Area Chief Of Staff (Acos) - South East

Remuneration: Medical Leadership Pay Band 13

Position Summary

The Area Chief of Staff is a key leader in Saskatchewan health care, partnering with system leaders to achieve our province’s health care goals. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Integrated Rural Health, and working closely with Saskatchewan Health Authority and health system colleagues, the Area Chief of Staff is responsible for developing and executing strategy in support of the overall business plan and strategic direction of the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

The Area Chief of Staff provides strategic leadership by articulating gaps, needs and plans as part of the leadership team. The Area Chief of Staff must show leadership to ensure that there is an innovative and positive working climate and a client-centric culture and utilizes methodologies to improve effectiveness, quality and safety of health care delivery to ensure the Saskatchewan Health Authority can provide optimum healthcare for the residents of Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is the largest employer in Saskatchewan with a budget of over $4.6 billion, employing approximately 40,000 staff and is responsible for the delivery of health care to the province.

Operating in a complex and dynamic healthcare environment, the primary purpose of the Area Chief of Staff is to assist the Deputy Chief Medical Officer in providing leadership, management and direction to the practitioner staff of the Saskatchewan Health Authority within the South East area. The Area Chief of Staff will ensure the delivery of high-quality practitioner services as it pertains to the South East area, consistent with its strategic plan and mission.

The Area Chief of Staff shall be accountable to the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. The Area Chief of Staff functions in a dynamic, complex and highly demanding environment that requires constant scanning for issues and challenges and will experience multiple priorities and demands on limited resources.

The Area Chief of Staff is appointed to the Practitioner Staff of the Saskatchewan Health Authority and holds an academic appointment with the University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine.

Specific Accountabilities

In accordance with Section 8 of the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Practitioner Staff Bylaws, 2025, the responsibility of the Area Chief of Staff include, but are not limited to:

• Accountability for all practitioner-related matters, as well as all operational and strategic issues and decisions requiring practitioner input or leadership that arise within the Area.
• Ensuring clinical operational coordination across the Area, collaboration between Areas, and implementation of Saskatchewan Health Authority strategies as approval from time to time by the executive leadership teams.
• Advising on Practitioner Staff resource requirements within the Area and advise on other resource requirements.
• Advancing the provision of high quality and safe patient care within the Area.
• Performing all other duties assigned to them by the Practitioner Staff Bylaws and the Rules.
• Performing other duties as may be assigned by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer.
• Collaborating with other operational leaders.
• Oversight of the Area Departments/Divisions as related to operations, patient care and Practitioner Staff Bylaws and Rules related issues.
• The ACOS job description may be further outlined within the Rules.

In delivering on these accountabilities, the Area Chief of Staff will:

• Be a champion of patient and family centred care
• Ensure the organization is in compliance with all relevant legislation and other directives as outlined in the Saskatchewan Health Authority Governance Framework
• Ensure safety is embedded through the organization to develop a culture of safety and achieve zero harm
• Motivate and champion quality improvement through active engagement, coaching, measurement and accountability
• Build and champion the Saskatchewan Health Authority brand and reputation to build trust and confidence
• Demonstrate the highest level of leadership effectiveness consistent with the LEADS in a Caring Environment framework
• Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, contractual, and operational environment governing physician services, including physician compensation models, recruitment, retention, and workforce sustainability.
• Coach, mentor and develop others
• Commit to a diverse, culturally competent and culturally safe health system and representative workforce
• Motivate, inspire and empower Saskatchewan Health Authority practitioner staff to perform to their greatest potential
• Champion healthcare sustainability by encouraging innovation, best practice and collaboration. Work with others to enhance the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s reputation for excellence in care, research and education and promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Required

• Licensed medical practitioner in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.
• Eligibility for appointment with the Practitioner Staff of the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Assets

• Advanced education in healthcare administration, public administration and/or leadership studies.
• Participation in the Canadian Medical Association Physician Leadership Institute.
• Additional training and/or education in leadership and management.

Experience

• Experience, at a strategic level, as a medical leader who has developed and led innovative programs in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment
• Five (5) + years of healthcare leadership/management/administrative experience.
• Has knowledge of and experience in guiding health quality improvement processes and initiatives

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge of the healthcare system in Saskatchewan and across Canada
• Has demonstrated ability to coach and develop others
• Has demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Has demonstrated strong critical thinking, financial and analytical skills
• Exemplifies ethical practices, professionalism and personal integrity
• Promotes innovation, guides change and is committed to continuous improvement
• Has a proven ability to collaborate strategically with a wide variety of stakeholders to balance the needs and interests of these diverse groups within the corporate agenda
• Has a proven ability to build interprovincial/external relationships as well as strategic partnerships with government, physicians, unions, academic institutions, professional associations and other healthcare organizations
• Demonstrates a commitment to a diverse, culturally competent and culturally safe work environment and representative workforce
• Demonstrates and is recognized for strategic leadership that includes articulation of mission, vision and strategy and charts a path forward
• Mobilizes people, inspires and leads by example
• Is committed to patient and family centred care
• Is committed to quality, safety and continuous improvement striving towards zero harm

Additional Requirements

• Valid Saskatchewan Class 5 Driver's License
• Travel within the province of Saskatchewan is required