Job Description

Competition # : 39862

Department: Health and Wellness

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date: \xe2\x80\x8b28-Jul-23 \xe2\x80\x8b (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

The Department of Health and Wellness offers opportunities to grow and advance in a dynamic sector that touches the lives of all Nova Scotians. Along with our partners, including the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK Health Centre, we are committed to continually improving our health care system. With a focus on collaborative primary health care, continuing care, improved supports for mental health and addictions, digital health, capital infrastructure, and more, the department is thinking differently about how to plan, fund, legislate and monitor to improve access and service delivery. To do this, we need leaders at all levels of the organization who embrace a challenge and believe in their ability to make a difference.

About Our Opportunity

As the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Consultant, you will be instrumental in informing and providing strategic direction for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness program for Nova Scotia. You will use current evidence and best practices to aid in program development, the development of policies, standards, guidelines and plans and the monitoring thereof for quality and consistency.

Primary Accountabilities

Reporting to the Director, Public Health Emergency Preparedness, you play a key role in the assessment of risk to emerging/re-emerging public health threats and in the development of coordinated plans and responses to those risks. In addition, you provide consultation and subject matter expertise to a variety of public health professionals, internal and external stakeholders and organizations on issues pertaining to pandemic planning, public health action on climate change and other health protection issues.

You will represent the Public Health Branch and the Department of Health and Wellness in a leadership and subject matter expert capacity on provincial and national committees pertaining to public health emergency preparedness and management. You will work closely with the Health Protection, Health Promotion, and Surveillance Public Health programs to ensure your work aligns with the overall strategic direction of the Public Health Branch.

Qualifications and Experience

You possess a bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s degree in a related health, social science or emergency management field plus six (6) years of experience or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Possession of a master\xe2\x80\x99s degree in a related field will be considered an asset.

To be successful in this position, you have knowledge, skills and experience in public health sciences specifically related to areas of health protection such as pandemic planning, assessment and analysis, policy and program development, implementation and evaluation and in environmental health. You also have a strong working knowledge of the Health Protection Act. Your understanding of the social determinants of health and the need to address conditions that may prevent potential and/or ongoing risk of exposure to public health threats will be critical to this role.

You possess the ability to create strong partnerships and provide leadership throughout the Public Health Branch, the Nova Scotia Health Authority, and provincial and national committees pertaining to public health emergency preparedness and management. In addition, you have strong communication and risk communication skills (both written and verbal) as well as a high degree of organizational, analytical and decision-making skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.

Experience working within public health is an asset.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as Health, Dental, Life Insurance, Pension, General Illness (Short and Long Term), Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Click to learn more about our various benefits offerings and eligibility criteria.

Working Conditions

• Normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day
• May be required to work overtime on occasion

Most of your work is in a comfortable office environment. There is a need for you to balance competing priorities, attend multiple meetings, and meet strict deadlines. Provincial travel may be required.

Additional Information

This is a full-time, permanent position.

What We Offer

• Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths
• Department specific flexible working schedules

Pay Grade: PR 17

Salary Range: $3,091.70 - $3,631.17 Bi-Weekly

Employment Equity Statement:

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

This is a bargaining unit position initially restricted to current civil service employees represented by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU). If applying from outside a government office, employees must apply correctly via this link:

Failure to apply correctly means that your application will not be given first consideration as a bargaining unit applicant, and will only be included if external applications are pursued.

External applicants and current casual employees will only be considered if there are no qualified civil service bargaining unit candidates. PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.

Government of Nova Scotia