Director of Mental Health

Sun Life • Montreal, QC

2d • CA$110,000 - CA$180,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

At Sun Life, we passionately champion the mental health of our clients through expertise, innovation, access to care, and our relentless pursuit of a better client experience. Our objective is to improve mental, physical and financial health outcomes for plan members, plan sponsors and Sun Life at every stage along the health continuum.
As Director, Mental Health, and Registered Clinician, you will position Sun Life as a trusted collaborator and influencer (educator) in Psychology and mental health, in client and health care settings, by:
helping plan sponsors to develop/educate and implement business cases for better mental health care investment, positively impacting our plan sponsor clients’ organizational health;
creating partnerships within the medical and public health community on how to work collaboratively and effectively with the insurance industry as a major funder of mental health care; and
to provide expert consultation on product designs and partnerships, both new and established, with the aim of improving care access and effectiveness.
Reporting to the AVP, Communications & Enablement, your Areas of Accountability include:
Research, Market Development & Thought Leadership
Be aware of and understand factors that complicate treatment and add difficulties to plan members and plan sponsors and understand the contextual and possible systemic challenges these complications and difficulties present to the prevention, management and treatment of mental health conditions, whether clinical, organizational, financial, client relations, legal, etc., and identify solutions for plan members, plan sponsors and Sun Life.
Drive thought leadership for all aspects of mental health (prevention, management and treatment), leveraging clinical knowledge and applying evidence and leading research to inform and influence Sun Life leadership and its strategy on mental health.
Conduct compelling presentations at industry conferences and client engagements, while concurrently supporting the development of comprehensive educational resources, including multimedia content and instructional toolkits, to empower plan sponsors, advisors, and plan members in comprehending and effectively addressing mental health considerations within the workplace and their respective group benefits plans
Drive thought leadership at both a national and a regional level, with an awareness of how the mental health care system varies by region. This will enable us to effectively understand regional differences in what is available publicly and privately, influence thinking and action in each region within the medical and psychological community, as well as what is offered privately to close the gaps in assessment, management and treatment of mental health in both client and healthcare settings.
Lead and/or consult on research initiatives focused on mental health, leveraging clinical expertise and evidence-based practices to inform organizational strategy, drive thought leadership, and identify solutions for plan members, plan sponsors, and Sun Life. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to understand systemic challenges, apply leading research, and influence the development of innovative approaches to prevention, management, and treatment of mental health conditions.
Practice and Product Development in Mental Health
Using a consultative approach, provide direction and subject matter expertise to those responsible for disability management and mental health initiatives within Group Benefits product development, Canadian Operations and Group Disability; and in how Sun Life presents itself as a provider in this space. This will include activities such as product development, case management practice, training and curriculum development, and the design of pilot projects and research initiatives that focus on improving the prevention, management and treatment of mental health.
Leverage mental health subject matter expertise for Organizational Health Consultants both strategically in setting practice, and in response to engagement requests from OHC Consultants. Support consultants in preparing to engage with their clients on mental health related issues and provide mental health education; will include direct engagement with clients in conjunction with OHC Consultants, where required.
Support other business units within Sun Life as relevant to develop a psychologically healthy and safe work environment across the organization.

Requirements

• Able to deliver innovative solutions, leveraging data and technology
• Understands the group insurance business and the role of workplace mental health programs
• Strategic thinker who is comfortable working in a complex environment
• Builds effective relationships with a professional demeanour, engaging and influencing others from the front-line staff to an executive level
• Drives for results, optimizes work processes and executes with excellence
• Possesses self-insight and demonstrates resilience and adaptability
• Ability to understand and explain new concepts to successfully transfer knowledge, promote implementation of new skills in the learner, and to adjust coaching based on the learner’s experience and responsiveness to training
• Able to effectively communicate subject-specific information in an accessible manner to staff, individually and in group training and public speaking, and effectively train and coach
• Able to independently use Microsoft Office applications
• Fully registered member in good standing with his/her provincial psychology regulator without restriction; and a member of the Canadian Psychological Association; with strong connections within their provincial/territorial psychological community
• Minimum 7 years' experience in Clinical, Health, and/or Rehabilitation Psychology, which may include: independent private practice, EFAP, insurance, consulting, public health, and others
• As an ongoing requirement of this role, maintains a part-time clinical practice and engages in ongoing continuing professional education that is in keeping with provincial/territorial regulatory requirements for active licensure as a practicing psychologist
• Working knowledge of workplace mental health (e.g., disability management, EFAP, etc.); with experience in a disability case management environment an asset
• Strong knowledge of mental health including symptomatology, psychological assessment, case formulation, treatment planning, diagnoses, and impact to functionality
• Knowledge and experience in current and cutting-edge evidenced-based psychological treatments
• Advanced skill in coaching and with demonstrated collaboration with fellow stakeholders including business and interdisciplinary health teams
• Bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for the frequent interactions with English and French-speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada and worldwide.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of psychopharmacology an asset

Responsibilities

• Help plan sponsors to develop/educate and implement business cases for better mental health care investment, positively impacting our plan sponsor clients’ organizational health.
• Create partnerships within the medical and public health community on how to work collaboratively and effectively with the insurance industry as a major funder of mental health care.
• Provide expert consultation on product designs and partnerships, both new and established, with the aim of improving care access and effectiveness.
• Be aware of and understand factors that complicate treatment and add difficulties to plan members and plan sponsors and understand the contextual and possible systemic challenges these complications and difficulties present to the prevention, management and treatment of mental health conditions, whether clinical, organizational, financial, client relations, legal, etc., and identify solutions for plan members, plan sponsors and Sun Life.
• Drive thought leadership for all aspects of mental health (prevention, management and treatment), leveraging clinical knowledge and applying evidence and leading research to inform and influence Sun Life leadership and its strategy on mental health.
• Conduct compelling presentations at industry conferences and client engagements, while concurrently supporting the development of comprehensive educational resources, including multimedia content and instructional toolkits, to empower plan sponsors, advisors, and plan members in comprehending and effectively addressing mental health considerations within the workplace and their respective group benefits plans.
• Drive thought leadership at both a national and a regional level, with an awareness of how the mental health care system varies by region.
• Lead and/or consult on research initiatives focused on mental health, leveraging clinical expertise and evidence-based practices to inform organizational strategy, drive thought leadership, and identify solutions for plan members, plan sponsors, and Sun Life.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to understand systemic challenges, apply leading research, and influence the development of innovative approaches to prevention, management, and treatment of mental health conditions.
• Provide direction and subject matter expertise to those responsible for disability management and mental health initiatives within Group Benefits product development, Canadian Operations and Group Disability; and in how Sun Life presents itself as a provider in this space.
• Leverage mental health subject matter expertise for Organizational Health Consultants both strategically in setting practice, and in response to engagement requests from OHC Consultants.
• Support consultants in preparing to engage with their clients on mental health related issues and provide mental health education; will include direct engagement with clients in conjunction with OHC Consultants, where required.
• Support other business units within Sun Life as relevant to develop a psychologically healthy and safe work environment across the organization.

Benefits

• Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family.
• Charitable giving through our You Give, We Give program lets you give back to your community – and in many cases, we’ll match your contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director