Health Emergency Management (HEM) Specialist, Health Authorities

Health Emergency Management (HEM) Specialist, Health Authorities

HEMBC LM-West

Vancouver, 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), the Specialist provides advice and guidance to health authority leadership, management and staff on emergency management for an assigned geographic or program portfolio. The Specialist works closely with health authority leadership, advising on emergency management matters and leads operations 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, and First Nations Health Authority to ensure appropriate integration of HEMBC planning activities with similar activities across the provincial healthcare system. The Specialist contributes to the development of the budget, and the strategic priorities for the assigned area of responsibility, as well as for the regional and provincial health emergency management portfolio. The Specialist develops, recommends, and implements integrated emergency management plans; leads site/sector emergency plans ensuring alignment with corporate and provincial plans and ensures alignment with established policies and procedures. Organizes exercise programs, education, training and responses to emergencies for the assigned area.

What you’ll do

• Provides 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. Makes recommendations to HEMBC’s leadership team on ways to improve emergency management in the health system.
• Leads response during emergency events, including providing subject matter expertise and decision support to leadership. Manages and guides teams, including providing guidance, direction, and support for the purpose of limiting impacts of emergencies on health authority operations. Advises health authorities when to activate/deactivate Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs). Leads debrief and after-action review processes following emergency exercises and responses.
• Leads and/or project manages multi-stakeholder/cross sector projects specific to the development, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of emergency management plans, based on accreditation and international standards and best practices for the assigned geographic or program portfolio as a single point of contact for the assigned area; identifies and recommends activities and resources to support continuous improvement in emergency management.
• Works with health authority leadership within a specific health authority portfolio in addition to relevant external organizations, including local governments, government ministries, and non-governmental organizations (NGSs) to establish work plans and lead portfolio specific projects, within the parameters set by their leader and HEMBC’s Senior Leadership Team. Sets the direction of the work plans by performing
• duties such as establishing a portfolio specific committee and negotiating consensus on the priorities and deliverables of the program.   Negotiates with health authority leadership to determine goals, objectives, and deliverables,
• Works in collaboration with a variety of health authority programs to determine emergency management strategies; supports 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, regional, and local 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 planning efforts based on current, emerging, and urgent risks, to support mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
• Develops and provides emergency management education and training sessions through methods such as reviewing current plans and identifying gaps; revises current educational/training materials and develops new/changed processes to deliver training/educational materials; maintains and delivers an ongoing and regular plan for exercising and the testing of applicable health emergency plans to measure plan effectiveness and to identify mitigation, planning response and recovery needs to improve outcomes.
• Provides guidance, advice and support for emergency facilities and equipment, which may include guidelines, training, and testing, including guidance and support on how to design and maintain specialized equipment.
• Develops and maintains emergency management manuals and documentation. Produces written documentation, including briefing notes, presentations, and after-action reviews, and implements systems to organize and keep track of information, work requests or progress. Works with key stakeholders to develop integrated information and reporting systems to support health emergency management incident reporting.
• Assists with 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.
• Provides coaching and mentoring to staff on emergency management protocols, and supports growth through feedback, instruction and encouragement.
• 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, the social sciences, geography, business administration 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 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.

Skills & Knowledge

• 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).
• As a strong asset for consideration, we are looking for our successful candidate to have: Knowledge 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.).

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

Salary Range: $88,990 - $127,923 /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: 1333 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 1G9
Closing date: Applications accepted until position is filled
Hours of Work: 0830-1630 (Monday to Friday)
Requisition # 170525E

** Please note: Support for nomination with the BC Provincial Nominee Program is not a guarantee or an employee benefit upon receiving a full-time job offer with PHSA**

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.

ATTN: PHSA Employees:

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

Please note the internal job posting will no longer be accessible after the expiry date of August 14, 2024. 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.