Health Emergency Management (HEM) Specialist, Indigenous Liaison

 

Health Emergency Management BC

Prince George, BC

 

 

Pursuant to section 42 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Indigenous ancestry.

In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of Provincial Health Services Authority, patient safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA, and as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

Reporting to the Director or Manager, Health Emergency Management BC (HEMBC), the Specialist provides advice and guidance to health authority leadership, management, staff and stakeholders on emergency management with a focus on Indigenous relations, improving patient experience, healthcare outcomes, and cultural safety. The Specialist consults with a range of internal and external partners, including partners from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), local governments, Indigenous communities, Metis Nation BC, and First Nations Health Authority to ensure appropriate integration of HEMBC planning activities with similar activities across the provincial healthcare system and supports and leads subcommittees, working groups and project teams.

The Specialist leads the planning, implementation, and evaluation of initiatives to address gaps and barriers faced by Indigenous populations during emergencies and works closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure deliverables are met. The Specialist advises health authority leadership on emergency management, facilitates dialogue on anti-Indigenous racism strategies, and develops integrated emergency management plans, ensuring alignment with corporate and provincial plans. The Specialist partners with Indigenous groups, advocating to address gaps in emergency event mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, and seeks to provide equitable supports for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit populations.

In addition, the Specialist navigates conversations with humility, cultural awareness and sensitivity to garner support from multi-level partners to advocate for resources and representation. This position negotiates across organizations and advocates for the needs of Indigenous groups in an emergency response.

 

What you’ll do 

• Provide leadership and education on principles of Indigenous cultural safety, patient experience, and community engagement with the aim of transforming service delivery, research, and organizational culture related to health emergency management. Identify educational needs that support program and organizational objectives. Facilitate seminars, workshops, and develop educational tools.
• Identify critical barriers and issues impacting HEMBC and PHSA’s commitment to providing culturally safe and person and family-centered care to Indigenous patients, clients, and families by assessing outcomes, gathering formal and informal data, recommending corrective actions, and leading and supporting actions.
• Identify and evaluate new initiatives, partnership opportunities, new developments and trends in Indigenous health services planning, related to health emergency management through literature review, contact with peers at other organizations, professional associations and attendance at seminars,
  workshops and conferences.
• Build partnerships with Indigenous communities, agencies, and groups across BC, in conjunction with the directors and staff, regarding Indigenous health topics, with the goal of optimizing opportunities for collaboration and ensuring an integrated and coordinated approach to improving health care, cultural safety and patient experience during emergencies.
• Work across a broad range of partners, including health authority leadership and the leadership from Indigenous communities and organizations to establish relationships and portfolio plan(s). Navigate conversations with humility, cultural awareness and sensitivity to garner buy-in from multi-level partners in order to advocate for additional resources and representation where needs previously were not heard and no formal or contractual distribution existed and resource allocation is competitive.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to HEMBC staff on Indigenous relations, and support growth through feedback, instruction, and encouragement.
• Work collaboratively with appropriate Indigenous teams/departments to ensure Indigenous Cultural Safety lens applied holistically.
• Commitment to upholding the shared responsibility of creating lasting and meaningful reconciliation in Canada as per TRC (2015) and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019).
• Provide advice and guidance to health authority leadership, ensuring that emergency management principles are central to decision-making and to minimize the impact of emergencies on the health system through a culturally-safe lens. Make recommendations to HEMBC’s leadership team on ways to improve emergency management in the health system, advocating on behalf of Indigenous populations.
• Develop, recommend, and implement integrated emergency management plans; lead site/sector emergency plans ensuring alignment with corporate and provincial plans and ensures alignment with established policies and procedures; identify and recommend activities and resources to support continuous improvement in emergency management. The Specialist seeks to provide equitable supports and opportunities for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit populations.
• Work in collaboration with a variety of health authority programs to determine emergency management strategies; support plan development, implementation, and maintenance to ensure continuity, consistency and standardization of strategies across the region and province.
• Represent HEMBC and health authorities on committees with a wide variety of health sector and external partners, at the executive, regional, and local levels.
• Lead planning efforts based on current, emerging, and urgent risks, to support mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts from an Indigenous lens.
• Develop and maintain emergency management manuals and documentation. Produce written documentation, including briefing notes, presentations, and after-action reviews, and implement systems to organize and keep track of information, work requests or progress. Work with key stakeholders to develop integrated information and reporting systems to support health emergency management incident reporting.
• Assist with the development and management of the portfolio’s budget, to ensure expenditures fall within budgetary guidelines. Lead the development of project proposals, including developing and managing project budgets.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What you bring

