Director, Indigenous Patient and Family Experience

Job Description

Summary

Providence Health Care’s Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation team is hiring!

To learn more about the Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation team, check us out here.

We acknowledge that Providence Health Care & the new St. Paul’s Hospital site is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ / Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

We are here to support and advocate for Indigenous folks to ensure that their healthcare is inclusive and that it is just as important as anyone else’s.

Jaye Currie, Indigenous Wellness Liaison

What you will do :

The Director is responsible for overseeing the Indigenous Wellness Liaison (IWL) program and its staffing, and providing strategic and transformational leadership to the evolution of the IWL service models, interventions, and programming across PHC sites.

They will also be responsible for :

• Supporting and promoting Indigenous cultural safety and Indigenous human rights at the patient and family level through providing expert insight,
• Leading, and navigating of specific quality of care issues, complaints, concerns, and compliments.
• Building a strong network of relationships across the health system in support of seamless journeys and positive Indigenous patient and family experience.

The Director provides expert and partnership-oriented counsel and leadership in advancing commitments to cultural safety, truth and reconciliation, and wellness for Indigenous peoples from throughout BC.

• They contribute to implementation of PHC’s Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation action plan commitments related to patient and family care and experience;
• provide leadership to specific projects and interventions to advance Indigenous cultural safety; build and maintain strong internal and external relationships related to Indigenous patient experience;

participates on internal and external working groups and case conferences; and undertakes strategic analysis and recommendations related to evolution of the Indigenous Wellness Liaison program, staffing, and service models.

About you :

• Experienced in leading strategic analysis and evolution of service model(s) for programs including consideration of appropriate service levels and approaches for various areas of care and identification and monitoring of service metrics.
• Experienced in workforce planning including contributing recruitment and retention recommendations, developing an approach to support career progression within the workforce, and identifying ways to balance generalization and specialization within teams.
• Experienced in implementing processes in place to assess Indigenous patient risks, identify risk mitigation strategies and monitor risk throughout a patient’s visit / interaction with PHC, supports change and transition initiatives, and positively impacts Indigenous Wellness services operations.

Meet the Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation (IWR) team and what they do :

The IWR team guides Providence Health Care in its commitment to advance Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, informed by seminal reports like In Plain Sight (2021) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

All of us at Providence are responsible for advancing Indigenous human rights in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, through processes underpinned by mutual respect and dignity.

We also continually seek to maximize our capacity to deliver exceptional, culturally safe care to the Indigenous patients that we serve.

The Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation team is an integral part of guiding and leading this work.

Implementing innovative solutions to challenges is a key part of advancing culturally safe, identify-affirming care. The implementation of innovative solutions often involves multiple teams and services, and requires coordination and respectful collaboration.

In this position, you will report to Neil Fowler, Manager, and be joining an exceptional, hardworking team balanced with unwavering support for one another and a great sense of humour : Fancy Poitras, Lindsay Beck, and Sheri Hundseth.

The Vice-President of Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation, Harmony Johnson, leads the team through a strong vision and provides flexibility and autonomy.

About Providence Health Care :

Driven by compassion and social justice, we are at the forefront of exceptional care and innovation. Our organization, Providence Health Care, is a proud winner of three prestigious awards :

• 2022 Canada’s Best Diversity Employers
• 2022 BC’s Top Employers
• 2022 Canada’s Top Employers for Young People

What we offer :

• The salary range for this role is $ 113,195 - $ 162,718 per year, depending on experience.
• A comprehensive health benefit package, including dental, vision, and life coverage.
• An orientation session and comprehensive onboarding to all new hires.
• A chance to grow professionally and personally, as part of a supportive team driven by innovation and the desire to address the future health needs of patients, families and our communities.
• This position will be required to be hybrid.

Application :

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent. We want to learn about you and your journey as it relates to this role.

In lieu of a cover letter we encourage you to submit the story of your journey this can be in a written / oral story, video, or even infographic.

In your application, please let us know if you identify as Indigenous in Canada such as First Nations, Métis and / or Inuit.

Preference will be given to those who self-identify as being First Nations, Métis and / or Inuit.

Qualifications / Skills and Education

Education, Training and Experience

A Master’s degree in Health or Business Administration, Leadership or Organizational Development or other related Master’s degree, plus seven (7) to ten (10) years of related organizational development experience, preferably in an Indigenous health care context.

Additional desired training / skills such as facilitation, strategic planning, communications, human resource management, teaching, business and finance.

Self-identified Indigenous candidates are preferred. Valid BC Driver’s License. Personal vehicle required as travel within the geographic area may be required.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong interpersonal and team-based skills and the ability to motivate and influence organizational leaders, physicians, staff and volunteers, and community members.
• Demonstrated leadership and initiative in developing, implementing and evaluating Indigenous Wellness services and programming.
• Demonstrated skills in assessing and managing conflict and communication in often cross cultural and complex clinical environments.
• Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous health and wellness; cultural protocols; Indigenous community organizations and services;

and, trends relating to Indigenous health and wellness.

• Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous cultural safety, cultural humility, Indigenous-specific racism, anti-racism, critical race theory, and colonialism past and present.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), In Plain Sight, and other related policies and reports.
• Knowledge and comprehension of PHC’s Mission, Vision, Values, and strategic priorities.
• Knowledge of complex organizational and system dynamics in terms of involving multiple stakeholders and partners.
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership, guidance and direction to staff, to build effective partnerships, and to build credibility, understanding and trust within the organization and with external partners and organizations.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, including strong executive writing and presentation skills.
• Advanced skills in complex problem solving, planning, project management, change management and group process.
• Ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team.
• General knowledge of current health care issues and trends.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, critical thinking and effective decision-making.
• Ability to respond to changing priorities and unforeseen circumstances.
• Ability to effectively manage budget and staff resources.
• Demonstrated computer literacy and word-processing skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Alignment and Leadership :

1. Supports the development and implementation of the Indigenous Wellness & Reconciliation Action Plan in alignment with PHC’s Mission, Vision, Values, strategic directions, goals and objectives.

2. Builds influence and trust with PHC leaders, medical staff, staff, and other partners through effective communication and collaboration, and works with PHC leadership and their teams to plan and implement health care services that are intended for Indigenous peoples.

3. Builds and maintains effective working relationships with Indigenous Patient Experience leads across Health Authorities to support strategic alignment of patient care strategies.

4. Coaches PHC managers, physicians, and staff in building relationships with Indigenous Wellness services team members, incorporating these team members into day to day patient care and services.

5. Leads and / or supports meetings, processes, and reports to both internal and external leadership stakeholders related to the embedding of Indigenous cultural safety across PHC.

Program and Service Delivery :

6. Leads strategic analysis and evolution of service model(s) for the Indigenous wellness liaison program including consideration of appropriate service levels and approaches for various areas of care and identification and monitoring of service metrics.

7. Leads workforce planning for the Indigenous wellness liaison program including contributing recruitment and retention recommendations, developing an approach to support career progression within the liaison workforce, and identifying ways to balance generalization and specialization within the liaison team.

8. Leads development and implementation of an Indigenous patient experience framework informed by engagement of Indigenous patients and families and which guides quality improvement within the Indigenous Wellness Liaison program.

9. Ensures that effective processes are in place to assess Indigenous patient risks, identify risk mitigation strategies and monitor risk throughout a patient’s visit / interaction with PHC, supports change and transition initiatives, and positively impacts Indigenous Wellness services operations.

10. Actively follows through on specific incidents, issues, and risks involving Indigenous patients and families, including complaints and participation in case reviews.

11. Actively monitors related Indigenous health and cultural safety trends, practices, and issues to foresee the need for changes in Indigenous health programming and support effective strategizing and operational planning.

12. Develops and strengthens external linkages with community, education institutes, other health regions, and other health related organizations to promote a more connected continuum of care for patients receiving care at PHC and Health Authorities, and to ensure PHC actions are integrated, responsive and targeted.

13. Provides effective mentoring and coaching, skill and leadership development, performance management and team building to ensure team members have the knowledge, skills, abilities, and tools to support Indigenous Wellness services.

14. Identifies, initiates and facilitates opportunities to partner with health organizations, regional entities, and community agencies in supporting safe transitions into and out of PHC care.

Project Management :

15. In alignment with the Indigenous Wellness & Reconciliation Action Plan, provides leadership to the scoping and implementation of specific projects and interventions to improve Indigenous patient experience.

16. Provides expert insight into evaluation plans to assess Indigenous patient experience and the impact of Indigenous cultural safety interventions.

17. Identifies and ensures the expedited resolution to problems or barriers to enable successful completion and sustainment of initiatives.

Understands and develops contingencies to manage the related risks of initiatives.

18. Develops proposals and fundraising materials to create, expand and improve Indigenous Wellness initiatives.

19. Leverages internal resources and supports across the organization to enable success of program initiatives.

Management & Administration :

20. Recruits, selects, hires and manages staff and contractors as needed. Monitors and conducts performance evaluations, recommends training and development, undertakes disciplinary action if required including termination, and ensures appropriate staff recognition.

21. Reports out on Indigenous Wellness services and patient & family experiences, including project updates, annual reports, committee updates and other reports as required, in collaboration with the Director, IWR Planning and Project Management.

22. Provides oversight of project budgets, reporting on variance and adjusting operations as needed.

23. Performs other related duties as required.

Vaccination Flag

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.