Climate Change and Planetary Health Lead in Coquitlam

Salary: The salary range for this position is CAD $46.37 - $66.66 / hour.

Job Summary: Fraser Health is looking for a Climate Change Lead to join our Healthy Environments, Population and Public Health team. In this role, you will provide leadership in the implementation of climate change and health adaptation initiatives across Fraser Health.

Specific duties include:

• Partner with the Medical Health Officer, Healthy Environments, Health Protection and other applicable Public Health teams to lead the implementation of climate change and health adaptation initiatives across Fraser Health Authority (FHA).
• Provide strategic leadership, project management and subject matter expertise on issues relating to climate change and health.
• Support Indigenous Health team in advancing climate change and health adaptations in Indigenous communities throughout the health region.
• Create and build effective relationships with external partners and other health sector stakeholders including Health Canada, BC Ministry of Health, other regional Health Authorities, First Nations Health Authority and the Provincial Health Services Authority.
• Coordinate and support knowledge translation related to climate change and planetary health and represent Fraser Health on climate change committees.

Qualifications:

• Masters degree in a discipline related to Environmental Health, sustainability, and climate action.
• Seven (7) years of recent, related experience, including environmental and public health promotion, climate action and knowledge translation experience. An equivalent combination of education, training and experience may be considered.

This Full-Time opportunity is based out of the Tri-Cities, BC. Evening and weekend work may occasionally be required.

Detailed Overview: Reporting to the Manager Environmental Health Services, the Climate Change and Planetary Health Lead provides subject matter expertise, project management, and strategic leadership on issues relating to climate change and health. Working closely with the Medical Health Officer, Environmental Health and the Health Protection team, the Lead provides leadership in the implementation of climate change and health adaptation initiatives across Fraser Health (FH), and plans and conducts monitoring, reporting, and evaluation activities related to this work.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the implementation of Fraser Health climate change and health adaptation actions within the Office of the Chief Medical Health Officer.
• Work with the Manager, Environmental Health Services Health Protection, Medical Health Officer, Environmental Health, Environmental Health Scientist, and senior leaders to coordinate, plan, prioritize activities, develop timelines, allocate resources and implement change management plans.
• Coordinate the strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation of priority climate and planetary health initiatives in Population and Public Health.
• Document performance trends and recommend modifications to improve the climate change-related programs.
• Organize and maintain an up-to-date database of priority initiatives relating to climate change and health, and support broader organizational initiatives relating to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
• Collaborate with the Medical Health Officer, Environmental Health team and Environmental Health Scientist on other work related to climate change and planetary health.
• Assist Healthy Built Environment team with climate change evidence and actions, and support community outreach efforts to contribute to a strategic and effective process.
• Contribute to relationship building with external partners, and contribute to intersectoral action initiatives with municipal and First Nation staff, as well as those that provide health-related services and other allied services.
• Support Indigenous Health team in advancing climate change and health adaptation in Indigenous communities and populations throughout the health region.
• Advance partnerships with urban Indigenous and Metis organizations in collaboration with FH, Climate Action Secretariat, Ministry of Health, and others.
• Collaborate with the Environmental Health Scientist, Fraser Health Public Health Observatory, and external organizations like BC Centres for Disease Control and Ministry of Health to advance surveillance and reporting for climate-sensitive health outcomes.
• Coordinate and support knowledge translation related to climate change and planetary health, including mapping, guidance resources, research summaries, conference and webinar presentations, and policy recommendations.
• Support Fraser Health’s web and social media presence.
• Support the process by which PPH reports to Ministry of Health on climate change activities described in the bilateral agreement/mandate letter, as well as any created under the Climate Accountability Act.
• Support Fraser Health response to other climate change and planetary health initiatives such as those led by the Ministry of Health.
• Represent Fraser Health on climate change committees, working and advisory groups.
• Coordinate engagement with other health sector stakeholders including Health Canada, BC Ministry of Health, other regional Health Authorities, First Nations Health Authority, and the Provincial Health Services Authority.
• Monitor funding opportunities, recruit partners, manage proposals, develop contracts, monitor performance of consultants, and be responsible for reporting on funded projects.
• Scan and synthesize literature and projects relating to climate change projections, planetary health, human health and health system impacts, vulnerability and risk assessment, adaptation options, equity, change management, implementation science, monitoring and evaluation, and intersectoral action.
• Summarize findings for Fraser Health leaders, staff and community partners.
• Coordinate updates to vulnerability and risk assessment, and strategic plan(s) at regular intervals.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Competencies: Demonstrates the leadership practices of the Fraser Health Leadership Framework of Clear, Caring and Courageous and creates the conditions for people to succeed.

Professional/Technical Capabilities: Working knowledge of climate change science, health impacts, equity, and adaptation strategies, including, but not limited to: air quality, water quality and quantity, extreme weather events and emergencies, emerging diseases, ecosystem impacts, including to food and water safety and security. Demonstrated ability to create respectful and effective relationships with Indigenous leaders, knowledge keepers, and representatives. Understanding of existing initiatives relating to climate change in British Columbia, and the ability to build strategic relationships with those involved in these initiatives. Demonstrated ability to professionally and respectfully engage with multiple stakeholders in meaningful dialogue through advisory committees, meetings and workshops. Ability to integrate feedback from stakeholders into project activities. Understanding of municipal and regional decision-making processes, and ability to build effective relationships with staff members. Demonstrated effective verbal communication skills with a wide range of audiences, including oral presentations to various audiences. Demonstrated effective written communication skills with a wide range of audiences, from compiling large amounts of information into written technical reports to translating knowledge into digestible information for community members. Demonstrated ability to integrate relevant information from a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines as required. Demonstrated ability to synthesize large amounts of information and knowledge from a number of sources including scientific literature, government reports, and stakeholder consultations. Demonstrated facilitation skills, with the ability to organize, run and facilitate large and small meetings while synthesizing and compiling the dialogue in concrete ways. Highly motivated, self-starter, and able to work independently. Ability to work effectively as a member of a team as well as independently. Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work, and work under time constraints to meet deadlines. Expertise in monitoring, reporting, and evaluation, including indicator development. Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

About Fraser Health: Fraser Health is the heart of health care for over two million people in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada, on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations and is home to 32 First Nations within the Fraser Salish region. People - those we care for and those who care for them - are at the heart of everything we do. Our hospital and community-based services are delivered by a team of 50,000+ staff, medical staff and volunteers. We are committed to planetary health and value diversity in the workforce. We strive to maintain an environment of respect, caring and trust. Fraser Health’s hiring practices aspire to ensure all individuals are treated in an inclusive, equitable and culturally safe manner. Together, we are the heart of health care.