Director, Health Policy and Systems in Toronto

At Heart & Stroke, our mission is to promote health, save lives and enhance recovery. We are committed to a culture that exemplifies our core values: champion health, practice humility, embrace change, drive impact, learn and grow, and be heartfelt as we work together to beat heart disease and stroke. We believe in equity, diversity and inclusion—it’s embedded in our values and core mission work to support all people in Canada to lead healthier lives. We are committed to applying this principle to cultivate a welcoming environment that embraces diversity among our employees. Candidates from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to, Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, women, and people living with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

The opportunity offers a hybrid work option, and this role will work remotely day-to-day. Candidates must also be able to travel to the Toronto office (when requested) and attend meetings or meet with stakeholders in both Regina and Saskatoon as needed.

The Director, Health Policy & Systems for Saskatchewan provides strategic leadership and management for the effective planning and implementation of Heart & Stroke initiatives aligned with national organizational priorities. The role is responsible for stakeholder and government relations, advocacy, health systems improvement, and patient engagement and support.

The Director leads the provincial advocacy efforts by building and holding key relationships on behalf of Heart & Stroke to communicate its priorities with government officials, agencies, and other key stakeholders and advocate for policy and health systems change. The Director leads the provincial advocacy planning process, adapts advocacy priorities to provincial environments, builds and executes policy and advocacy plans, plans special projects, and oversees the development of tailored advocacy briefs, papers, and related documents.

How You Will Make An Impact Every Day:

• Support the development of health policy and systems change at all levels of government.
• Open doors for the Foundation to communicate its Mission-related priorities with government officials and their staff, related agencies, and senior leadership in provincial non-governmental organizations.
• Establish and maintain a network of contacts, relationships, and linkages with all levels of government, other health charities, stakeholders, volunteers, PWLE, and coalitions to support policy, health systems, and advocacy activities.
• Work with partner organizations to develop common advocacy positions and strategies that further the Foundation’s strategic objectives.
• Provide advice and counsel to other Foundation programs regarding government opportunities and risks.
• Seek opportunities and integrate issues related to sex & gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion in provincial health systems.
• Lead advocacy priorities in the province including health equity, nicotine, cardiac arrest, stroke, and heart failure projects, adapting the priorities to reflect the provincial environment.
• Engage with stakeholders related to provincial/regional issues in research funding.
• Act as the external face of the organization, proactively and strategically engaging stakeholders, attending external meetings, making presentations, engaging media, etc.
• Identify opportunities for funding and leveraging resources with government, industry, and other key partners to maximize the Foundation’s impact.
• Develop and maintain effective communication links with associations and regulatory agencies that can assist the Foundation in achieving its goals.

Who We Need:

• University degree with a focus on health policy, health administration, health systems; graduate degree preferred.
• A minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible work experience.
• Experience with talent management, coaching, and leadership.
• Experience leading in a role focused on advocacy, knowledge translation, and health systems improvement.
• Experience networking and convening with multiple stakeholders including government, NGOs, and the public to solve complex health-related problems.
• Experience advocating with federal, provincial, regional, and municipal governments within the health portfolio.
• A strong background in program planning and evaluation and a firm grasp of health policy and systems change theory and models are required.
• Experience in the nonprofit sector preferred.

What We Offer:

At Heart & Stroke, we prioritize fostering a culture of caring by implementing practices and programs that foster respect, compassion, trust, and attentiveness to our own and others’ health and well-being. This role offers a hiring range of $95,000 to $119,000, aligned with our compensation framework and your professional background. We offer a generous paid time-off package including vacation days, personal days, wellness days, and paid company-wide closure between December 25 and January 1. We also provide competitive health, medical, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance, disability benefits, an employee assistance program (EAP), and a defined contribution pension plan with employer matching. Our employees enjoy a flexible hybrid working model and reimbursement for mobile phones and home office setup, as well as opportunities for professional development.

Accommodation: We are committed to fostering an inclusive, barrier-free, and accessible environment. If you have been contacted for an interview and require accommodation to participate in the recruitment and selection process, please let us know and we will do our best to address your needs.

Only those candidates that qualify will be selected for an interview. Interviews may be conducted virtually or in-person. Selected candidates will be notified in advance if an in-person interview is required. Applicants must be currently residing in Canada and legally entitled to work in Canada.