PD_HHS_Assistant-Secretary-for-Preparedness-and-Response

Position Description

assistant secretary for preparedness and response, Department of health and human services

Overview

Senate Committee

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Agency Mission

To enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans by providing effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health and social services.¹ _{Partnership for Public Service agency profile}

Position Overview

The assistant secretary for preparedness and response is the secretary’s lead for preparing for and responding to public health emergencies, including bioterrorism.² _{http://www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/nicole-lurie/index.html}

Compensation

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)³ _{The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.}

Position Reports to

Secretary of Health and Human Services⁴ _{http://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/orgchart/index.html}

Responsibilities

Management Scope

The office includes approximately 700 employees and a $1.2 billion budget.

Primary Responsibilities

® Serves as the secretary’s lead for public health emergencies and disasters.
® Organizes and coordinates the department’s response to emergencies.
® Leads the nation in preventing, responding to and recovering from disasters.
® Oversees the office’s range of activities from policy development and operational disaster response to advanced development of medical countermeasures, both for biodefense and for naturally occurring diseases.

Strategic Goals and Priorities

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration]

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Ability to stay collected in national emergencies
® Policy experience
® Basic understanding of issues in preparedness and in responding to disasters
® Understanding of public health and healthcare systems
® Leadership and oversight experience in responding to public health crises
® Background in medicine (a plus)
® Ability to understand, learn and handle basic scientific and economic challenges involved in countermeasure development

Competencies

® Excellent leadership skills
® Ability to work under pressure

Past Appointees

Nicole Lurie (2009 to 2017) u2013 Physician and Senior Natural Scientist and Professor of Health Policy at the RAND Corporation; Internationally renowned health services researcher and health policy expert, including in public health preparedness; Senior Editor for Health Services Research and President of the Society of General Internal Medicine⁵ _{http://www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/nicole-lurie/index.html}
W. Craig Vanderwagen (2005 to 2009) (Original Officeholder) u2013 Physician and Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service; Director, Primary Care and Public Health for the Ministry of Health in Iraq; Physician, Indian Health Service⁶⁷ _{https://www.c-span.org/person/?wvanderwagen http://www.martin-blanck.com/bio_craig-vanderwagen.php}
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