SWITCH BC is a collaborative organization that influences, invests in, and supports provincewide activities to improve occupational health and safety.

Our organizational model, unique in Canada, brings together health employers, unions, physicians, the Ministry of Health, and WorkSafeBC on SWITCH BCs Board of Directors making consensus, strategic decisions.

Our purpose is:

• To promote safe and healthy workplaces throughout British Columbias healthcare sector; and;

• To collaborate with unions, employers, and Doctors of BC to develop and pursue a provincial framework, systems and programs aimed at improving the health, safety, and wellbeing of B.C.s health care workers.

SWITCH BC is an inclusive organization, focused on advancing Indigenous cultural safety, anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our policies and practices. We are helping create an environment that addresses systemic barriers, biases, and inequities that exist for First Nations, Inuit, and Mtis peoples, racialized individuals, individuals with disabilities and complex health conditions, immigrants, 2SLGBTQQIA+, and other underrepresented groups.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Director, Operations, the Manager, Psychological Health and Safety (PHS) leads the operational implementation of strategic psychological health and safety initiatives and promotes the adaption of Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Standards for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems across B.C.s healthcare system. This includes overseeing and providing strategic and technical leadership for psychological health and safety programming, projects, pilots, and initiatives.

The Manager collaborates with a variety of internal and external partners including Board members employers, unions, Doctors of BC, WorkSafeBC, and Ministry of Health representatives to foster psychologically healthy and safe cultures, establish supports and solutions that prevent harm, and improve the wellbeing of health care workers in B.C. This position oversees PHS system supports, including leading the Provincial PHS Community of Practice and building a sustainable resource program for Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees (JOHSC) grounded in data and in evidence informed practices. The Manager establishes evaluation, and measurement tools and develops strategies to monitor and improve implemented supports and solutions in alignment with the PHS measurement and evaluation framework.

The Manager works collaboratively with diverse community and system partners and inspires others through excellence in facilitation, communication, and creation of a just, safe culture in which individuals can thrive. The Manager provides leadership, guidance, and support to program and project teams and works with internal and external partners to envision and achieve positive change and facilitate consensus.

The Manager participates in, through membership, chairing and/or facilitating a variety of committees and communities of practice to enable the advancement of psychological health and safety initiatives and strategies in the B.C. healthcare sector. They provide strategic guidance and subject matter expertise relative to psychological health and safety programming and education to ensure an integrated approach and intentional culture shift.

Key Responsibilities

1. Works with leaders and partners using proven and emerging practices in psychological health and safety and occupational health and safety to establish strategies and lead programs and projects in alignment with SWITCH BC priorities. Identifies critical barriers/issues requiring senior leadership input and/or support and provides recommendations for addressing and resolving barriers. Provides expertise on risk identification and assessment, investigations, response, work design, and strength promotion.
2. Serves as a consultant, coach, and support for partners in the areas of psychological health and safety and safety culture; keeps current of healthcare industry standards, best practices, emerging practices, and current evidence for occupational health and safety; and scans for best practice in industries beyond healthcare to cultivate integration of learning.
3. Maintains a strong working knowledge of applicable and intersecting legislation, regulation, collective agreements, and workplace standards within the B.C. and Canadian context.
4. Manages a team of up to five staff by setting work plan priorities, establishing and monitoring performance, and managing workload to meet operational requirements.
5. Develops and recommends a budget for the assigned areas, monitoring expenditures; completing variance analysis; and reporting, recommending, and implementing remedial action. Prepares funding and strategic resource proposals to support current and emerging work within the context of operational demands, environment, and resource constraints.
6. Leads the delivery of psychological health and safety programming and projects, including the Provincial PHS Community of Practice, PHS Measurement and Evaluation Framework, and PHS JOHSC resources with a commitment to continuous improvement and sustainability. Performs needs assessments, environmental scans, and conducts research to identify viable projects, pilots, and initiatives and presents recommendations to leadership. Prepares business cases, proposals for knowledge creation and pilots, as well as briefing notes and discussion papers for consideration. Prepares and facilitates presentations and workshops, in person and virtually.
7. Provides leadership and direction to project teams and works collaboratively with partners on all phases of project management and program development, including facilitating consensus as needed.
8. Takes a leadership role in contract negotiations and relationship management. Responsible for managing contracts with vendors directly associated with the assigned programs and projects. Establishes evaluation and feedback mechanisms to ensure strong contract management and vendor relationships.
9. Supports, encourages, and establishes ongoing opportunities to partner with other health and safety organizations, community agencies, and service providers. Represents SWITCH BC as an active participant in cross-jurisdictional and provincial forums to facilitate collaboration and informs future directions.
10. Fosters a safe, just work culture, encouraging and welcoming open identification of issues, non-violent dialogue, and practices for cultural safety and inclusion.
11. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education, Training, and Experience

