Health Emergency Management (HEM) Specialist, Health Authorities

Job Summary

In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of Provincial Health Services Authority, patient safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA, and as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

Reporting to a Director or Manager, Health Emergency Management BC (HEMBC), the Specialist provides advice and guidance to health authority leadership, management and staff on emergency management for an assigned geographic or program portfolio. The Specialist works closely with health authority leadership, advising on emergency management matters and leads operations during emergency events. The Specialist consults with a range of internal and external partners, including partners from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), local governments, Indigenous communities, and First Nations Health Authority to ensure appropriate integration of HEMBC planning activities with similar activities across the provincial healthcare system. The Specialist contributes to the development of the budget, and the strategic priorities for the assigned area of responsibility, as well as for the regional and provincial health emergency management portfolio. The Specialist develops, recommends, and implements integrated emergency management plans; leads site/sector emergency plans ensuring alignment with corporate and provincial plans and ensures alignment with established policies and procedures. Organizes exercise programs, education, training and responses to emergencies for the assigned area.

Duties/Accountabilities

• Provides advice and guidance to health authority leadership, ensuring that emergency management principles are central to decision-making and to minimize the impact of emergencies on the health system. Makes recommendations to HEMBC’s leadership team on ways to improve emergency management in the health system.
• Leads response during emergency events, including providing subject matter expertise and decision support to leadership. Manages and guides teams, including providing guidance, direction, and support for the purpose of limiting impacts of emergencies on health authority operations. Advises health authorities when to activate/deactivate Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs). Leads debrief and after-action review processes following emergency exercises and responses.
• Leads and/or project manages multi-stakeholder/cross sector projects specific to the development, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of emergency management plans, based on accreditation and international standards and best practices for the assigned geographic or program portfolio as a single point of contact for the assigned area; identifies and recommends activities and resources to support continuous improvement in emergency management.
• Works with health authority leadership within a specific health authority portfolio in addition to relevant external organizations, including local governments, government ministries, and non-governmental organizations (NGSs) to establish work plans and lead portfolio specific projects, within the parameters set by their leader and HEMBC’s Senior Leadership Team. Sets the direction of the work plans by performing

duties such as establishing a portfolio specific committee and negotiating consensus on the priorities and deliverables of the program. Negotiates with health authority leadership to determine goals, objectives, and deliverables,

• Works in collaboration with a variety of health authority programs to determine emergency management strategies; supports plan development, implementation and maintenance to ensure continuity, consistency and standardization of strategies across the region and province.
• Represents HEMBC and health authorities on committees with a wide variety of health sector and external partners, at the executive, regional, and local levels. Supports emergency management communication linkages across / between sites and programs, between health authorities, with the Ministry of Health, and with external (non-health) partners as the emergency management liaison.
• Leads planning efforts based on current, emerging, and urgent risks, to support mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
• Develops and provides emergency management education and training sessions through methods such as reviewing current plans and identifying gaps; revises current educational/training materials and develops new/changed processes to deliver training/educational materials; maintains and delivers an ongoing and regular plan for exercising and the testing of applicable health emergency plans to measure plan effectiveness and to identify mitigation, planning response and recovery needs to improve outcomes.
• Provides guidance, advice and support for emergency facilities and equipment, which may include guidelines, training, and testing, including guidance and support on how to design and maintain specialized equipment.
• Develops and maintains emergency management manuals and documentation. Produces written documentation, including briefing notes, presentations, and after-action reviews, and implements systems to organize and keep track of information, work requests or progress. Works with key stakeholders to develop integrated information and reporting systems to support health emergency management incident reporting.
• Assists with the development and management of the portfolio’s budget, to ensure expenditures fall within budgetary guidelines. Leads the development of project proposals, including developing and managing project budgets.
• Provides coaching and mentoring to staff on emergency management protocols, and supports growth through feedback, instruction and encouragement.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in emergency management, the social sciences, geography, business administration and/or a related field and five (5) years’ recent related experience in a large institutional or campus environment, including two (2) years’ experience managing business continuity and/or emergency management programs in a large complex multi-site environment.

Demonstrated knowledge of emergency management and business continuity issues in a healthcare setting.

Demonstrated knowledge of the standards, systems and response agencies related to emergency management.

Knowledge of, and ability to support the use of complex communication systems during a disaster.

Excellent interpersonal and negotiations skills including the ability to present to a wide range of individuals, groups and stakeholders.

Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. Ability to develop and deliver training, education programs and/or workshops.

Ability to work independently, exercise judgment to resolve problems/issues, contribute as a member of a team. Ability to organize and prioritize work, and adapt to changing program and health authority needs.

Demonstrated ability to be flexibility in adapting to and working with a variety of situations, individuals and groups and respond to changing organizational priorities.

Demonstrates a commitment to learning and self-development; partaking in professional development opportunities and acquiring new knowledge and skills.