Medical Director, Climate Change and Sustainability

Position Summary
Who are we looking for:

Are you looking for a new and rewarding leadership challenge in healthcare? Interior Health has an exciting part-time opportunity for Medical Director, Climate Change and Sustainability. The location for this role is flexible within the Interior Health Region of British Columbia with the expectation to travel within the region. We are looking for people who want to make a difference in the communities in which they live, work and play. Apply today to join our amazing team.

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
• Medical Service Plan
• Employer paid insurance premiums
• Extended Health & Dental coverage
• Work-life balance
• Relocation Allowance may be provided

Salary range per hour for the position is $96.40-$144.59. 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 Medical Director, Climate Change & Sustainability is directly accountable to the VP and CFO Corporate Services (or designate) and works in collaboration with the IH Climate Change and Sustainability Governance Committee to develop, lead and evaluate the planning and delivery of the Climate Change and Sustainability Roadmap, in accordance with the vision, mission, values, and goals of the organization.

The Medical Director, Climate Change & Sustainability will provide leadership to an integrated organization-wide strategy (i.e. the IH Climate Change and Sustainability Roadmap) that will reduce environmental impacts of health services and increase clinical staff literacy, engagement and empowerment around planetary health, leading to enhanced healthcare quality and value. The Medical Director acts as the primary liaison between key clinical partners to support the establishment of climate change and health governance, incorporate environmental metrics into quality and safety reporting, and establish environmentally sustainable procurement practices, among other duties.

The Medical Director, Climate Change & Sustainability will address climate justice by integrating medical expertise into the broader climate change discourse. This position will support the identification and mitigation of health disparities exacerbated by climate change, particularly within clinical services at the acute and community levels. By advocating for policies that prioritize both planetary and population health, the Medical Director will work with clinicians to ensure that marginalized populations and rural communities receive equitable access to healthcare services, supports, resources and information to cope with climate-related health challenges.

The Medical Director, Climate Change & Sustainability will work with counterparts across portfolios, including in Medicine, Quality, Clinical Operations, Population Health, and Environmental Sustainability, to help establish the functional leadership structure to ensure consultation and collaboration with executive leadership, other key partners, external agencies, and government as required to develop and lead the IH Climate Change and Sustainability Roadmap. The Medical Director, Climate Change & Sustainability will also consult with academic and clinical leadership with respect to supporting teaching and research within the program area.

What will you work on:

1. Collaborative Leadership
• Leads and represents clinical partners within the IH Strategic Plan and IH Climate Change and Sustainability Roadmap.
• Models integrated leadership by working effectively with clinical and operational counterparts within and outside the organization.
• Support IH Vice Presidents (VP) by ensuring that physician-related issues in the respective VP portfolios, specific to climate change and sustainability, are addressed.
• Works collaboratively with VP portfolios on the development and implementation of strategic and operational plans, specific to climate change and sustainability.
• Through physician engagement, facilitates the achievement of VPs operational and strategic objectives, specific to climate change and sustainability.
• Participates on provincial committees as an IH clinical representative, as directed by the CFO and VP Corporate Services.
• Collaborates with the Southern Medical Program and the UBC Faculty of Medicine to facilitate successful achievement of the academic mandate.
• Collaborates with the IH Quality Improvement portfolio to support the education and integration of environmental approaches to improvement projects.
• Considers the UBC and IH academic perspectives in strategy, planning, and promotion of clinical teaching and/or research opportunities.
• Provides supervision and mentoring to students and trainees, including medical residents.
• Provides medical expertise to support IH proposals for recommended program and policy changes and funding when necessary.

2. Portfolio
• Participates in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategic plans, particularly the IH Climate Change and Sustainability Roadmap.
• Attends and participates in relevant VP portfolio’s strategic and operational leadership team meetings.
• Acts as a spokesperson on climate change, health and sustainability, including with media.

3. Other
• In alignment with IH’s Occupational Health & Safety Program, employees shall adhere to all Occupational Health and Safety policies and procedures at all times and attend all required training. Employees are responsible for reporting any identified hazards, unsafe conditions or incidents to the manager or supervisor immediately.
• Completes other tasks or duties as required by the CFO and VP Corporate Services or designate.

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).

Qualfications
Education, Training, and Experience
• Current licensure as an MD in BC.
• A Master’s degree in healthcare administration, business administration, leadership, public health, environmental sustainability, planetary health, or an equivalent degree is preferred.
• An established track record in climate change and sustainability research, advocacy, and/or adoption of climate change and health and environmental sustainability into clinical practice.
• At least 10 years of clinical practice experience and at least 5 years of progressively more responsible leadership in a healthcare environment.

LEADS Capabilities
Demonstrates all LEADS Capabilities, in particular:
• Leads Self/Cultural Agility - self-awareness, demonstrates character; noticing and adapting to cultural uniqueness to create a sense of safety for all.
• Engages Others/Empathy - fosters the development of others, communicates effectively, builds effective teams, listens with heart rather than reacting.
• Achieves Results/Process Orientation - sets direction, strategically aligns decisions with vision, values & evidence, accepting that use of process orientation and a ‘good relationship’ are concrete deliverables.
• Develops Coalitions/Building a Trust-Based Relationship - builds partnerships & networks to create results, demonstrates a commitment to customers & service, navigates socio-political environments, building personal relationships in addition to professional ones, participating in open exchanges of experiences and culture.
• System Transformation/Credible Champion - demonstrates systems/critical thinking, strategically oriented to the future, champions & orchestrates change, remains self-aware and maintains effective relationships, shows courage and conviction in advocating for change for the betterment of Indigenous people.

Skills and Abilities

• Broad-based knowledge of climate change, health and sustainability in a health-system context
• Strong personal commitment to environmental sustainability
• Strong analytical ability to conceptualize in unstructured, dynamic, and/or multidisciplinary environments where analysis, foresight, intuition, and mature judgment are required.
• Experience in successfully solving complex problems and issues.
• Communication and interpersonal skills necessary for frequent contact with internal and external partners, and to speak to broad audiences, like the public or the media.
• Ability to persuade and negotiate in controversial or sensitive situations, with the ability to exercise almost complete discretion in how and what to communicate.
• Leadership skills, including a demonstrated willingness to pursue leadership roles with increasing levels of accountability; comfort with decision-making responsibilities; coaching, teaching, and counseling skills; and the ability to inspire and build confidence in others while forging alliances and garnering support.
• An in-depth knowledge of legislation, regulations and guidelines related to areas of responsibility.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.
• Class 5 Driver’s License required.
• Willingness to travel within and outside the IH region.

Interior Health strives to create an environment where you enjoy the work you do, the place where you work, and the people around you. Together, we create great workplaces. Apply today!