Director, Allied Health Education and Organizational Strategy

Job Description

Pay Band: 

Min Hourly CAD: $70.01/Hr

Max Hourly CAD: $100.63/hr

Within the context of a client and family centred model of care and, in accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of Providence Health Care, the person promotes a safe, respectful, and civil working environment for patients, residents, families, visitors and staff.

Reporting to the Executive Director, Professional Practice, Nursing & Clinical Informatics the Director, Allied Health Education & Organizational Strategy provides leadership for the development, implementation, communication and ongoing monitoring of the portfolio’s strategic plan. Responsible for leading in the development, implementation, evaluation and ongoing monitoring of clinical education for Allied Health. Anticipates future changes in practice and recommends transition strategies that optimize the quality of Clinical Education programs.

Partners with identified leaders to support high quality, efficient and cost effective services to meet the patient/resident population needs and to ensure integration of allied health within PHC and the delivery of a continuum of integrated care within the region.

Collaborates with Leaders and partners to promote and ensure integrated, consistent and standardized clinical educational programming across all PHC sites. Promotes the participation of internal and external partners, such as Research and Academic Partners, in research and knowledge translation activities.

Ensures all programming is sustainable and leverages adult learning principles and theories, including strategies that enable interactive, experiential learning methods and creative experimentation. Fosters team spirit, trust, mutual respect, equity, diversity and inclusion. Champions and facilitates Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in hiring activities and educational programing.

Education, Training and Experience
A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Master's Degree in an Allied Health or related discipline with a minimum of seven to ten (7 to 10) years of progressively increasing leadership responsibility in a complex health care or academic health sciences environment, including at least three (3) years of management experience.

Current practicing registration in good standing with an applicable regulatory body.

Skills and Abilities
• Demonstrated knowledge of professional practice issues and future directions for professional practice at the provincial and national levels.
• Demonstrated knowledge of interprofessional practice and education and models of care delivery across a variety of disciplines and settings.
• Strong program planning and development skills including integration of evidence-based best practices.
• Results oriented with the ability to develop and execute strategy across large complex organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, set and accomplish objectives and goals in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to critically analyze industry and professional literature.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, prioritize and advance multiple initiatives in parallel, includes ability to lead projects directly as well as to provide oversight to direct reports for projects they are managing.
• Ability to work under pressure and to effectively meet internal and external deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize creativity and innovation to develop corporate strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to develop quality assessment systems/tools..
• Demonstrated innovative leadership skills, analytical and problem-solving skills and a proven ability to foster a collaborative team approach to decision making.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain partnerships locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with all levels of the organization.
• Ability to interact effectively with staff at all organizational levels both internally and externally.
• Ability to uses strong analytical, financial and research abilities to support decision-making.
• Ability to understand and utilize administrative and research information related to clinical care and practices.
• Ability to deliver formal presentations to various internal and external partners.
• Advanced report writing skills.
• Ability to effectively utilize relevant equipment and software applications.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

1. Promotes and builds linkages, alliances and collaborative relations with internal and external contacts and partners, such as academic institutions, professional associations, policy makers, and other external agencies on a provincial, national and international level. Leads in the negotiation and collaboration with academic partners and other academic institutions regarding the terms of affiliation agreements and the placement of students.

2. Provides recommendations, advice and council to educational leaders regarding Clinical Education by participating in cross-discipline committees and site-specific councils, where appropriate. Represents PHC on relevant committees and advisory groups such as those at provincial health authorities, academic institutions, advanced practice forums and provincial and ministry meetings.

3. Leads the development of PHC Allied Health education and Allied Health clinical operations policies, systems and procedures, standards and outcome targets to ensures quality in PHC education programs, operations and services. Leads and fosters education strategies and operational initiatives to enhance patient experience and health outcomes through engagement of patients and the workforce across the disciplines.

4. Leads the operations model of care optimization and is the decision maker for service delivery plans for Allied Health based on parameters, such as team mix of professions/roles (including advanced practice) with the right skills, education and experience, along with the ability to sustain the model to best fit the patient/client/resident care needed.

5. Initiates and leads clinical education and operational related projects, secures funds, and develops business cases and funding proposals. Conducts impact analysis for clinical education initiatives, contributes to program planning, expansion and implementation, as required, for other areas on discipline specific and interprofessional projects.

6. Contributes to quality practice environments through building and maintaining a learning culture for staff and students that promotes excellence, safety, respect, collaboration, inter-professionalism, person and family centered care, accountability, mastery and discovery.

7. Leads programs such as student practice, employed student, internationally educated staff and new grad initiatives, and consultation services such individual, team and strategic consultations, in order to promote professional and competency development and support and maintain profession-specific standards and scope of practice.

8. Develops, coordinates and monitors student placement, IEAP and New Grad (NP) clinical experience pathways and evaluative processes, and maintains contact with hosting programs/services and staff, students, educational faculty and clinical practicum coordinators.

9. Oversees patient education materials for programs and services across PHC and liaises with other provincial Health Authorities on regional issues and other health authority representatives on provincial issues related to patient education materials.

10. Provides leadership in identifying risks, issues and mitigations plans related to achieving goals and objectives for clinical education led initiatives. Partners in organizational risk review processes with expert lens of clinical education that supports implementation initiatives to support safe, competent and ethical care.

11. Delivers, evaluates and monitors advanced practice education by collaborating with Professional Practice Leaders (PPLs), operational leaders and provincial partners, seeking out and identifying best practices, ensuring appropriate structures, system processes and resources are in place to facilitate ongoing delivery of advanced practice education across varying complex practice environments.

12. Identifies the educational needs of staff in the provision of advanced practice education. Ensures the appropriate mechanisms are in place to support staff in the provision of quality advanced practice education programs.

13. Partners with academic institutions in the developments of alternative and innovative models of delivery to meet changing organizational needs, while maximizing the efficiency of advanced practice education funding within the allocated budget.

14. Leads, supports, and promotes collaboration on organizational, regional, provincial and federal clinical education initiatives that develop and optimize culturally safe care/service across the continuum.

15. Develops, recommends and implements, in collaboration with HR, strategies for recruitment and retention of allied health staff.

16. Develops, manages and monitors the annual overall budget for Allied Health Education and Operations. Plans and adjusts operations and/or staffing to meet projections and annual targets and approves expenditures and prepares summaries for fiscal reporting. Ensures efficient utilization of educational resources that are supportive in meeting workforce training demands and ultimate provision of services.

17. Provides leadership to staff through coaching, mentoring and modelling key behaviours, encouraging dialogue and providing guidance and advice to facilitate resolutions to work issues.

18. Leads, supports and maintains a human resources plan that aligns Allied Health/interprofessional educational and operational goals and objectives in order to provide the highest level of service to the organization, including recruitment strategies, development and retention initiatives, performance management and an education/ training plan for direct reports.

19. Maintains own professional growth and development by keeping up to date on current trends in health care, leadership, adult education and Allied Health operations, by reviewing literature, attending relevant conferences/continuing education, liaising with external organizations, industry advisory groups and members of professional associations in order to identify and promote strategic improvement opportunities through partnership, innovation, best practices, and technology for the organization.

20. Performs other related duties as assigned.

As per the current Public Health Orders (Long Term Care/Seniors Assisted Living Provincial Health Order and the Health Sector Order), as of October 26, 2021, all employees working for Providence Health Care must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination status will be required.