Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, including or supplemented by twelve semester credits in health education, or in health, social or biological sciences; or
2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, and six months of full-time satisfactory experience in a health promotion or disease intervention/prevention program, performing one or more of the following: interviewing, conducting field investigations, assessing health risks, making referrals, or collecting and analyzing epidemiological data; or
3. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and four years of full-time satisfactory experience as described in "2" above; or
4. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2" or "3" above. Undergraduate college credit can be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for one year of full-time experience. However, all candidates must have a four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and either twelve semester credits as described in "1" above or six months of experience as described in "2" above.
Additional Requirements
A. To be assigned to Assignment Level II, candidates must have, in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements listed above, at least one year of experience as a Public Health Adviser, Assignment Level I, or at least one additional year of experience as described in Qualification Requirement "2" above.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.