Director, Data Science

Salary range

Fraser Health (FH) is responsible for the delivery of hospital and community-based health services to over 1.9 million people in 20 diverse communities from Burnaby to Fraser Canyon on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations. The Fraser region is home to 32 First Nations communities and 6 Métis Chartered communities. Our team of nearly 45,000 staff, medical staff and volunteers is dedicated to serving our patients, families and communities to deliver on our vision: better health, best in health care.

The Senior Director of Consulting and Analytics is seeking a results-driven leader for a new Director of Data Science role within the Centre for Advanced Analytics, Data Science and Innovation (CAADSI) portfolio at FH. The Director will provide strategic operational leadership for enterprise machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) development and deployment, leveraging a broad spectrum of administrative, operational, clinical, and corporate data which improves advanced analytics and data science maturity across Fraser Health Authority (FHA).

Our ideal candidate is a Clear, Caring and Courageous leader that brings a strong business acumen, a strategic methodology, healthcare project implementation experience and technical analytics skills. They will manage a team of professional CAADSI senior data scientists, data scientists and staff performing varied functions in driving innovation while demonstrating best practices to ensure a compliant organization. This leader will foster and oversee the development of effective working relationships among FHA’s senior leaders and managers to enhance service delivery and maintain client satisfaction. The Director will be collaborating on a regular basis with officials from the Ministry of Health, Federal Government Agencies, Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and other health care - related organizations and represent FHA on internal and external committees, and task groups as required.

The Director is accountable for:

• Providing strategic leadership in the enterprise development and deployment of advanced analytics, ML/AI models, and operation research algorithms across all clinical and corporate areas;
• Ensuring the developed data science models optimally leverage the available complete patient journey data (acute, community, virtual, provincial), for impactful decision-making purposes by program and operational leadership;
• Fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, knowledge sharing and partnerships across teams. Establishing systems to ensure staff skills and competencies will support future organizational needs and trends;
• Identifying and fostering the adoption of best practices and standards around modern and advanced analytical techniques (e.g. machine learning, multivariate forecasting, cluster analysis, simulation, process mining, large language models, neural networks, deep learning, optimization, and Generative AI);Overseeing the delivery of advanced data science services to clients for clinical service delivery purposes. Identifying problems and engaging CAADSI on subject matter experts to develop effective solutions to support clients. This includes interpreting information, participating in the development of recommendations for improvements and engaging in a continuous improvement;
• CAADSI staff work with the clients to improve service recipient outcomes by promoting evidence-based quality of care and better use of quality and safety data by performing tasks such as assisting in selecting appropriate outcome measures, initiating the review of utilization data, and further understanding of patient reported experience and outcome metrics;
• Leading the overall information architecture for analytics across the organization from front-end data capture to developing and deploying advanced analytical ML/AI solutions. Overseeing the data science and infrastructure architectural directions to ensure all data and infrastructure is monitored, maintained and setup for scalable success;
• Enabling the use of effective decision support tools across the organization and working to increase integration of information capture, reporting systems and other CAADSI data management processes;
• Leading the development of production schedules to ensure quality data and the timely delivery of data according to previously defined requirements;
• Establishing ongoing data quality analysis processes, establishing thresholds, documenting any resulting problems, and determining corrective actions:
• Championing the enhancement of electronic data capture systems across FHA.

The successful candidate will have:

• Post secondary education in Computer Science, Operations Research, or other relevant discipline; plus ten (10) to fifteen years’ recent, related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Prior hands-on experience with developing and deploying ML/AI models using industry best practices and tools (Python / R, Git, Docker)
• Strong familiarity with elements of MLOps, CI/CD principles and applications, and how it fits within a data science environment (Azure, AWS)
• Extensive knowledge of performance measurement and quality improvement methodologies and standards including but not limited to MED2020 Health Information Management System, CIHI Discharge Abstract Database (DAD), CIHI National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS), MIS Guidelines, and Minimum Reporting Requirements.
• Extensive experience with large-scale decision support systems, database management and query tools along with solving analytical issues through quantitative approaches and advanced analytical methods.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including management and staff at all levels, within government agencies and other health authorities.
• Extensive experience with large-scale decision support systems, database management and query tools along with solving analytical issues through quantitative approaches and advanced analytical methods.
• Experience with system level changes, project and change management by leading analytical teams through implementation of new analytical models, tools, and techniques that lead to improvement in business performance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to write technical and management reports and communicate in a clear, engaging and convincing manner to translate and present complex information to a variety of audiences.
• Well-developed leadership, client relations and problem resolution abilities in order to lead a variety of complex and integrated services initiatives and to achieve desired results within critical timeframes.

