Commander, Paramedic Services

theregio03•Wilmot, ON

11d•CA$123,065 - CA$153,836•Onsite

About The Position

Join a forward-looking Paramedic Service where leadership truly matters. As a Commander, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping frontline excellence, supporting highly skilled teams, and driving innovative, patient-centered care across the community. This is more than an operational leadership role—it’s an opportunity to influence system performance, strengthen partnerships, and champion the well-being, development, and safety of paramedics. You’ll work alongside a collaborative and progressive leadership team that values accountability, continuous improvement, and bold thinking. If you’re ready to lead with purpose, inspire performance, and make a meaningful impact every day, we invite you to bring your expertise and vision to a service committed to excellence. About Us!The Region of Waterloo is a thriving, diverse community committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations. Waterloo Region is part of the Dish with One Spoon wampum, a treaty guiding our commitment to: Taking only what we need Leaving some for others Keeping the dish clean This agreement underpins our vision, mission, and core value, and reinforces our dedication to meaningful reconciliation and equity.Waterloo Region is home to over 674,000 residents and expected to grow to nearly one million by 2051. Guided by our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, “Growing with Care,” we prioritize homes for all, climate aligned growth, equitable services and opportunities and a resilient and future ready organization. Our mission is to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all residents, while our core value emphasizes caring for people and the land we share. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community. The RoleManages the delivery of paramedic services, including 911 emergency response and community paramedicine program operations in a 24/7 environment, ensuring effective service that meets established guidelines, standards, legislation, and regulations.

Requirements

Must have and maintain certification as a primary or advanced care paramedic.
Knowledge and skills are normally acquired through a degree/diploma or leadership courses, plus significant, progressively responsible supervisory experience in a unionized paramedic services environment.
Knowledge of emergency medical service operations and planning, field supervision, ambulance regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
Knowledge of integrated health care system initiatives, practices, and concepts, including wraparound services to support individuals and communities with diverse needs.
Must have/maintain appropriate occupational health and safety certification to co-lead the health and safety committee (can be attained post-hire within a reasonable amount of time determined by the employer).
Experience in labour relations, including participating in union/management meetings, grievances, and interpretation and administration of collective agreements.
Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, collective agreements, and legislation (e.g., Ambulance Act and its Regulations and Standards, health and safety).
Professional judgement and decision-making skills to make sound, defensible decisions in response to employee and operational issues and for coordinating resources in response to major incidents.
Organizational, analytical, continuous improvement, and problem-solving skills to plan and develop objectives; coordinate the work of staff to meet program and service objectives; develop deployment plans; resolve operational issues; and analyze and review performance data.
Leadership skills to manage, train, develop, motivate, and support staff.
Human relations, communication, and mediation skills to communicate clearly with staff, management, and partners; respond to questions and brief senior management and committees/ council on key operational issues and performance.
Ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external partners, including unions, base hospital, community agencies, system partners, and ministry staff.
Ability to handle situations of conflict calmly, professionally, and respectfully.
Ability to participate as an effective team member.
Ability to write performance evaluations, standard operating procedures, reports, and correspondence. Ability to read and interpret applicable acts and legislation, technical journals, periodicals, communications, policies and procedures, program reports/data, and collective agreements.
Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office, a time and attendance system, Ministry locator, and GPS.
Ability to travel within and outside Waterloo Region.
Ability to work rotating shifts including weekends and statutory holidays unless otherwise assigned.
Must have a valid Class F driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and all other Primary or Advanced Care Paramedic requirements per the Ambulance Act.
Ability to participate in an official standby/on-call rotation to respond to legislated or time sensitive demands beyond regularly scheduled work hours.
Must provide an acceptable vulnerable sector police check.
Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

Responsibilities

Supervises superintendents (directly) and paramedics (indirectly), which includes up to 80 on-duty paramedics per shift. Ensures staff compliance with regulations, standards, legislation, and collective agreements.
Manages the planning, development, and implementation of day-to-day operations to meet service objectives and strategies. Manages to ensure operational readiness of staff, vehicles, and resources. Ensures the Section’s policies, procedures, and objectives are uniformly understood and properly interpreted, implemented, and administered by supervisory staff.
Monitors operational performance. Analyses data, identifies issues, and develops and implements changes. Contributes to summary reports to support quality data/metrics.
Addresses recurring issues impacting operations. Works with divisional program areas and corporate partners (e.g., fleet and facilities management, HR, ITS) to develop and implement solutions.
Acts as senior lead in the incident management system (IMS) for major incidents and disasters. Obtains incident briefings, organizes IMS system, establishes command site, coordinates with other agencies, makes decisions, and ensures tactical deployment of paramedic resources, including assigning supervisors as site officer in command.
Represents the Division in labour relations issues, including grievance meetings and discipline. Assists in negotiations for collective agreements and grievance settlements.
Participates in investigations related to field operations, in conjunction with supervisors and professional standards teams (e.g., vehicle accidents, unusual occurrences, complaints).
Manages compliance with health, safety, and wellness protocols and systems, including referrals to critical incident stress debriefing, professional counselling, follow-up, and internal programs. Ensures supervisors monitor compliance with mandated health and safety standards. Ensures Designated Officer follows up regarding exposure to blood/body fluids/infectious disease contacts. Represents the Division in response to health and safety issues and investigations.
Ensures compliance with documentation and recordkeeping practices. Monitors to ensure supervisory audits of patient care information and incident reports. Works with supervisors and the professional standards team to address issues related to quality and accuracy of documentation.
Maintains critical and cooperative linkages with staff in the Division, Ministry, hospitals, community and emergency agencies, corporate and departmental partners to effectively deal with human and operational issues (e.g., offload delays).
Participates in the design, development, implementation, and delivery of HR-related programs (e.g., hiring, discipline, health and safety, wellness, incident reports). Participates in the development and implementation of an emergency contingency plan and implements when necessary.
Participates on committees and working groups to develop projects, programs, and events. Collaborates with internal and external partners to implement projects and plans.
Responds to questions and complaints from the public and media as appropriate. Addresses issues escalated from staff, including paramedics.
Provides input into budget and program planning activities by recommending resourcing needs and changes to deployment plans to improve/meet service standards and for cost effectiveness. Has signing authority and a P-card.
Backs up some of the duties of the Deputy Chief in that incumbent’s absence.
Performs related duties as required.
Assists with labour negotiations/strike contingency as needed
Liaises between Employee Relations (HR) and the Division
Manages labour relations and health and safety for respective assignment
Oversight to Superintendents of Operations
Member of the CACC advisory committee
Member/alternate on care-related programs (e.g., ED/PSV Liaison Committee, STEMI/Stroke
Lead site coordinator for major incidents during MCI/disaster incidents
Leads divisional emergency management (e.g., business continuity planning, disaster planning), with assistance from Emergency Management Office
Leads/participates in developing system optimization for all programs
Manages daily operations
Co-manages patient safety strategy
Manages special events and paid attendance contract planning
Participate in a 24 hour / 7 day on-call rotation with the other management team members
Oversight to Superintendents of Community Programs
KW4
Cambridge/North Dumfries
Quality Palliative Care Collaborative
OHT-CMAT
Knowledge Exchange Committee
Lead divisional emergency management (e.g., business continuity planning, disaster planning) with assistance from Emergency Management Office
Leads/participates in developing system optimization for the programs