Regional Director, Public Health Surveillance Unit

Vancouver Coastal Health • Vancouver, BC

13d • CA$61 - CA$87

About The Position

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is seeking a Regional Director, Public Health Surveillance Unit (PHSU) to join their team. The Regional Director is accountable to the Vice President (Public Health) and Chief Medical Health Officer for all matters relating to the operations of the PHSU, with direct reporting to the Executive Director, Population Health. The PHSU serves as a source of health intelligence knowledge and capacity to support regional, HSDA, and LHA public health practitioners. The role involves overseeing the development, implementation, and evaluation of the PHSU’s core functions: health assessment, disease surveillance, epidemiological investigations, and knowledge transfer. As a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Health Officer’s senior leadership team, the Regional Director provides expertise, guidance, and decision-making in these areas. In collaboration with Medical Health Officers and other program Directors, the Regional Director works to establish best practices for monitoring disease trends and health indicators to implement effective prevention strategies for Vancouver Coastal Health communities. The role also provides epidemiological guidance for public health investigations and is an integral part of the regional outbreak management team for communicable disease outbreaks. Key internal partnerships include VCH Medical Health Officers, Public Health Nurses, Environmental Health Officers, Infection Control Practitioners, Population Health, Emergency Management, Health Planners, Population Continuums, and Decision Support Services. External partnerships include colleagues at other health authorities, municipal and NGO organizations, provincial, federal, and international agencies, and academic institutions.

Requirements

• Current PhD in Epidemiology or related discipline.
• Advanced knowledge of a range of statistical and analytical epidemiological methods
• Proven experience in the analysis, interpretation and application of a variety of health data
• Maintains current knowledge of new developments, trends and research in public health surveillance and recommends best practices accordingly.
• Identifies new disease control issues and initiates projects to evaluate and control diseases of public health interest.
• Applies superior communication skills to collaborate and influence internal and external stakeholders, providing advice, guidance and education and ensuring compliance with standards, criteria and regulations.
• Demonstrates effective leadership skills and inspires a shared vision for the strategic development of health assessment and disease surveillance as a core public health function
• Fosters collaborative and effective working relationships that promote cooperative goal achievement and contribute to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
• Facilitates and negotiates for consensus and effective resolution of public health issues.
• A high level of tact and diplomacy is required and an ability to understand other cultures to enable effective working across organisational boundaries and influencing without authority
• Familiar with performance monitoring and reporting for core public health functions
• Uses a variety of software applications at an advanced level to develop databases, conduct analyses, prepare presentations and reports.
• Develop and implement an effective workforce plan in context of operational demands and environmental constraints.
• Provides knowledgeable input into the planning and development of the budget and monitors expenditures and makes recommendations for corrective remedial action as required.
• Ability to secure external funds for specific projects and collaborative work.

Nice To Haves

• At least five years of recent professional experience in applied public health practice in the areas of health assessment, disease surveillance, outbreak investigations and knowledge transfer activities within a large community-based healthcare organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead, direct and provide expertise in the development, implementation, sustainability and evaluation of regional surveillance activities for communicable and non-communicable diseases
• Recommend development, implementation and utilization of information and intelligence systems to underpin public health priorities and action across the region, leading to evidence based policy making
• Provide specialist expertise and advice on the interpretation of complex epidemiological and statistical information about the health of populations relevant to the prevention efforts of the health authority and key stakeholders
• Initiate and collaborate across a range of projects and programs that support public health practice in the health authority and linking with professional groups as required
• Provide leadership and guidance in outbreak response as an integral part of the regional outbreak management team.
• Act in an expert advisory capacity on epidemiological methods, standards and practice, across the spectrum of public health at regional, provincial, national, or international level.
• Provide guidance on data and information required to support health assessments and the production of the CMHO’s Annual Report
• Establish close working relations between the Unit and provincial/national/international bodies responsible for surveillance, as well as relevant organizations, networks and experts on areas of work related to the Unit’s mandate and the Office of the Chief Medical Health Officer.
• Contribute to the development of capacity and capability in public health through mentorship, teaching and training.
• Responsible for the supervision, line management, and career development of regional epidemiologists, public health information analysts, federally funded trainees, practicum students and administrative staff.
• Designated authorized signatory and budget holder for the PHSU cost center with accountability for planning, monitoring and managing annual budget.
• All other duties as required.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health, and dental and municipal pension plan.
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities.
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families.
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers.
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree