Executive Director, Equity and Engagement
Competition # : 45089
Department: Health and Wellness
Location: HALIFAX
Type of Employment: Permanent
Union Status: Exclusion - Non Union - NSPG
Closing Date: 12-Feb-25 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)
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 collaborative primary health care, continuing care, improved supports for mental health and addictions, digital health, capital infrastructure, and more, 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.
About Our Opportunity
As the Executive Director of Equity and Engagement, you will lead a division within DHW that provides strategic policy advice to the Deputy Minister, Associate Deputy Ministers, Chiefs and the DHW Executive team, to build internal capacity, to ensure the department is in line with and contributing to the broader government corporate agenda for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Reconciliation and Accessibility (EDIRA) as well as excellence in internal and public engagement. This division also sets the priorities and accountabilities of the Office of Professional Healthcare Recruitment (OPHR), the Office of Addictions and Mental Health (OAMH) and its agencies and program delivery partners, the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) and the Izaak Walton Killam Health Center (IWK).
The Executive Director will provide department leadership in expert policy advice, articulating the strategic direction, and operational leadership on the implementation of the Health Equity framework and an engagement approach and infrastructure for the entire health system. This role is accountable for making the DHW a better place to work by establishing systems, to ensure an EDIRA lens is applied in corporate human resource strategies, programs and policies and guiding the organization to be a welcoming, inclusive and engaged Public Service.
As the Executive Director, you will provide health system leadership working with the leaders within the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK to build the health systems capacity for health services that are equitable and culturally competent. You will also be competent and successful in engaging underserved and underrepresented communities and those groups/agencies/associations that represent them.
Primary Accountabilities
The Executive Director leads a Division within DHW responsible for the corporate functions of internal communication and engagement, developing a DHW plan that address’s staff feedback in the “How’s work going” report and well as an EDIRA strategy for DHW, OHPR and OMAH. You will be accountable to consult, lead, and manage a division to provide specialized expertise and change management related to issues of equity specifically in relation to EDIRA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Reconciliation and Accessibility ). The Executive Director is responsible to ensure these functions are effective and efficient and works with the entire health system and with other departmental partners in driving change management process to ensure overall corporate and health system improvement in shifting culture and peoples’ experiences.
You will lead the consultation, creation, implementation and promotion of DHW corporate EDIRA and engagement strategies, policies, guidelines, standards, programs and services that reflect the commitment of Government. This is to promote inclusivity and ensuring the workforce is reflective, at all levels of the organization, of the population it serves. As the Executive Director of Equity and Engagement, you will promote the long- term vision and utilize internal and external influences to achieve the goals of corporate diversity and corporate engagement as well as with the public.
Qualifications and Experience
Do you have experience building successful relationships to support cultural change paired with a demonstrated passion for supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace? If so, this could be the right opportunity for you.
This may be the right opportunity for you if you have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree or a professional designation in a related discipline with extensive experience in the area of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Reconciliation and Accessibility (EDIRA) both as a leader and a manager of people. An equivalent combination of training and experience may be considered.
As a successful Executive Director of Equity and Engagement you will:
- Value the concepts and EDIRA principles and lead with a lens that supports and values a healthy workplace and demonstrate leadership competencies.
- Think strategically and make decisions by connecting with stakeholders (both internally and externally) using strategic and tactical approaches.
- Possess significant experience working with partners and other stakeholders across industry, departments, and divisions to successfully achieve objectives. This includes demonstrated success working as a partner with underserved and underrepresented communities.
- Have a clear communication style and ability to influence key clients and partners.
You also possess a high level of creativity. You enjoy working with individuals and teams and you have a demonstrated ability to identify innovative solutions. You are an exceptional listener and communicator (verbal and written) with experience in leading strategy and program development and implementation.
If you have the above attributes and you have the experience and knowledge needed to consult, discuss and recommend a broad range of diversity strategies to address equity issues, we invite you to consider this opportunity.
The Government of Nova Scotia has adopted the LEADS Leadership Framework. During the interview, candidates will be expected to express how they have demonstrated the key behaviours and capabilities required to effectively lead in a caring and inclusive environment. LEADS Domains includes Leads Self, Engage Others, Achieve Results, Develop Coalitions and Systems Transformation.
Please follow LEADS (novascotia.ca) for more information.
We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.
Equivalency
Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.
Benefits
The Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.
Working Conditions
May be required to travel quarterly to field locations.
What We Offer
- Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
- Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
- Countless career paths
- A Dynamic, client-focused office environment where service excellence and teamwork are our focus.
Pay Grade: EC 15
Salary Range: $4,907.59 - $6,134.46 Bi-Weekly
Employment Equity Statement:
Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.
Current government employees may access this posting through the link below:
PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.
Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.