If you have any questions, or are interested in learning more about this rewarding opportunity with Fraser Health, please email Swetlana Patnaik, Client Partner of Executive and Senior Leadership Acquisition at executive.recruitment@fraserhealth.ca .

Fraser Health values diversity in the work force and strives to maintain an environment of Respect, Caring & Trust. Fraser Health’s hiring practices aspire to ensure all individuals are treated in an inclusive, equitable, and culturally safe manner.

Supporting the Vision, Values, Purpose and Commitments of Fraser Health including service delivery that is centered around patients/clients/residents and families:
Reporting to the Senior Director, Centre for Advanced Analytics, Data Science, and Innovation (CAADSI), the Director, Data Science provides strategic operational leadership for enterprise machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) development and deployment, leveraging a broad spectrum of administrative, operational, clinical, and corporate data which improves advanced analytics and data science maturity across Fraser Health Authority (FHA). The Director fosters the creation and adoption of advanced ML/AI models for impactful organizational decision-making and improvement. Directs the definition and implementation of best industry practices in ML/AI, including Operations Research, and new approaches that enable the incorporation of various structured and unstructured data sources (text, audio, image, video), the most appropriate and efficient means of collecting and storing them, consistent processes for its analysis, summarization and presentation so that it is of optimum value to different users across FHA. Collaborates with senior leadership across FHA to identify and champion for strategically appropriate ML/AI directions that are aligned with healthcare best practices and FHA / MoH OKRs, including building partnership with 3rd party AI experts (e.g. academia, established vendors and start-ups). Ensures effective workflow integration and accurate and timely delivery of predictive and prescriptive insights drawn from ML/AI trained on clinical, administrative, operational and corporate information. Contributes to the development of systems for monitoring compliance with FHA policies, procedures and standards for ML/AI integrity, ethics, correction of biases, performance quality and protection of security and privacy. Oversees and engages others in the identification and analysis of business problems and opportunities for pivot from descriptive reporting to predictive and prescriptive analytics leveraging advanced data science methodologies, and improve the data science maturity across the organization in both technical (data science ecosystem) and non-technical (data science literacy) domains.

Provides leadership and direction to a team of professional CAADSI senior data scientists, data scientists and staff performing varied functions including: client problem identification and solutioning, monitoring and evaluation of resource utilization; ML/AI for in-depth historical diagnostics and predictive forecasting, mathematical simulations for what-if scenarios; business case development;; and integrated report design and generation on behalf of the organization. Fosters and oversees the development of effective working relationships with and among FHA senior leaders and managers, to ensure a clear understanding of client needs, enhance service delivery and maintain client satisfaction. Partners with data representatives regarding matters such as ongoing information system/database implementation and upgrades, new technologies, and changes to standards or legislative requirements. Collaborates on a regular basis with officials from the Ministry of Health, Federal Government Agencies, Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and other health care - related organizations. Represents FHA on internal and external committees, and task groups as required.

