Job Description

Department: Community Services Location: Flexible Type of Employment: Permanent Union Status: Exclusion - Non Union - NSPG Closing Date: 3/10/2023 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

Designation Status

About Us

At the Department of Community Services (DCS), we are a large and diverse department providing a broad portfolio of programs and services including Child and Family Well-being (CFW), Employment Support (ESS), Income Assistance (IA), Homelessness and Supportive Housing, and Disability Support (DSP).
Through our services, we advocate and help vulnerable Nova Scotians be independent, self-reliant, and secure. We work collaboratively across the province with a strong dedicated network of supports and staff, to achieve desired and shared outcomes for all.

About Our Opportunity

At DCS, we\xe2\x80\x99re hiring for a collaborative Senior Director, Innovation. In this critical leadership role, you will lead enhancements in the delivery of social services across the province though innovative digital tools and platforms.
As the Senior Director, you provide executive level leadership to many aspects of the strategic agenda of the Department. You will hold specific responsibility for a portion of the Strategic Operations and Innovation division, and are accountable for the service excellence and enterprise project delivery units in the department.

Primary Accountabilities

You will provide executive and strategic leadership to the vision that ensures leading edge development of social programming in Nova Scotia; ensuring the Department develops its digital platforms to meet the needs of our clients and by providing strategic leadership to our Enterprise Project Delivery Unit in achieving the strategic goals of our Department. You will achieve this by:

• Leading and guiding across horizontal teams on a 3-year digital strategy centered on modernizing how we work, the delivery and design of Organizational Development strategies, and project management support for key strategic initiatives.
• Implementing strategic plans, visions, and directions of the Department as well as motivating, monitoring consistency and promoting a diverse and a healthy respectful workplace.
• Participating in the design and implementation of significant, broad reaching and continual organizational change initiatives.
• Ensuring programs, policies and designed services are sustainable, achieved and delivered efficiently and that service delivery is consistent with and adhering to program and corporate legislation, policy, and standards.
• Working collaboratively to build a coalition of support, removing barriers and providing resources to implement change.
• Ensuring effective recruiting, hiring and training which meets the needs of the Department.

You will represent the Department at senior tables, collaborating with community members and partners, government, department and other officials, agencies, health professionals, lawyers, the courts, and others. You will also provide advice to the Executive Director, Deputy Minister, Associate Deputy Minister, or Minister, and other Departmental Ministers, MLAs and elected officials, respecting departmental and client matters.

Qualifications and Experience

As the Senior Director, you have a bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s or master\xe2\x80\x99s degree with progressive leadership experience. You are familiar with the delivery of social service programs as well as the tools and platforms to enhance delivery. You can make strategic linkages, and are a champion for change as you lead staff through transformation activities and initiatives.

You are forward thinking and innovative; you are always seeking new ways to support vulnerable Nova Scotians, address barriers, and enhance programs. You thrive under pressure and are a leader who inspires and challenges others to be creative, innovative, and collaborative. You are decisive and utilize sound judgment abilities to make decisions. You ensure an inclusion and diversity lens is applied on the development and management of strategies, policies, standards, program design, and initiatives. In your career, you have demonstrated an ability to execute and deliver actions in the short-term with a focus on developing and implementing visions with a longer-term outlook. You are a natural and strong communicator and relationship builder, candid, and facilitate open discussions both with internal and external stakeholders.

The Government of Nova Scotia has adopted the LEADS Leadership Framework. During the interview, candidates will be expected to express how they have demonstrated the key behaviours and capabilities required to effectively lead in a caring and inclusive environment. LEADS Domains includes Leads Self, Engage Others, Achieve Results, Develop Coalitions and Systems Transformation.
Please click here for more information on LEADS.

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.

Equivalency

An equivalent combination of training, education and experience will be considered. Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status, 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 here to learn more about our various benefits offerings and eligibility criteria.

Working Conditions

Excellent people skills and personal resilience are essential to succeed in this highly collaborative, human centered environment. There will be regular travel involved. Your decisions have a significant impact on the safety and well-being of both clients and staff requiring your ability to balance conflicting views with multiple stakeholders.
The demands of this position necessitate extremely flexible hours and requires frequent attention outside regular business hours.

Additional Information

The worksite location is flexible and will be determined at the time of offer negotiation and based on operational requirements. This position may be located in any of our 30 offices. You can find our office locations here.

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: EC 15 Salary Range: $4,602.86 - $5,753.55 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.
Current government employees may access this posting through the link below:
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.