Pursuant to Section 42 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Indigenous Ancestry. We invite applicants to self-identify within their cover letter and/or resume. Indigenous applicants are encouraged to reach out to Sanya'k ?ula (Indigenous Recruitment and Employee Experience) for support, advice, and guidance on the PHSA hiring process.

 

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.

Job Summary:

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. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) is excited to be expanding specialized mental health and substance use services in Northern British Columbia through the development of a new program in Prince George. BCMHSUS is committed to providing high-quality, culturally safe, trauma-informed care that is free from Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination, and that supports individuals on their wellness and healing journeys. Recognizing the unique strengths, cultures, and priorities of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people across Northern British Columbia, meaningful engagement and partnership are foundational to the success of this initiative.

The Indigenous Engagement Lead will play a critical role in shaping the development of this new program and service. The successful candidate will establish and maintain strong relationships with First Nations, urban Indigenous organizations, Métis partners, and other Indigenous service providers across Northern British Columbia. Success in this role will rely on consistent presence in community, relationship continuity, and the ability to engage in ways that reflect local protocols and priorities.

Drawing upon a deep understanding of Indigenous-specific anti-racism, cultural safety, and the impacts of colonization, the Indigenous Engagement Lead will lead and/or support developing and implementing a comprehensive Indigenous engagement strategy that informs design, program and service delivery, workforce planning, and organizational practices. The Lead ensures feedback from communities, clients, and partners is meaningfully reflected in program design, decision-making, and evaluation, with clear mechanisms for reporting back. The position will also provide strategic advice and subject matter expertise to support the development of policies, procedures, and protocols that advance equitable and culturally safe care.

Working collaboratively with BCMHSUS teams, health authority partners, the First Nations Health Authority, Indigenous communities, and other key stakeholders, the Indigenous Engagement Lead will help ensure the project reflects the needs and priorities of Indigenous Peoples across the North. This includes engagement with the 55 distinct First Nations communities throughout the region, as well as urban Indigenous populations and Métis chartered communities. The successful candidate will work alongside clinical, operational, administrative, and project teams to embed Indigenous perspectives throughout planning and implementation and support the creation of services that are responsive, culturally safe, and free from Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination.

 

Position key expectations:

1. Mental Health and Substance Use lived or living experience and/or working alongside those with lived experience
2. Valid driver’s license

 

Duties/Accountabilities:

• Leads development, implementation, and evaluation of BCMHSUS Indigenous Health Action Plan, ensuring alignment with PHSA’s Indigenous Health team, the Calls to Action of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and the findings and recommendations of In Plain Sight, with the aim of improving patient experience and health care outcomes for Indigenous people accessing BCMHSUS services. Manages the promotion, monitoring and evaluation of the Plan, ensuring effective systems, practices, policies and timelines are met.
• Provides strategic and operational leadership to correctional health centres, adult mental health and substance use services, and forensic psychiatric services, with the aim of identifying and addressing existing barriers for Indigenous people accessing BCMHSUS services.
• Provides leadership and education on principles of Indigenous cultural safety, patient experience, community engagement with health professionals, leaders, and researchers across BCMHSUS, with the aim of transforming service delivery, research, and organizational culture. Identifies educational needs that support program and organizational objectives. Facilitates seminars and workshops. Develops educational tools. Uses effective management techniques (e.g., coaching, mentoring, skill and leadership development, performance management) to support the achievement of outcomes and operational requirements.
• Identifies critical barriers and issues impacting BCMHSUS 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.
• Identifies and evaluates new initiatives, partnership opportunities, new developments and trends in Indigenous health services planning through literature review, contact with peers at other organizations, professional associations and attendance at seminars, workshops and conferences.
• Provides consultative guidance and support to senior leadership, organizational committees, and operational groups as a subject matter expert on strategies to improve outcomes and experiences of Indigenous patients and families at BCMHSUS, with a focus on best and wise practices and evidence across Canada and internationally. Contributes to the development of service plans. Initiates and develops recommendations to support organization-wide, program-specific and unit-specific initiatives towards improving experiences of care for Indigenous peoples.
• Builds partnerships with Indigenous communities, agencies, and groups across BC, in conjunction with the directors and staff, regarding Indigenous health issues, with the goal of optimizing opportunities for collaboration and ensuring an integrated and coordinated approach to improving health care, cultural safety and patient experience.
• Leads policy development projects with the aim of ensuring Indigenous Cultural Safety, engaging necessary stakeholders. Review existing policies across BCMHSUS, and provide editorial and content recommendations to ensure alignment and consistency with Indigenous Cultural Safety.
• Develops project plans and objectives to outline timelines and project deliverables. Executes project plan according to project methodologies, ensures successful and coordinated completion of project components, consults with stakeholders as needed and ensures readiness for project implementation. Tracks project progress according to project plan and identified metrics. Monitors and reports on the status of programs and projects and major barriers encountered. Assesses project risks, identify risk mitigation strategies and monitor risk throughout the project lifecycle.
• Leads and supports quality improvement projects aimed at improving Indigenous patient experience, and facilitates the implementation of approved modifications and evaluation of process effectiveness to ensure culturally safe delivery of patient care and optimal use of organizational resources.
• Assists the Director with budget by monitoring expenses, reporting on variances and budget reconciliation. Adheres to program budget.
• Partners with internal and external partners to develop and implement internal and external communication strategies to improve access to culturally safe healthcare for Indigenous patients, clients, and families.
  
  

Qualifications:

• A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Master’s Degree in Health Services Administration, Social Justice, Transformative Organizational Change or relevant health care discipline with a minimum of five (5) years recent, related experience in project management as well as facilitating and managing consultation processes involving a wide range of stakeholder groups, including Indigenous health organizations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Canadian colonial impacts on Indigenous people in social and health contexts, including gendered colonial violence supported by significant knowledge of Canadian and Indigenous ideologies.
• Demonstrated extensive knowledge of health issues, and especially the determinants of health, legislation and public policy affecting Indigenous people.
• Knowledge and appreciation of the unique history, cultures, and rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada is required. Knowledge of and experience with Indigenous centered care and unique needs of Indigenous populations and health services, in alignment with Paige’s Story (2015), Truth and Reconciliation Call To Action report (2015), In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-Specific Racism and Discrimination in BC Health Care (2020), Reclaiming Power and Place: Recommendations from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2021), Sacred and Strong: Upholding Our Matriarchal Roles (FNHA, 2021). Knowledge of specific resources for Indigenous patients and families, i.e., First Nations Health Authority, Métis Family Services, Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society and other delegated Aboriginal child and family services, Community Health Centre’s/Clinics on and off reserve, etc.
• Experience or working knowledge of health systems and policy, organizational change, anti-Indigenous racism, resistance to change, population health, illness prevention, health promotion, mental health and substance use, knowledge exchange and change management.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles of Indigenous centred, culturally safe, trauma and violence-informed care and harm reduction, particularly in tertiary, inpatient, and/or secure settings.
• Ability to lead and participate effectively on collaborative change initiatives.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills to function within a complex interdisciplinary environment, including ability to communicate with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Computer literacy with word-processing, spreadsheet, presentation, project management and database applications.
• Demonstrated extensive knowledge of Indigenous health care needs, services, and issues as well as knowledge of culture, protocols, traditions, and ideology of Indigenous people and organizations in British Columbia is an asset.
• Established knowledge and network of Indigenous communities, services, and agencies throughout BC is an asset.