1. Provides strategic leadership in the enterprise development and deployment of advanced analytics, ML/AI models, and operation research algorithms across all clinical and corporate areas
2. Ensures the developed data science models optimally leverage the available complete patient journey data (acute, community, virtual, provincial), comprised of administrative, clinical and corporate information across FHA for impactful decision-making purposes by program and operational leadership.
3. Fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, knowledge sharing and partnerships across teams. Works with senior colleagues to establish individualized career and growth opportunities in data science. Establishes systems to ensure staff skills and competencies will support future organizational needs and trends.
4. Identifies, exploits and fosters the adoption of best practices and standards around modern and advanced analytical techniques (e.g. machine learning, multivariate forecasting, cluster analysis, simulation, process mining, large language models, neural networks, deep learning, optimization, and Generative AI), and generation of insights and recommendations to drive systematic change.
5. Integrates advanced data science analytics across the organization from both a quality and decision support perspective to provide the organization and board with analyses that are holistic, operationally feasible and aligned with the strategic direction of the organization.
6. Provides strategic, operational, and information technology leadership for CAADSI including developing actionable key performance metrics, success metrics, and strategic plans in collaboration with relevant senior leadership and other stakeholders.
7. Provides strategic leadership in establishing and enhancing academic and vendor partnerships, financial / commercialization opportunities, and accelerate the pace of data science in the organization and address prioritized gaps
8. Oversees the delivery of advanced data science services to clients for clinical service delivery purposes. The services delivered include identifying problems and engaging CAADSI on subject matter experts to develop effective solutions to support clients. This includes organizing, synthesizing and analyzing data on patient services, interpreting information, participating in the development of recommendations for improvements and engaging in a continuous improvement partnership through agile and iterative processes. CAADSI clients include program teams, individual physicians, operational & corporate managers and directors, researchers, and external consultants hired by the programs. CAADSI staff work with the client to improve service recipient outcomes by promoting evidence based quality of care and better use of quality and safety data and performing such tasks as assisting in selecting appropriate outcome measures, initiating the review of utilization data, and furthering understanding of patient reported experience and outcome metrics.
9. Responsible for leading the overall information architecture for analytics across the organization from front-end data capture to developing and deploying advanced analytical ML/AI solutions. Oversees the data science and infrastructure architectural directions to ensure all data and infrastructure is monitored, maintained and setup for scalable success. This include a standardized and alignment approach on ML/AI model training, model evaluation, validation and model registry, clinical user testing, production deployment into clinical systems and workflows, CI/CD processes, UI/UX user-centric design incorporation, automation, and impact evaluation.
10. Works to build capacity into the information processes and systems for the health authority. Oversees the creation of value added information from existing data and provides leadership in the identification of gaps in strategic information by developing business cases and overseeing project teams created to address those gaps.
11. Directs the development and implementation of service priorities in response to client input and interprets and evaluates policies, programs, systems and procedures. Assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of the services and identifies and recommends areas for improvement in quality and efficiency.
12. Enables and oversees the use of effective decision support tools across the organization and works to increase integration of information capture, reporting systems and other CAADSI data management processes. Works with the client groups, PHSA IMITS representatives and others to evaluate and select the best methods to meet strategic organizational business analysis and reporting needs.
13. Leads the development of production schedules to ensure quality data and the timely delivery of data according to previously defined requirements.
14. Establishes ongoing data quality analysis processes, establishing thresholds, documenting any resulting problems, and determining corrective actions.
15. Promotes the profile of the CAADSI teams to both internal and external stakeholders; develops strategies and initiatives to brand and market high quality information products and services.
16. Champions the enhancement of electronic data capture systems across FHA.

Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Operations Research, or other relevant discipline, plus ten (10) to fifteen years’ recent, related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. Experience with systems thinking, planning, project and change management, quality and utilization review, systems development, systems and operational design, leadership development, succession planning, organizational development and building community under adverse conditions within a large complex organization.

COMPETENCIES:

Demonstrates the leadership practices of the Fraser Health Leadership Framework of Clear, Caring and Courageous and creates the conditions for people to succeed.

Professional/Technical Capabilities

• Prior hands-on experience with developing and deploying ML/AI models using industry best practices and tools (Python / R, Git, Docker)
• Strong familiarity with elements of MLOps, CI/CD principles and applications, and how it fits within a data science environment (Azure, AWS)
• Extensive knowledge of performance measurement and quality improvement methodologies and standards including but not limited to MED2020 Health Information Management System, CIHI Discharge Abstract Database (DAD), CIHI National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS), MIS Guidelines, and Minimum Reporting Requirements.
• Strategic and creative thinker that is results driven and comfortable working in cross-functional teams.
• Extensive experience with large-scale decision support systems, database management and query tools along with solving analytical issues through quantitative approaches and advanced analytical methods.
• Comprehensive understanding of data collection analysis and interpretation methodologies in a healthcare environment.
• Demonstrates senior level leadership skills, with the ability to foster a motivating and respectful work environment for leadership and staff, where individual competencies can thrive.
• Strong understanding of effective methods for identifying and addressing various stakeholder needs and an acute awareness of the impact of actions.
• Demonstrated experience with system level changes, project and change management by leading analytical teams through implementation of new analytical models, tools, and techniques that lead to improvement in business performance.
• Proven skills in critical thinking, and business analysis methods.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to write technical and management reports and communicate in a clear, engaging and convincing manner to translate and present complex information to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including management and staff at all levels, within government agencies and other health authorities.
• Work with organization senior leadership to create a progressive culture of high data literacy and informed decision making.
• Demonstrated skills in surfacing key insights from large, complex, high dimensional data from various data sources.
• Comprehensive knowledge of management principles and methodologies, and the ability to coach / mentor team members on these skills.
• Well-developed leadership, client relations and problem resolution abilities in order to lead a variety of complex and integrated services initiatives and to achieve desired results within critical timeframes.
• Proven resourcefulness, ability to take on new challenges and lead change.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.