Director of Jail Health Services, San Francisco Department of Public Health

See complete job description information here. 

Company Description

The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status.

• Application Opening: Thursday, February 19, 2026
• Application Deadline: Application filing will close on or after Thursday, February 26, 2026.
• Salary: $238,342 - $304,122 Annually
• Appointment Type: Permanent Exempt
• Recruitment ID: PEX-RTF0163725-01088993

Becoming a City employee means being a part of a team that cares about making a difference. Your work will shape both the present and future of San Francisco. When you work for the City, you’re choosing a job with purpose.

The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. SFDPH strives to achieve its mission through the work of multiple divisions - the San Francisco Health Network, Population Health, Behavioral Health Services, and Administration. The San Francisco Health Network is the City’s only complete system of care and has locations throughout the City, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services.

SFDPH is intentionally evolving toward a department-wide, performance-managed operating model, requiring senior leaders who can set direction, drive execution, and deliver results across a highly complex public health and healthcare environment.

Job Description

The Director of Jail Health Services (JHS) is a senior physician executive responsible for leading and overseeing healthcare administration, operations, and delivery across four San Francisco County jail facilities. This role ensures that JHS fulfills its mission of delivering high-quality, patient-centered care to individuals in custody, while advancing public health principles within the criminal justice system.

As a key member of the Department’s executive team, the Director sets strategic direction, oversees all JHS service lines, including medical, nursing, behavioral health, pharmacy, dental, and clinical support - and ensures compliance with local, state, and federal regulations governing correctional healthcare. The position optimizes systems and workflows, and fosters integration with other units, sections, and divisions of the San Francisco Health Network (SFHN) to create a seamless continuum of care.

The Director collaborates extensively with City and County leadership, the Sheriff’s Department, and other stakeholders to address complex operational, fiscal, and policy challenges with significant implications for health equity and patient outcomes. Decisions made in this role have significant impact on patient safety, organizational integrity, and public confidence in correctional healthcare.

The Director of Jail Health Services (0943 Manager VIII) performs the following essential job functions:

Healthcare Administration and Compliance

• Serves as the designated health services administrator responsible for coordinating all levels of healthcare delivery in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, while ensuring adherence to community standards of patient care and safety.
• Reviews and coordinates SF Sheriff’s Office (SFSO) healthcare policies and procedures; interprets policies, procedures, and regulations, and assesses the impact of pending and approved healthcare or corrections legislation on incarcerated individuals.
• Manages and directs the JHS communicable disease program, coordinating with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), San Francisco DPH Communicable Diseases branch, and San Francisco Department of Human Resources (DHR) to protect incarcerated populations, employees, and the broader San Francisco community.
• Leads policy planning and implementation to ensure effective JHS operations.

Administrative and Fiscal Management

• Plans, organizes, and directs the central administrative support services for JHS, including contract management, budget development, procurement, personnel administration, program planning and evaluation, and management information systems.
• Develops, supervises, and administers the JHS budget of $55 million, and collaborates with the finance unit to manage the division’s fiscal program, including preparation of the annual budget with justifications for personnel, capital outlay, and operating expenses.

Interagency, Committee, and Community Engagement and Collaboration

• Serves as an integrated partner with all San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH) divisions, including SFHN, Behavioral Health Services (BHS), and Population Health (PHD), working with clinical and administrative leadership and staff to meet the healthcare needs of incarcerated individuals in SF County Jail.
• Represents JHS in matters related to detention and healthcare across City departments, including the Department of Emergency Management (DEM), Department of Homeless and Supportive Health (HSH), Health Services Administration, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
• Serves as DPH liaison with the City Attorney’s Office, Courts, Public Defender, Adult Probation, and San Francisco Police Department on criminal justice issues.
• Participates in state and national committees on correctional health care and serves on SFHN and Ambulatory Care committees.

The Director of Jail Health Services (0943 Manager VIII) may perform other duties as assigned/required.

Qualifications

License and Certification:

• Possession of a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) Degree from an accredited college or university; AND possession and maintenance of a current/valid license to practice medicine issued by the Medical Board of California; OR
• Possession of a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) Degree from an accredited college or university; AND possession and maintenance of a current/valid license to practice medicine issued by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California;

AND

• Possession of a Board Certification or Board Eligibility in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine

AND

• Possession and maintenance of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) license

Experience: 

Five (5) years of verifiable professional healthcare management experience in a correctional facility.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

One-year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week).