Health Equity Advisor

**Competition #**: 44618
**Department**: Health and Wellness
**Location**: HALIFAX
**Type of Employment**: Term
**Union Status**: Exclusion - Non Union - NSPG
**Closing Date**: 11-Dec-24 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)
Designation Status
This opportunity is designated to applicants that identify as African/Black Nova Scotian and other Racialized Persons.
See the Nova Scotia Government's Employment Equity Policy for more information, including additional details on the designated groups.
About Us
The Department of Health and Wellness offers opportunities to grow and advance in a dynamic sector that touches the lives of all Nova Scotians. Along with our partners, including the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK Health Centre, we're committed to continually improving our health care system. With a focus on continual improvements within the Health System, the department is thinking differently about how to plan, fund, legislate and monitor to improve access and service delivery. To do this, we need leaders at all levels of the organization who embrace a challenge and believe in their ability to make a difference.
The Department's Equity and Engagement Division is seeking a Health Equity Advisor to advance the division's mandate is to ensure community voices, strategic partnerships and lived experiences continue to inform and shape the government's vision for a more equitable health system for Nova Scotians.
About Our Opportunity
Reporting to the Manager, Equity Projects and Initiatives, the Health Equity Advisor will be a key support to advance the health equity priorities of the Department and health system as it pertains to the health and wellness of underserved and underrepresented communities. In this position you will lead and collaborate with community and multi-sector stakeholders on community and health system projects, initiatives, and strategic programming. In addition, you will work with senior team members in government and in the provincial health system on files including resource allocation, data metrics/benchmarks for progress and accountability reporting, coordination and management of projects and providing advice on provincial strategies, policy, and legislation.
Primary Accountabilities
As the Health Equity Advisor, your primary accountabilities will include, but not be limited to, supporting the Equity and Engagement division in the following areas:
Demonstrate leadership to plan, work and coordinate with department staff at all levels, stakeholders, project teams and community members to meet strategic objectives to improve the health and wellbeing of underserved and underrepresented Nova Scotians.
Provide advice and expertise to address critical issues of health inequalities and disparities as well as facilitate and support the government's strategic and policy agenda towards health equity.
Foster and support engagement and advocacy among health system partners and underserved and underrepresented communities to address key issues concerning the social and structural determinants of health.
Facilitate the design, development, and coordination of projects/programs/initiatives for underserved and underrepresented communities by identifying, prioritizing, and recommending opportunities to advance health equity objectives within the Nova Scotia healthcare system and at the Department.
Deliver on health equity objectives and outcomes by working closely with project teams, partners and the division's Executive Director and Manager, and by providing counsel into strategic decision-making, research/analysis, tracking and monitoring progress, and project management.
Contribute to the preparation of key messages, reports, internal/external communications, public engagement activities and speaking/briefing notes for the Minister and senior officials.
Qualifications and Experience
An equivalent combination of related training and experience may be considered.
Direct and successful experiences working within underserved and underrepresented communities and an understanding of issues affecting those communities
Leadership competencies and a strong history in achieving outcomes and results
Highly developed in providing strategic advice, guidance, and counsel to senior leadership
The ability to maintain strategic partnerships, collaborations, and effective working relationships
Successful work experiences leading and supporting projects/initiatives, project management activities
An in-depth understanding of the provincial health system and/or other social systems is required
Proven experiences in addressing, educating, and gaining consensus on contentious matters
A proficiency to undertaking jurisdictional scans, identify emerging trends, researching best practices, reviewing previous reports/action plans
Advocacy for the community, while working within the policies and guidelines of government
A proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel; and the ability