Environmental Health Specialist Supervisor

Salary : $96,262.40 - $130,228.80 Annually
Location : Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, WA
Job Type: Regular
Job Number:
Division: Environmental Health
Program: EH - Food & Community Safety
Opening Date: 11/13/2026
Closing Date: 11/29/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Job Summary
Are you looking for a place to apply your skills in supervision and background in Environmental Health? The Food and Community Safety program is looking for an Environmental Health Specialist to join their team in a Regular, Full-Time (1.0 FTE) position. This role will primarily perform supervision of staff who ensure compliance with food safety, water recreation and school safety regulations, performance management, inspections, and regulatory compliance assessments.

Based on our internal compensation review process, the starting hourly wage for this position is $46.28 -$49.55. We make decisions on higher starting salaries based on experience, education, and qualifications.

The full salary range for this position is $46.28- $62.61 per hour. This position also includes a comprehensive benefits package that includes insurance (health, dental, vision, life), retirement plan options, generous leave accruals, annual cost of living salary increases, employee programs, and more. Visit our to learn more.
The Environmental Health Specialist (EHS) Supervisor is a first-line supervisor of employees involved in inspecting, monitoring, and evaluating field sites and facilities for compliance with health and safety regulations. Duties include facilitating administrative hearings, variances, and waivers within a regulatory environment and providing supervision and training to staff.
Distinguishing Characteristics
This position is the supervisor level of the Environmental Health Specialist series and works under the direction of a Program Manager. An employee assigned to this classification works independently supervising the environmental health team and has considerable latitude for independent judgement under minimal supervision.

Position Series

• Permit Technician I
• Permit Technician II
• Environmental Health Specialist I/II
• Environmental Health Specialist III
• EHS Supervisor

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

• Program Manager I
• Program Manager II

Essential Functions

• Customer Service: Provide customer service to the public and industry professionals on environmental health topics, applications, permits, applicable fees, and related codes in person, over the phone, and through written communication.
• Supervision and Performance Management: Plan, prioritize, assign, and review the work of a team that includes but is not limited to environmental health specialists, pool inspectors, and permit technicians, to include office work, field work, and other aspects of the regulatory process. Investigate and resolve interpersonal issues in a timely manner. Document performance, provide feedback, conduct formal evaluations, and initiate disciplinary actions in collaboration with Human Resources, program manager, and division leadership. Mentor, coach, and develop direct reports and identify areas of opportunity, growth, and recognition. Recruit, hire, train, and model appropriate behavior.
• Conduct and Oversee Complex Inspections and Regulatory Compliance Assessments: Conduct and oversee complex inspections and assessments of permitted facilities, field sites, and regulatory applications (e.g. schools, water recreation facilities, summer camps, plan review, pre-openings) to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. Perform comprehensive investigations of various facilities and environmental incidents (e.g. waterborne illnesses) or disease outbreaks.
• Develop Policies, Procedures, and Operational Plans and Guidelines: Establish operating procedures and guidelines for program activities. Support program manager to develop program plans, ensure deliverables are met, and monitor program progress. Assist program manager in recommendation of new ordinances, rules, or regulations. Serve as Subject Matter Expert at local, state, or federal committees or meetings.
• Quality Assurance, Control, and Improvement: Ensure employees comply with local, state, and federal codes, grant requirements, department policies and procedures, and legal guidance. Evaluate operations, processes, and outcomes. Make recommendations to the program manager on process and service improvements. Oversee the maintenance of accurate records, data, and documents related to program work.
• Technical Assistance and Complex Problem Solving: Provide advanced technical consultations and problem solving. Handle and resolve complex complaints, non-compliance issues, and technical problems that require advanced knowledge and judgment. Conduct advanced application reviews.

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.

• Supervises and coordinates the work of employees involved in conducting field and office reviews of plan applications, including food service establishments, schools, camps, and water recreation facilities.
• 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 and program manager 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 timecards. Reviews and approves time off requests, taking into account staffing coverage and Department policies and procedures.
• Effectively develops their direct reports. Provides training and development. Identifies training needs and provides opportunities for growth. Mentors and coaches their staff.
• Acts as hiring authority and partners with HR and program manager on recruiting staff. Develops and implements training plans to ensure new staff are properly onboarded and trained.
• Assists program manager to allocate 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.
• Ensures employees follow all safety policies and procedures, and that safety trainings and requirements are completed. Takes employee in for reasonable suspicion and post-accident testing.
• In conjunction with the Program Manager and division leadership, works with attorneys and assigned staff on legal issues.
• Facilitates administrative hearings, variances, and waivers.
• Oversees the creation of reports, public health advisory information, and public relations materials for education and dissemination to the public.
• Analyzes, designs, compiles, records, and assesses data such as performance reports, environmental impact statements, construction plans, etc.
• Coordinates with other environmental health programs, agencies, and private industries as needed.
• 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.
What you bring to the table

• Intermediate knowledge of standard Microsoft Office programs, databases
• Intermediate knowledge of local, state, and federal laws applicable to the body of work, including wage and hour law.
• Intermediate knowledge of Department policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreement.
• Intermediate knowledge of environmental health principles and practices.
• Knowledge of program planning and development rules, policies, and procedures.
• Skilled in planning, organizing and leading work activities to meet established objectives.
• Skilled in coaching, mentoring, training, and educational outreach.
• Skilled in analyzing and assessing data.
• Skilled in maintaining sensitive and confidential data and using discretion when sharing information.
• Skilled in communication:
  1. Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner.
  2. Asks questions in ways that enhance the clarity, quality, and reliability of information.
  3. Understands and learns from what others say, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
  4. Grasps the meaning of written information and applies it to work situations.
  5. Conveys ideas and facts using language the audience will best understand, taking into consideration the audience and nature of the information.
  6. 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.

Who should apply

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, preferably in environmental science, public health, or other related science field.
• 4 years of experience in an environmental health specialist role.
• 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, Li