Health Equity Advisor (Designated)

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

As the successful candidate, you have a Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field, business, or government related field. You also have several years of progressive project management and senior program-level related experience.

An equivalent combination of related training and experience may be considered.

The candidate must possess and have experience around equity, diversity, and inclusion and how it will shape and inform a more equitable health system for underserved and underrepresented Nova Scotians.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:
 

• 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 to learn other possible software and IT programs/systems

Leadership competencies required at this level of work are: Partnering & Relationship Building, Effective Interactive Communication; Strategic Orientation; Team Leadership; Decisiveness; Change Leadership; Self- Awareness & Personal Impact; Intercultural Diversity Proficiency.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, 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

Primarily office environment, engaging with a variety of internal and external audiences, may include in-person meetings with a group of people that are in close contact or virtual meetings online for an extended period, when working out of office, typically requires travelling.

Work activities are performed in an environment with occasional exposure to one or more mental pressures.

Occasional in-province travel may be required. 
 

Additional Information

This is a TERM employment opportunity with an anticipated end date of February 6, 2026. The appointment status (‘term’, ‘temporary’ or ‘casual’) is dependent on the start date of the successful candidate.
 

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.