Job Description

Who we are

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 \xe2\x80\x95 it\xe2\x80\x99s 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 disabilities are encouraged to apply.

To learn more about our mission, values, commitment to EDI, and the difference Heart & Stroke makes in the lives of people in Canada at every age, please .

The opportunity

This early career opportunity, reporting to the Director, Health Policy and System, the Specialist, Health Policy, Systems, and Engagement is responsible for supporting the implementation of Mission initiatives in British Columbia and the Yukon that align with Heart & Stroke priorities focusing on but not limited to:

health policy and systems

engagement with people with lived experience (PWLE)

stakeholder engagement with partner organizations, health care providers and the research community

support for Indigenous health and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives

support for advocacy and government relations activities on issues such as tobacco control and youth vaping, resuscitation, and rehabilitation and recovery support.

Accomplishing these responsibilities requires working in collaboration with the Director of Health Policy and Systems, and external and internal partners across the province and country, and representing Heart & Stroke in occasional media opportunities, as needed.

How you will make an impact every day

Development and implementation of advocacy campaigns and plans.

Support development and implementation of plans to drive health policy and systems change in alignment with provincial and national priorities.

Support development and preparation of material for meetings with government and elected officials to advance H&S mission priorities, and participate in meetings as appropriate either virtually or in-person.

Develop communications to appropriate government officials and ministries to broaden awareness of issues facing people affected by heart disease and stroke (e.g., briefing documents, position papers, pre-budget submissions, etc.).

Attend internal advocacy or GR meetings and participate in internal working groups as required.

Monitor government policies, programs, budgets, legislation and other initiatives affecting organization priorities and any changes in public policy.

Establish and / or maintain working relationships with elected officials, key ministerial staff, and other health charity organizations and/or relevant coalitions.

Lead or support preparations, organization and execution of H&S\xe2\x80\x99s annual advocacy function at the Legislature in Victoria.

Maintain and update the provincial lobby registry to avoid financial penalties resulting from late filing.

Prepare reports to government when funding agreements conclude.

Organize and grow participation in knowledge exchanges on tobacco and vaping control initiatives and research, and internal lunch and learns when appropriate.

Build and strengthen provincial engagement of People with Lived Experience (PWLE), health care providers and caregivers.

Work with teams to identify PWLE, care partners and health care providers for earned media opportunities, meetings with government or elected officials or other public-facing advocacy initiatives.

Explore and implement strategies that provide meaningful experiences for volunteers, PWLE and caregivers.

Engage with PWLE in local and national opportunities and maintain year-round meaningful connection.

Grow BC\xe2\x80\x99s presence in online peer support communities, Community Connect e-newsletter and virtual initiatives (e.g. resuscitation policy, lunch and learns, tobacco control policies and issues, etc.).

Participate in internal working groups related to PWLE engagement.

Provide resource navigation in response to email and phone queries.

Engage with community health professional stakeholders and coalitions to advance H&S systems priority areas.

Support health systems change across the continuum of care related to heart and stroke conditions.

Maintain relationships with key stakeholder partners.

Represent Heart&Stroke on coalitions and other partnerships, when appropriate.

Seek out opportunities to collaborate with other relevant organizations to strengthen advocacy efforts on common priorities.

Identify key coalitions and committees in which to participate to remain up to date on public policy and work cooperatively to press government for necessary changes.

Collaborate with and provide strategic support to partner organizations on issues of common interest (e.g.; other health charities and stakeholders).

Work with teams across the country to guide development of resources (e.g. presentations, reference documents, letters in support, etc.).

Provide support to public awareness and education efforts on promoting health, saving lives and enhancing recovery.

Support FAST signs of stroke public awareness campaign initiatives and reporting in BC & Yukon, including communities and regions where awareness is low.

Support and engage vulnerable populations, particularly Indigenous individuals and engage with national EDI work.

Develop and support framework for engaging with Indigenous populations in BC & Yukon.

Participate in national EDI working groups and identify opportunities to elevate work within BC & Yukon and identify opportunities to enact EDI policies and practices.

Who we need

Experience

2-3 years of experience in a health policy/systems related field, or health care context.

Experience in advocacy.

Proven experience working with PWLE or community setting experience.

Experience providing administrative support.

Comfortable giving public presentations.

Experience working with volunteers and event planning (e.g. for advocacy campaigns and functions) is an asset.

Education

College Diploma or Undergraduate Degree in political science, communications or health-related or policy field.

Skills

A high degree of independence, creativity, initiative, and accountability.

Ability to lead/engage small and large groups to support Mission initiatives/activities.

Comfort and ability working in a cross-functional team.

Knowledge of government, health systems, public opinion research, public engagement practices, community, stakeholder and member relations.

Excellent written and oral communications skills.

High level of accuracy and excellent attention to detail.

Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to work independently as well as in a team - tact, diplomacy and sound judgement.

Excellent organizational, project management, and financial management skills with ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities priorities and projects with minimal structure.

Able to synthesize, assess, and analyze large volumes of information.

Proven ability to work collaboratively with staff, volunteers and external partners.

Strategic and tactical thinking, ability to understand multiple perspectives.

Adaptable/flexible to changing environments, priorities, and diverse people.

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple files, problem solve, think outside the box, and find creative solutions.

Knowledge of our diseases preferred.

Maintains confidentiality and adheres to organizational policies and procedures.

Cultural humility, self- awareness, and experience working in a diversity of settings would be an asset

What we offer

At Heart & Stroke, we make it a priority to foster a culture of caring by implementing practices and programs that foster respect, compassion, trust and attentiveness to our own and others\xe2\x80\x99 health and well-being.

In addition to a competitive salary, we believe that time off is integral to the personal health and wellness of our employees. 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 also enjoy a flexible hybrid working model and reimbursement for mobile phones and home office setup, as well as opportunities for professional development.

Apply now

If you want to join the fight to beat heart disease and stroke, please apply by sending your resume by October 6, 2023.

Only those candidates that qualify will be selected for an interview. At this time, all interviews are being conducted via phone and/or video call \xe2\x80\x95 we look forward to \xe2\x80\x9cvirtually\xe2\x80\x9d meeting you!

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.

Please note: Heart & Stroke has a vaccination policy that requires all employees to be fully vaccinated unless they have a valid exemption. You can view our policy .

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