Health Emergency Management (HEM) Specialist, Projects and Initiatives

Health Emergency Management (HEM) Specialist, Projects and Initiatives

HEMBC North

Prince George, BC

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 a Director or Manager, Health Emergency Management BC (HEMBC), and operating as the internal project management office for the assigned team, the Specialist provides advice and guidance to health authority leadership, management and staff, as well as internal HEMBC team members who support emergency management in assigned geographic or program portfolios. The Specialist works closely with health authority senior leadership, advising on emergency management matters and facilitates emergency operations centre activities during emergency events. 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, First Nations Health Authority, and community partners to ensure appropriate integration of HEMBC planning activities with similar activities across the provincial healthcare system.

The Specialist contributes to the development of the program budget, strategic priorities for the assigned team, as well as the health emergency management portfolio for the Health Authority. The Specialist develops, recommends, and implements integrated emergency management plans; leads site/sector emergency plans standards, ensuring alignment with corporate and provincial plans and established policies and procedures. Leads, organizes or participates in exercise programs, education and training for the assigned area.

What you’ll do

• Leads and/or project manages multi-stakeholder/cross sector projects specific to the development, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of the assigned emergency management program, based on accreditation, international standards and best practices. Identifies and recommends activities and resources to support continuous improvement and innovation projects in emergency management, while ensuring compliance with policies and agreements.
• Works with health authority leadership in addition to leadership from external organizations such as local governments and government ministries to negotiate the direction of projects and initiatives with the parameters established by the HEMBC senior leadership team. Leads provincial projects, negotiating with leadership to set the direction of the specific project and come to consensus on priorities and timelines such as the Health Authority Patient Relocation project.
• Provides advice and guidance to health authority leadership, ensuring that emergency management principles are central to decision-making with the goal to minimize impacts on the health system. Makes recommendations to HEMBC’s leadership team on ways to improve emergency management in the health system.
• Leads regional or provincial responses during emergencies, including providing subject matter expertise and decision support to senior leadership (including when to activate/deactivate Regional Emergency Operations Centres), ensuring a coordinated response to and recovery from events. Leads and guides teams, including providing guidance, direction, and support for the purpose of limiting impacts of emergencies on health authority operations. Facilitates debrief and after-action review processes following emergency exercises and responses, and tracks implementation of recommendations.
• Supports inter and intra health authority collaboration to determine emergency management strategies; supports regional plan development, implementation and maintenance to ensure continuity, consistency and standardization of strategies across the region and province. Represents HEMBC and health authorities on committees with a wide variety of health sector and external partners, at the executive and regional levels. Supports emergency management communication linkages across / between sites and programs, between health authorities, with the Ministry of Health, and with external (non-health) partners as the emergency management liaison.
• Leads knowledge management processes to provide a common structure and organization scheme to support organizational objectives. Act as knowledge brokers; support and leverage the expertise and knowledge of various teams, the health authority staff, and community partners by sharing information, making tools and resources easily available to staff, and promote learning and development to enable partners to provide patient care during emergencies. Conducts audits on information and access, and recommends improvements and optimizations to increase information access for stakeholders.
• Leads regional planning efforts based on current, emerging, and urgent risks, to support mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts, including hazard-specific planning (i.e. tsunami) and planning for climate related hazards (i.e. seasonal hazards).
• Assists with quality and safety, and evaluation initiatives, including accreditation and auditing assessments, as well as assessing and reporting on the progress of meeting recommendations.
• Partners with health authority communications and education leads, and other subject matter experts, to create engaging communications, presentations, and learning campaigns, using a variety of media, to increase emergency management knowledge, engagement, and preparedness across multiple organizations.
• Develops and provides emergency management education and training sessions; maintains and delivers plans for exercising and the testing of applicable health emergency plans to measure plan effectiveness and to identify mitigation.
• Contributes to the development and management of the portfolio’s budget, to ensure expenditures fall within budgetary guidelines. Leads the development of project proposals, including developing and managing project budgets.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

What you bring

Qualifications

• A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in emergency management, project management, public health, health sciences, business administration, climate sciences, and/or a related field and five (5) years’ recent related experience in a large institutional or campus environment, including two
• (2) years’ experience managing business continuity and/or emergency management programs in a large complex multi-site environment.
• 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 HEMBC North 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 knowledge of emergency management and business continuity issues in a health care setting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the standards, systems and response agencies related to emergency management and the health care system.
• Strong interpersonal, customer relations, communication and facilitation skills to develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders and lead a variety of complex and integrated initiatives.
• Demonstrated commitment to change and process management and experience in implementing large initiatives and leading change management strategies across complex and dynamic healthcare systems.
• Expertise with health system information, program evaluation, health services operations and the external healthcare environment to appropriately analyze complex information, research and policy mandates.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully apply project management methodology and principles.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiations skills including the ability to present to a wide range of individuals, groups and stakeholders at various leadership levels.
• 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.
• Ability to utilize project management frameworks, approaches, software, and tools and resources. Knowledge of, and ability to support the use of complex communication systems in an emergency.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible 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: Regular, Full-Time
Salary Range: $88,990 - $127,923 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: 0830-1630 (Monday to Friday)
Requisition # 183309E

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 – Create equity – Be courageous.

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

PHSA is committed to anti-racism and 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 excluded groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula 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 exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including 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 and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

ATTN: PHSA Employees:

To be considered as a PHSA employee (internal applicant) for this position, you must apply online via your internal profile at internaljobs.phsa.ca

Please note the internal job posting will no longer be accessible after the expiry date of May 14, 2025. If the internal job posting has expired, please contact the Internal Jobs Help Desk and advise that you would like to be considered as a late internal applicant for this position. Please do not apply for the external job posting.

If you have not registered your internal profile, a password is required to log in for the first time. To obtain your password, please contact the Internal Jobs Help Desk at 604-875-7264 or 1-855-875-7264. Please note regular business hours are Monday – Friday (excluding stats), 8:30am to 4:30pm. For inquiries outside of regular business hours, please email the Internal Jobs Help Desk at internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca and a Help Desk Representative will contact you the next business day.