Executive Director Clinical Care

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.

DHW is responsible for setting standards, developing policies, funding, and regulatory oversight for health system planning and outcomes.  

About Our Opportunity

This is a senior leadership opportunity to shape how clinical care is delivered across Nova Scotia. As Executive Director Clinical Care, you will play a pivotal role in improving patient experiences, strengthening accountability, and ensuring public investments in healthcare deliver meaningful outcomes for Nova Scotians.

Reporting to the Senior Executive Director, System Integration, you will lead a diverse and high impact portfolio that includes hospital based clinical services and provincial programs. Working closely with executive leaders, system partners, and government decision makers, you will influence policy, guide complex system change, and help set the strategic direction for the province’s health system.

This role is ideal for a collaborative, systems level thinker who brings strong executive judgment, values evidence informed decision making, and is motivated by public service and population health outcomes.

Primary Accountabilities

As Executive Director, you will:

• Provide executive leadership to the Clinical Care division, setting clear direction, fostering a healthy and inclusive workplace, and building high performing teams.
• Lead the development and oversight of policy, strategy, and standards for hospital based clinical services and provincial programs, ensuring they are evidence based, sustainable, and aligned with health system priorities.
• Serve as the Department’s chief expert and strategic advisor on clinical care, providing advice and briefings to the Minister, Deputy Minister, and senior government officials.
• Guide major clinical capital initiatives, ensuring investments support quality care, patient safety, system integration, and long term value.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Nova Scotia Health, the IWK Health Centre, government partners, and external stakeholders to drive shared outcomes and continuous improvement.
• Strengthen accountability and performance management, establishing clear reporting, evaluation, and risk management practices to track outcomes, value, and return on investment.
• Oversee human and financial resources, ensuring responsible stewardship of public funds, transparent decision making, and alignment with government policies and priorities.
• Champion innovation and system improvement, anticipating emerging risks, trends, and opportunities within a complex and evolving healthcare environment.

Qualifications and Experience

You are a seasoned executive leader with a strong understanding of complex health systems and a passion for public service. You bring both strategic vision and practical experience leading large, multi stakeholder portfolios in high accountability environments.

Required Qualifications and Experience include:

• A university degree in a relevant field such as health administration, public administration, business, policy, or a related discipline; an equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.
• Significant senior leadership experience in healthcare, government, or another complex, regulated environment, with accountability for strategy, policy, and results.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams and creating inclusive, high performing workplaces that support collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.
• Proven expertise in clinical care and health system policy, with an ability to integrate clinical, operational, and financial perspectives.
• Experience providing strategic advice and briefing to senior executives, Ministers, Boards, or Cabinet level decision makers on complex and sensitive issues.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk management, performance measurement, and public accountability.
• Experience working in partnership with external stakeholders, including health authorities, government departments, and community or system partners.
• Understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion as it relates to health systems and public service delivery.

Assets

• Experience working within, or closely with, a provincial health system or large public sector organization.
• Knowledge of Nova Scotia’s healthcare landscape, including provincial programs and hospital based services.
• Experience leading or supporting major system transformation initiatives.
  
  

We will assess the above qualifications and experience using tools such as assessments, presentations, interviews, reference checks, etc.

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

This role operates in a dynamic, fast paced executive environment with a high degree of responsibility and visibility. The work is primarily office based, with regular engagement across government, the health system, and external partners. Occasional travel within Nova Scotia and flexibility in work hours may be required to support priorities, issues management, and decision making timelines.

While the role involves managing complex and high profile responsibilities, it also offers a meaningful opportunity to influence system level change, work collaboratively with senior leaders, and contribute directly to improved health outcomes for Nova Scotians.

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.