Director, Service Delivery (Hiring Pool)

About Us

At the Department of Community Services (DCS), we are a large and diverse department providing a broad portfolio of programs and services including Child and Family Wellbeing (CFW), Employment Support Services (ESS), Income Assistance (IA), Homelessness and Supportive Housing, and Disability Support Program (DSP).

Through our services, we advocate and help vulnerable Nova Scotians be independent, self-reliant, and secure.  We work collaboratively across the province with a strong dedicated network of supports and staff, to achieve desired and shared outcomes for all.

About Our Opportunity

This Hiring Pool will be used to fill Permanent and Term opportunities over the next several months, in the the various regions across the province including Northern, Central, Eastern, and Western regions.  For a list of office locations by region, please click here.

At DCS, we are hiring collaborative Directors for our Service Delivery Division. Are you passionate about people? Do you desire to inspire change and lead enhancements in the delivery of social services provided to the citizens of Nova Scotia?

The Director, Service Delivery provides senior-level leadership to many aspects of the strategic agenda of the Department.  You are accountable for the delivery of social programs that provide support to Nova Scotians and provide vision and strategic direction to defined service delivery teams across the province. You will lead the implementation of programs and services, in all service offerings of the Department, and ensure adherence of service delivery under multiple Acts, regulations, policies and procedures, and within the terms of collective agreements.

Directors in all divisions are accountable for providing vision and strategic direction through leadership and management of their specific area of responsibility.

Primary Accountabilities

As the Director, Service Delivery, you will ensure quality client centered service by providing leadership to the staff responsible for serving the broad range of clients served by DCS programs. You will create environments for the managers, supervisors and staff reporting to you that will enable them to do their best work and to achieve departmental client and system outcomes.

Overall, you will be accountable for the implementation and delivery of social programs that provide support to Nova Scotians, and provide vision and strategic direction to service delivery of all core social program areas of the Department. Current programs and services include Child Protection (Intake, Temporary and Long Term Care), Foster, Adoption, Regional Resources, Access & Transportation, Child-Caring Facilities, Provincial After Hours Response, Employment Support, Income Assistance, Eligibility Review, Consolidated Client Services, and Disability Support Program services.

You will provide executive leadership that ensures provincial consistency and effectiveness of services, oversee multiple program and human resource functions with a large and diverse staff, hold operational accountability for significant budget decisions, and have responsibility for the overall implementation, integration and delivery of the Department’s existing and newly created programs and services throughout your designated geographic or defined service delivery region of the Province.  We count on your leadership abilities to ensure accountability and adherence of service delivery under multiple Acts, regulations, policies, and procedures, and within the terms of collective agreements; along with providing strategic direction to other divisions regarding legislative, program and policy development that is implementable and sustainable from an operational perspective.

Qualifications and Experience

You have completed post-secondary education in social sciences, public administration or other related fields and have several years of proven leadership experience in a senior managerial role, with a track record of driving strategic vision and achieving organizational goals.

As our next Director, you have led large teams of professionals across multiple locations and remotely. Using your expertise, you solve complex problems and demonstrate an ability to forge strong relationships of trust and collaboration across diverse groups and communities. You are committed to diversity and anti-racism in the workplace. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential as you will be in continual contact with other departments, community service delivery agencies and related organizations.

You have excellent people skills and can work in a highly collaborative, human-centred environment where you can balance both the citizens and employees as priorities.  You understand the social programs delivered by the government and have demonstrated the ability to multi-task where stakes are high.  You are a solid team player who is not afraid to seek advice and guidance, and who can also make decisions with minimal direction as needed.  You are committed to service excellence and place a high value on ensuring that the people you lead come to work in an environment that is inclusive, and equitable and allows them to bring their best selves to work every day. The ability to enlist the enthusiastic involvement of staff in problem-solving and delivery of quality services to clients is essential to this position. Experience in the community sector, Employment Support and Income Assistance, Child and Family Wellbeing and/or Disability Support Programs would be considered an asset.

LEADS

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 behaviors and capabilities required to effectively lead in a caring and inclusive environment. LEADS Domains include Leads Self, Engage Others, Achieve Results, Develop Coalitions, and Systems Transformation.

Please follow LEADS for more information.

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

We recognize equivalent combinations of training, education, and experience, providing opportunities for individuals with diverse backgrounds to contribute their skills and expertise. Equivalencies include, but are not limited to:

• Progressive leadership experience in the social services sector.

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, 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 position involves office work and extensive driving/travel to offices in your regional geographic area and throughout the province. Flexibility is required given the demands of this role which may require working outside regular business hours.

Additional Information

A valid driver’s license is required, and you must be able to travel to various work site locations throughout the province.

Please identify your preferred region in your application. Your worksite location, within the region, will be negotiated at the offer stage. For a list of office locations by region, please click here.

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 path.