Qualifications

• Pursuant to section 42 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Indigenous ancestry.Pursuant to section 42 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Indigenous ancestry.
• A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in emergency management, the social sciences, geography, business administration and/or a related field and five (5) years’ recent related experience working in emergency management, including two (2) years’ experience managing emergency management programs in the health system.
• At least five (5) years experience working with Indigenous organizations and communities is preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples in social and health contexts, including supported by significant knowledge of Indigenous-specific mandates, including clear understanding of and commitment to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination and embed Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility.
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism and systemic racism on Indigenous Peoples within social and health contexts. This includes understanding how these factors contribute to current health disparities and barriers to care. Show a clear commitment to identifying, challenging, and eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and all forms of discrimination impacting equity-deserving groups within health care settings. This involves familiarity and understanding Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility recognizing personal biases, institutional barriers, engaging in anti-racism education and training and advocating for systemic change.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments within Health Emergency Management BC contexts found in the foundational documents including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study - BC Human Rights Code, BC Anti-racism Act and how they intersect across the health care system.

Core Competencies

• Brings an understanding of the Indigenous specific racism and the broader systemic racism that exists in the colonial health care structure, and has demonstrated initiatives in breaking down barriers and ensuring a safe environment ensuring a sense of belonging to all and informed by Indigenous Cultural Safety.
• Awareness of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (the Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

Skills & Knowledge

• Demonstrated understanding of the historical experience of the Indigenous communities with the ability to reconcile their experiences and needs when negotiating relationship, workplans and projects. Knowledge of and commitment to learning and understanding the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Site Report (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), and other related reports.
• Demonstrated knowledge of emergency management and business continuity issues in a healthcare setting. Demonstrated knowledge of the standards, systems and response agencies related to emergency management. Knowledge of, and ability to support the use of complex communication systems during a disaster.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiations skills including the ability to present to a wide range of individuals, groups and stakeholders. Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to develop and deliver training, education programs and/or workshops. Ability to work independently, exercise judgment to resolve problems/issues, contribute as a member of a team. Ability to organize and prioritize work, and adapt to changing program and health authority needs.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexibility in adapting to and working with a variety of situations, individuals and groups and respond to changing organizational priorities. Demonstrates a commitment to learning and self-development; partaking in professional development opportunities and acquiring new knowledge and skills.
• Demonstrates a commitment to beginning and/or continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Shows willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.
• Demonstrates foundational knowledge of the social, economic, and political realities of settler-colonialism and its impacts on Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups within social and health contexts. Understands the impact of social determinants of health-on-health outcomes. Shows a commitment to learning about and upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments outlined in foundational documents such as the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan, Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, the BC Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Data Act, and the Distinctions Based Approach.

What we bring

 

Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.

• Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our in-house training programs, including +2,000 courses, such as our San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training course, or Core Linx for Leadership roles.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

Job Type: Temporary Full-Time (Until December 2027 or Until Return of Incumbent)
Salary Range: $90,770 - $130,481/year. The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidate’s relevant education and experience, and would be in alignment with the provincial compensation reference plan. Salary will be prorated accordingly for part time roles.
Location: 3732 Opie Crescent, Prince George, BC V2N 4P7
Closing date: Applications accepted until position is filled
Hours of Work: 08:30 - 16:30 Monday-Friday
Requisition #: 197869E

 

What we do

 

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose.

 

Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

 

PHSA is committed to equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently marginalized groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code. 

 

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya'kula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.

 

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and marginalization faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and self-determination of Indigenous communities. PHSA must uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents such as  including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

 

Attention current employees of PHSA:

 

You must apply via your internal profile at http://internaljobs.phsa.ca.

 

The internal job posting expires on May 1, 2026 and will no longer be accessible. If the internal job posting has expired, please e-mail internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca with the six-digit job requisition number and your PHSA employee ID number to be considered as a late internal applicant. Please do not apply for the external job posting.

 

If you have not yet set up an internal profile, please e-mail internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca with your PHSA employee ID number to obtain your temporary password. Our business hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, excluding Statutory Holidays and a Help Desk Representative will respond to you with 1-2 business days.

 

If you are not a current employee of PHSA and require assistance with your application, please contact the External Careers team at careers@phsa.ca.