Director of Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness

Nova Scotia Health is the largest provider of health services in Nova Scotia, with some specialized services also offered to clients throughout Atlantic Canada. We’re on a mission to achieve excellence in health, healing, and learning through working together, which is reflected in the hospitals, health centres, and community-based programs we operate across the province. Our passionate team of professionals provides a variety of high-quality inpatient and outpatient services including academic, tertiary, and quaternary care, as well as continuing care, primary health care, public health, and mental health and addictions. Join a diverse team of innovators, collaborators, and creative thinkers today.

Nova Scotia Health employs professionals in all corners of our beautiful province. We believe there's a place here for everyone to call home, from vibrant cities with exuberant nightlife to quaint towns with picturesque trails. The work-life balance that comes with a Nova Scotia Health role means you'll have the time to explore, discover, and participate in that coveted Atlantic lifestyle. Visit us today and check out www.novascotia.com to see why more people from across the globe are moving here.

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the Senior Director People Services, the Director, Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness (OHSW) provides province-wide transformational and strategic leadership, subject matter expertise, guidance and oversight of OHSW programming to ensure organizational risk mitigation through regulatory and legislated compliance to provincial and federal standards.

The Director also provides province-wide strategic leadership, subject matter expertise, guidance and oversight to the organizations Occupational Health Infectious Disease Program inclusive of prevention, response and management of communicable disease and outbreaks to the remainder of Nova Scotia’s healthcare sector (Long Term, Continuing, Home, Primary and Residential Care).

Specific functional areas of responsibility include:

• Occupational health – pre-employment health assessment, infectious disease management, needle stick and bodily fluid exposure, and healthcare worker vaccination programming.
• Occupational safety - general safety hazard identification and response, fire prevention, occupational hygiene, chemical safety, and radiation safety.
• Injury prevention.
• Disability Management - Occupational (WCB) and non-occupational, including duty to accommodation and return to work programming.
• Attendance management program.
• Employee wellness - Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), trauma-informed care, compassion fatigue, and personal wellness.

The Director ensures continuous improvement to advance a vision of excellence within their areas of responsibility and is accountable for the development, maintenance, and monitoring of quality programs, and compliance with relevant legislation, standards, and accreditation requirements. The Director facilitates and champions a learning and research environment that aligns with the current and proposed future state of Nova Scotia Health, and works closely with education institutions, government, and other partners on the preparation of our healthy workforce.

About You

We would love to hear from you if you have the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in health, social science, business or public administration or related field.
• Master’s degree an asset.
• Registry with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professional an asset.
• Minimum of 5 to 7 years’ experience in progressive leadership positions involved in planning and delivering comprehensive occupational health safety and wellness services within a complex, integrated service model provided throughout several locations with multiple partners and stakeholders.
• Significant experience leading large teams, preferably within the health sector.
• Expertise in the development and management of programs related to occupational health, safety, and wellness.
• Experience as a strategic advisor and operational leader within a complex organization, with strong change management competency.
• Experience in engaging, mentoring, and empowering teams and stakeholders in a collaborative, participative manner to respond to the mission, vision, goals, and objectives of an organization.
• Knowledge of health care organizations and the health sector.
• Demonstrated competence building engagement among peers, business leaders, and union partners, to support new strategies.
• Ability to analyse and interpret statistical data, and monitor quality and performance indicators and benchmarks related to the workforce.
• Sound knowledge of information systems and financial management.

Please ensure your resume is up to date and includes all relevant education, experience, training, and certifications.

Hours

• Permanent Full-time position; 75 hours biweekly
• Position location will be dependent on the successful candidate
• Travel to various sites will be required

Compensation and Benefits

$56.95 - $71.19 Hourly

Successful candidates may be eligible for our benefits package which includes health, dental, travel, long-term disability, and life insurance coverage as well as a defined benefit pension plan.

Thank you for your interest in this position. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Nova Scotia Health is committed to being a workforce that is free of discrimination, values diversity, and is representative, at all job levels, of the people we serve. We encourage all qualified applicants who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotian, Persons of Colour, Foreign Nationals/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply and self-identify.