Licensing Officer

Position Summary
Interior Health is looking for an experienced Licensing Officer to join our team on a term specific full time basis until September 22, 2025 from our Penticton location.

What will you work on?

In accordance with established vision and values of the organization, the purpose of this position is to protect and enhance the health and safety and well-being of vulnerable and dependent individuals in Community Care Facilities.

The principle function of the Licensing Officer is the responsibility to administer the Community Care and Assisted Living Act and Regulations necessary to ensure the protection of vulnerable and dependent individuals in community care facilities. This responsibility extends to all programs and facilities that are defined as a Community Care Facility in the Act.
Licensing practice is a balance of compliance management and support.
Licensing is a continual process of monitoring, consultation, investigation and support.
Licensing is the foundation for non-regulatory quality enhancement initiatives.

Typical duties and responsibilities:
• Evaluates the provision of care to ensure it is achieving intended legislative outcomes, through a program of regular and follow up inspections of licensed care facilities, both individually and in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Documents inspection findings and communicates these to the licensee/manager using a collaborative approach, and ensures the licensee or manager is a full participant in defining outcomes and setting timelines.
• Investigates complaints and follows up incident reports in accordance with relevant policies and procedures to ensure that safe, appropriate care is being provided that meets the intent of applicable legislation.
• Conducts regular reviews of facility files to identify care facilities that require additional support, monitoring, or progressive compliance interventions.
• Assesses applications for licensed care facilities, identifying and managing risks, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and standards and facilitating smooth start-up; this is accomplished by evaluating the physical plant, determining the suitability of the licensee or manager, and assessing operational plans, policies and procedures.
• Evaluates requests for exemptions from legislative standards and determines the levels of increased risk to health, safety and dignity of those affected; exemptions may be granted or denied depending on whether the specific request of non-compliance will result in risk to persons in care.
• Consults and collaborates with interdisciplinary team members and other health care professionals and providers on relevant issues relating to the provision of care (Collaboration is accomplished through methods such as sharing evidence-based best practices and identifying available resources to assist in licensing regulatory practices).
• Participates in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of Continuous Quality Improvement initiatives for licensing practice and service delivery
• Participates and attends in-service and other educational programs as required. Identifies learning goals and maintains and updates competencies and knowledge within area of practice.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Qualfications
Education, Training and Experience:
A university degree or diploma in a related discipline with a minimum of two (2) years of recent related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Valid BC Driver’s License.

Skills and Abilities:
Teaching: Ability to teach clients and others both one-on-one and in groups.
Knowledge Integration: Integrates best practice and current research evidence to support professional practice decisions and actions.
Communication: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with clients, families, the public, medical staff and the members of the interdisciplinary team using, oral written and computer communication means. Demonstrated ability to effectively resolve conflict.
Critical Thinking: Demonstrated ability to integrate and evaluate pertinent data (from multiple sources) to problem-solve and make decisions effectively. Applies the problem solving process demonstrating critical thinking and decision making skills using a systems approach.
Management: Demonstrated ability to organize work, set objectives and establish priorities. Manages time and resources, implements activities to promote cooperation among the interdisciplinary team, supervises responsibilities of others, and collaborates across disciplines.
Leadership: Promotes staff morale, engagement, and risk-taking. Demonstrates creative planning for change and innovations, implementation of IH policies or other protocols, and ongoing professional development of self and others.
Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to foster teamwork and a commitment to excellence in the provision of client care.
Equipment: Demonstrated computer skills including the use of Meditech and Windows based programs. Demonstrated data analysis skills including appropriate data analysis and reporting tools. Demonstrated ability in the use of e-mail and word processing. Ability to operate other related equipment as required in the specific practice area.
Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.