Position Summary

Who are we looking for?

Interior Health is hiring a Manager, Communications and Engagement, IH South. Leading a team of consultants, the Manager drives the development and execution of strategic communication and engagement plans that advance Interior Health’s organizational goals. This position offers a flexible worksite within the IH region. Apply today to join a collaborative leadership team making a meaningful impact.

Some of the benefits of joining Interior Health:

• An attractive remuneration package
• Excellent career prospects
• Employee & Family Assistance Programs
• Employer paid training/education opportunities
• Employer paid vacation
• Employer paid insurance premiums
• Extended Health & Dental coverage
• Work-life balance
• Relocation Allowance may be provided

Salary range for the position is $108,147 to $155,461. Interior Health establishes salaries within the minimum and maximum of the salary range based on consideration of the qualifications, experience of the applicant, and an internal equity review of the salaries of other employees.

How will you create an impact:

The Manager, Communications and Engagement, IH South plans, develops, implements, and evaluates external communications and engagement strategies that foster engagement and collaboration, promotes health care initiatives and expands Interior Health’s outreach into communities. The Manager plays an integral role in informing and encouraging community and partner involvement by leading engagement and media relations initiatives, counselling senior leaders with regard to corporate social responsibility, public transparency, and partner/public relations. Working in collaboration with the Director, this work has a significant impact on the management of the organization's reputation, maintaining public confidence in the governance of the healthy authority, and the development of effective relationships with community partners and local government leaders.

Key external partners include the Government of British Columbia (including Ministers' Offices), the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Infrastructure (MoI) municipal and regional governments (mayors, councils, and administration), Indigenous Communities, provincial MLAs, federal Members of Parliament, representatives of foreign governments, community/program advisory councils, community groups and agencies, patient advocacy and special-interest groups and the public at large.

What will you work on:

• Develops, coordinates, and leads proactive partner engagement and media and government relations, including crisis communications, at the local and regional levels. Embeds change management communication where required, in a manner that embraces the vision, mission and value of the organization in a clear, consistent and transparent style. Ensures quality and consistency with the philosophies and practices of IH.

• Provides strategic advice to senior leaders, providing counsel on approach, messaging and timing for complex, sensitive, or high-stakes communications across employee, medical staff, public and partner audiences.

• Conducts appropriate supporting communication research and analysis; assesses media reports and develops, implements and evaluates current communication strategies to engage internal and external audiences to facilitate an open dialogue and understanding of important issues, challenges, opportunities and strategic directions; recommends and implements changes to communication strategies to better meet communication objectives.

• Organizes, prioritizes and co-ordinates IH’s responses to issues that strategically manage issues, strengthen the public image and profile of the health authority, and ensures consistency in messaging with internal and external audiences.

• Oversee the establishment and maintenance of communication channels with external partners. Maintains a strong liaison with public and political interest groups and ensures consistent delivery of messages to the public. Working with the Director, Communications & Engagement and other Communications Managers to provide timely messaging to the public and partners.

• Updates and maintains IH External Partner Engagement Framework. Promotes compliance among IH internal teams and leads communications counsel on updates and further development in this field.

• Generates and maintains community/public involvement by maintaining a strong liaison with all levels of government and influencers; builds and maintains government understanding of IH's programs, services, and initiatives; gauges and evaluates the opinions of elected officials, public, staff and medical staff on their need for information about IH; anticipates, prepares, and responds to government and citizen issues/concerns, inquiries, and requests for IH information.

• Plans strategic external communication activities targeted at public influencers, political and special interest groups.

• Selects and manages staff, including evaluating suitability and performance, coaching, discipline or discharge of staff as required. Supports staff in developing and achieving their annual goals and objectives and identify staff development needs and implement strategies to address. Ensures actions are taken to maintain a safe work environment and a productive team environment.

• Leads or participates in corporate initiatives and projects related to internal and external communication by defining project scope, developing project plans, supporting the work of project team members, overseeing project implementation and evaluating results.

• Participates in working groups, committees and meetings where sensitive information must be delivered to external audiences. Works with other communications staff to ensure consistent delivery of key messages to all audiences. Provides communication expertise and resources, tables issues for discussion, participates in decision-making and takes follow-up action.

• Participates in the development and management of capital and operating budgets for the Communications & Engagement team.

• Identifies and evaluates new initiatives, partnership opportunities, new developments and trends in external communication & engagement strategies through literature review, contact with peers at other organizations, industry advisor groups, professional associations and attendance at seminars, workshops and education programs.

• Provides strategic communications advice and associated deliverables on special projects at the request of the Director, Communications & Engagement

• Communicates information and makes recommendations to the Director for evaluation and approval. Facilitates the implementation of approved initiatives and monitors and takes remedial action as required.

• Provides on-call (after hours) coverage according to Portfolio schedule.

• In alignment with IH’s Occupational Health & Safety Program, maintain a healthy and safe work environment through complying with and implementing applicable Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, responding to requests from WSBC, identifying hazards and communicating risks, ensuring compliance with employee training, conducting effective incident investigations and implementing required corrective actions.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Honouring Interior Health’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), and Pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preferential consideration and/or hiring will be given to qualified applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit).

Qualifications

Education, Training, and Experience
• A level of education, training and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism or a degree in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum of seven (7) - ten (10) years of media & government relations and public engagement experience in a large multi-site unionized environment.
• Experience working in or with the media, and/or in public engagement would be an asset.
• Previous experience working in public engagement would be an asset.
• Or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Comments

Interior Health is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to creating an environment free from discrimination. Our goal is to cultivate a workforce rich in culture, experience, and knowledge to enable us to provide high quality, accessible and culturally safe health services to everyone in the Interior Health region. We are committed to addressing existing inequities and barriers to achieving a diverse workforce, one that is representative of the communities we serve. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently marginalized groups.