Health Compliance Officer

Government of Alberta•Red Deer, AB

2d•CA$96,860 - CA$123,372•Onsite

About The Position

The Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services leads housing, assisted living and continuing care, seniors, income, employment and homelessness supports, disability services, and other social-based programs. The Continuing Care Division supports the delivery of high-quality continuing care services across Alberta by providing strategic leadership, oversight, and evidence-informed policy and operational support. The Continuing Care Homes Compliance Unit is seeking a dedicated and highly skilled Health Compliance Officer (HCO) to join a dynamic regulatory team responsible for ensuring continuing care homes across Alberta deliver safe, high-quality care in accordance with provincial legislation and standards. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on Alberta's continuing care system through independent regulatory oversight, evidence-based decision-making, and collaborative engagement with operators and stakeholders across the province.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in nursing, social work and gerontology, or related field, plus a minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible experience.
Must be a regulated member of the appropriate college if required by the Health Professions Act.
Directly related experience in continuing care, home and community care, case management, healthcare regulation, quality assurance, compliance, inspections, investigations, or a related field.
Experience interpreting and applying legislation, regulations, standards, policies, and compliance frameworks.
Strong knowledge of Alberta's continuing care system, relevant standards, and regulatory requirements.
Experience assessing complex clinical, operational, and service delivery issues and making evidence-based decisions.
Experience preparing detailed reports, documenting findings, and communicating recommendations to diverse stakeholders.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain legislative and regulatory requirements clearly and effectively.
Ability to build productive relationships with service providers, healthcare professionals, clients, families, and government partners.
Valid class 5 drivers license and a reliable vehicle is required.

Nice To Haves

Diploma related to the position assignment and six (6) years of related experience.
Master’s degree related to the position assignment and three (3) years of related experience.
Advanced degree, graduate certificate, or professional certification in Gerontology, Social Work, Public Health, Health Administration, Healthcare Quality, Regulatory Practice, or a related discipline.
Completion of the Foundations of Administrative Justice program or related administrative law training.
National Certified Investigator and Inspector (NCII) designation or equivalent investigative/compliance certification.
Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC).
In-depth knowledge of Alberta's healthcare delivery system, particularly as it relates to continuing care, home and community care, and supportive living environments.
Experience conducting complaint investigations, inspections, audits, regulatory reviews, or compliance assessments.
Experience working in environments requiring complaint resolution, procedural fairness, administrative fairness, and natural justice principles.
Experience contributing to policy, standards, regulatory guidance, or quality improvement initiatives.
Knowledge of administrative law, regulatory enforcement processes, and evidence-based decision-making practices.
Clinical experience within healthcare, continuing care, home and community care, or related service delivery environments.
Experience in compliance monitoring, regulatory oversight, investigations, inspections, audits, quality assurance, licensing, accreditation, or enforcement activities within healthcare or continuing care settings.
Strong knowledge of the Health Information Act (HIA), Protection for Persons in Care Act (PPCA), Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) standards, and other relevant healthcare legislation.
Experience developing and delivering educational programs, workshops, training sessions, or stakeholder education initiatives.
Experience working collaboratively with service providers and stakeholders to improve compliance and quality outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to communicate complex regulatory information both verbally and in writing.

Responsibilities

Monitor and enforce compliance with the Continuing Care Act and Regulations, including Continuing Care Health Service Standards.
Conduct comprehensive onsite inspections of continuing care homes to assess legislative and regulatory compliance.
Evaluate care environments, review clinical and operational documentation, assess care plans, and examine service delivery practices.
Complete risk-based inspections to identify areas of non-compliance and potential risks to residents.
Investigate complaints received from residents, families, operators, staff, and other stakeholders.
Review and investigate Duty to Notify reports, including serious incidents, resident safety concerns, significant events, and operational disruptions.
Assess whether appropriate actions have been taken by operators to mitigate risks and address identified issues.
Prepare detailed, objective, and defensible inspection and investigation reports that support regulatory decision-making and corrective actions.
Recommend and support appropriate compliance and enforcement responses to address non-compliance.
Apply clinical knowledge and professional expertise to assess whether care delivery meets legislative, regulatory, and quality standards.
Evaluate areas such as resident care, service quality, infection prevention and control practices, risk management, and operational processes.
Act as a subject matter expert on the Continuing Care Act and Regulations, including Continuing Care Health Service Standards.
Provide regulatory interpretation and technical guidance to operators, stakeholders, and colleagues.
Contribute operational expertise and frontline inspection experience to inform policy development, standards implementation, inspection practices, and educational resources.
Participate in branch committees, working groups, and special projects related to regulatory oversight, quality improvement, and compliance monitoring.
Support complaint inspections and investigations by objectively assessing concerns, documenting findings, and determining compliance outcomes.
Build and maintain effective relationships with continuing care operators to support understanding and compliance with legislative requirements.
Communicate inspection findings and regulatory expectations clearly and professionally.
Support the development and implementation of corrective action plans to address identified compliance concerns.
Engage with residents, families, healthcare professionals, government partners, and other stakeholders throughout the inspection process.
Promote a collaborative approach that balances regulatory oversight with education and quality improvement.
Contribute to consistent application of regulatory requirements across Alberta's continuing care sector.
Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and defensible records of inspections, investigations, findings, and compliance actions.
Prepare detailed inspection reports that support regulatory decisions and enforcement activities.
Ensure documentation aligns with branch operational policies, procedures, and inspection standards.
Identify emerging risks, trends, and compliance issues and reporting these to leadership.
Support the development and refinement of compliance monitoring tools, inspection protocols, and guidance materials.
Provide updates and recommendations to management regarding compliance activities and enforcement outcomes.
Stay current on legislative changes, regulatory requirements, industry trends, and best practices in compliance monitoring and continuing care.
Identify opportunities to enhance inspection processes, compliance monitoring activities, and regulatory effectiveness.
Evaluate the effectiveness of enforcement actions and recommend process improvements where appropriate.
Support the orientation, training, and development of new compliance officers and service providers.
Contribute to educational initiatives, training sessions, and resource development that promote regulatory compliance and quality care.