DIRECTOR PUBLIC HEALTH

 As a senior leadership team member, you will lead and facilitate the development of multi-year divisional strategic and operating plans that demonstrably improve health outcomes for Toronto residents. In addition, you will set priorities that are innovative and evidence-based that maximize service delivery efficiencies and integrate access and equity principles. Drawing on your leadership experience, you will provide strategic leadership, applied critical decision making an exercise good judgment in the development, design, and implementation of policies, programs and services. Your collaboration leadership skills will build and sustain external and internal relations, including with elected political officials, as you fulfill your role as a positive ambassador for the organization. 

Major Responsibilities: 

• Develops, designs and implements functional policies and programs that make major changes in overall business performance based on long-term needs.  Contributes to the continuous improvement of divisional performance through analysis and the development and implementation of sound management practices and procedures, provides program management staff with direction and guidance, processes and tools to increase efficiencies and improve effectiveness of the services provided by the directorate. 

• Directs, through subordinate management staff, all activities of the directorate, delegating management responsibility. 

• Leads and motivates a diverse workforce, ensures effective teamwork, provides resolution to controversial labour relations issues, ensures high standards of work quality and organizational performance, continuous learning and encourages innovation in others. 

• Develops, recommends and administers the annual budget for the directorate, and ensures that the directorate’s expenditures are controlled and maintained within approved budget limitations. 

• Manages staff complement control, negotiates service contracts and performance targets with funders and service providers, and prepares business cases and procurement requests in accordance with corporate requirements.  Establishes employee recruitment, retention and recognition strategies.  Ensures due diligence related to occupational health and safety. 

• Provides overall direction to city-wide program planning and development and oversees the delivery of matrixed and holistic interventions of a specified portfolio of sub-programs within a directorate. 

• Directs and holds responsibility for compliance with public health legislation and standards, applicable statutes, municipal by-laws and Board of Health and City Council directives.   Directs activities related to accreditation standards, quality assurance, risk management and serious occurrence response within the directorate. 

• Provides guidance and direction for case management involving high-risk clients, including consultation on the legal duty to report to the Children’s Aid Society and legal issues related to client follow-up, as required. 

• Directs operations within a directorate by providing leadership, direction and support to subordinate management staff who are accountable for the day-to-day execution of the interventions. Monitors program performance and makes necessary adjustments to ensure program targets are met. 

• Facilitates and supports the continuation and development of team-based work groups, integration of intervention design and delivery activities and effective use of TPH staff capacity.

• Builds effective management teams and supports the development of collaborative working relationships and the coordination of activities across all programs delivered through local offices.  Provides guidance and direction regarding issues management when there are implications for other city services, intergovernmental liaison and political sensitivity. 

• Monitors provincial, national and international initiatives in the field of public health as well as intervention innovations and best practices from other sectors to ensure that innovations and best practices are incorporated into TPH intervention design. 

• Monitors community health indicators and identifies emerging issues and priorities in the external environment that could impact on community health needs and/or service delivery pressures and uses this information to direct the establishment of public health interventions that improve the health of the City’s residents.  Develops multi-year strategic and operating plans that are innovative and evidence-based, maximize service delivery efficiencies, and integrate access and equity principles. 

• Leads and directs the development and maintenance of appropriate communication, consultation and/or partnership strategies to ensure effective working relationships with external agencies and health service providers, and establishes protocols that support referral, service coordination and continuity of service.   Ensures community input and participation in service planning as appropriate. 

• Leads and facilitates the development of multi-year divisional strategic and operating plans and priorities that are innovative and evidence-based, maximize service delivery efficiencies and integrate access and equity principles. 

• Ensures divisional strategies and objectives get cascaded into the strategies and plans of each directorate. Monitor organizational activities to ensure alignment with and coordinated, integrated contribution to these organizational priorities.   
  Oversees the development and delivery of engagement activities for the organization, including engagement with key internal and external stakeholders. 

• Provides advice on strategic issues, priorities and key major projects for Toronto Public Health. 

• Ensures effective media/public relations, coordinates timely response to media requests and strategic advice to the Medical Officer of Health and Executive Management Team. Ensures media coverage of priority initiatives and community education campaigns. Speaks on behalf of the Medical Officer of Health in the local, provincial, national and international media.

• Establishes mechanisms (including information management and data collection systems) to support and monitor compliance with the applicable practice standards for regulated health professionals. 

• Identifies and pursues opportunities for revenue generation, including fee-for-service programming and alternate funding sources. 

• As a Senior Manager, contributes actively towards the collective attainment of the Division’s strategic directions and performance objectives.   Participates in the overall planning, development, monitoring and evaluation of Public Health services, ensures the coherence and communication of business strategies across the Division, and assists in responding to emerging health issues. 

• Participates in the review, planning and conduct of applied research, including the preparation and review of research proposals and the submission of abstracts and delivery of presentations. 

• Represents Toronto Public Health and supports the Medical Officer of Health at meetings of the Board of Health, City Council and related Standing Committees.  

• Manages information and action requests from members of Council through verbal response, reports and briefing notes.  Establishes and maintains relationships with other municipal departments/divisions and other levels of government on programming and policy issues. 

• Provides municipal leadership and represents the division and its interests on community advisory bodies.  Participates in the development and implementation of the Toronto Public Health Emergency Response Plan as it relates to overall incident management and the training and redeployment of directorate staff. 

What You Bring: 

Your application must describe your qualifications as they relate to: 

1. Post-secondary education in a related discipline, e.g. member of regulated health profession, a Master of Public Health, Master of Science of equivalent, along with experience in public administration and/or management of equivalent combination of education and experience. 

2. Extensive senior leadership experience, including experience in strategy and policy development, issues management and program planning to facilitate service delivery preferably in environmental health, emergency preparedness, public health or a comparable field. 

3. Extensive experience managing complex assignments from inception through to implementation while balancing multiple stakeholders and competing priorities in a rapidly changing environment. 

4. Extensive experience leading, managing, coaching, holding accountable and motivating a diverse team of professionals with a commitment to continuous learning, innovation and developing others. 

5. Certification and membership in the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI) would be an asset.

6. Strong track record of establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with internal and external partners, including government officials, external agencies, and community organizations. 

7. Ability to develop and lead best practice, community informed, innovative health programs serving the public. 

8. Highly developed interpersonal and negotiation skills with the ability to resolve conflicts, build consensus, and navigate complex political dynamics. 

9. Commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity and reconciliation.  

10. Familiarity with relevant government legislation in the area of governance, budgeting, financial reporting, service delivery, employee and labour relations an occupational health and safety.