A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a masters degree in a health-related field, including but not limited to, Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Psychology, Occupational Health and Safety, Organizational Development, Leadership, Adult Learning, Health Care Administration, or research-related field and seven (7) years recent related experience as a health and safety professional leading people and psychological health and safety initiatives/projects, ideally within the healthcare system.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to lead strategic planning, development, implementation, and evaluation efforts in complex adaptive systems, preferably with a focus on psychological health and safety and occupational health and safety in healthcare settings.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex and time sensitive projects and initiatives with diverse organizations, groups, and individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and consult with individuals and teams across organizational and system structures, identifying needs, and designing and delivering solutions to meet goals and objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to assess, design, implement, and evaluate measurement strategies and tools related to building a sustainable psychological health and safety management system (PHSMS).
• Demonstrated ability to assess feasibility and rapidly review/adjust plans to meet volatile, uncertain, and complex sector contexts, while maintaining high quality, trusting relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to manage conflict, delivering outcomes, and forward momentum through dialogue strategies, consensus, and action plans.
• Experience leading medium to large interdisciplinary teams, including committees or other large groups of diverse participants through inclusive, equitable, and safety promoting means.
• Excellent interpersonal and oral/written communication skills, including the ability to write and edit high quality business documents.
• Excellent presentation, facilitation, interviewing, and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated competencies in relational practices as well as personal commitment to equity, diversity, inclusivity, and cultural safety and humility.
• Expert-level knowledge of the Standards, principles, practices, and techniques pertaining to psychological health and safety.
• Ability to perform the duties of the role, including working remotely and maintaining a secure and private environment.
• Ability to travel occasionally for work.

Compensation and Benefits

In joining SWITCH BC, we are pleased to offer you a rewarding career. In recognition of your skills and experiences, and in alignment with our core values of building safe and healthy work environments, we are pleased to offer comprehensive benefits which includes, but is not limited to:

• Competitive salary
• Generous extended health benefits with no waiting period, long-term disability benefits, and Municipal Pension Plan
• Paid vacation (20 days per year - prorated in first year) and sick leave allowances
• Flexible work arrangements
• Professional development and membership opportunities
• SWITCH BC IT equipment is provided
• 100% remote with occasional company paid travel for in person meetings or events.

As a key organization within the BC healthcare sector, we also encourage current health sector employees to ask about pension and benefits portability options, which may also be available. SWITCH BCis committed to being an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce.

We recognize that there are a variety of experiences that contribute to the overall qualifications for each role. If you feel that you could excel in this position, but do not necessarily meet the formal requirements, we still encourage you to apply.

We wish to thank all applications for their interest and effort in applying; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Job Type:Regular Full-Time (37.5 hours per week)

Salary Range:$102,938 - $128,673(Range 9) per year depending on experience

Typical Hiring Range:$102,938 - $122,239 per year depending on experience

The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidates relevant education and experience and internal equity and would be aligned with SWITCH BCs compensation framework.

Please note that this is a remote worker position (must reside in BC) and only candidates who live in BC will be interviewed.Occasional travel for in-person events and meetings is required.

Closing Date: January 27, 2025 at 4:00 PM PST