Director, Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations

Join VCH as the  Director, Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations in Vancouver, BC. Apply today to join our team!

Seeking a purpose-led role within a dynamic team? We’re all about collective impact at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH).

As a complex organization with more than 18,000 staff and medical staff, our purpose at VCH is to come together as one collective team to deliver an exceptional care experience for all. As Director of Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations, you take the lead on strategic planning and operational leadership of public affairs functions within the Communications and Public Affairs team.

Reporting to the Vice President of Communications & Strategic Partnerships, the Director is accountable for sharing compelling stories that support an exceptional patient and client experience and engaging with community stakeholders to drive awareness, involvement and collaboration.

The Director leads a team of professional communications and community engagement staff in the provision of communications advice and support to VCH, along with coordination of events and announcements. The role oversees corporate projects ensuring appropriate messaging and organizational representation and acts as corporate spokesperson with media, as required. The Director also oversees VCH’s community engagement functions to nurture public involvement in health service planning and development to ensure safe, quality patient-centred care is at the core of all that we do.

The Director of Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations works closely with senior leaders across all levels of VCH to provide communications counsel including consultation, facilitation and negotiation. The role liaises with government, media, and other external agencies and partners, and works with other health authorities and partner agencies to collaborate on health-care opportunities and announcements.

Key Accountabilities:

• Oversees effective media relations, issues management and reputation management strategies and initiatives for VCH, working both proactively and reactively to improve and enhance the organization’s brand.
• Provides leadership and expertise in the development of standardized communications policies, procedures, initiatives and services.
• Oversees and/or leads high profile corporate initiatives and ensures appropriate organizational branding and reputation management in accordance with the organization’s vision and values.
• Ensures the public and patient/client voice is engaged in VCH strategy development and decision-making as appropriate.
• Oversees coordination of media relations events and announcements.
• Oversees internal stakeholder relations, including crafting responses to internal issues.
• Provides overall leadership and direction to team members using effective management techniques (e.g., coaching, mentoring, skill and leadership development, performance management).
• Develops, coordinates and monitors effective financial and workforce plans within operational demands and environmental constraints.
• Carries out responsibilities in accordance with health and safety requirements.  Immediately reports unsafe situations by notifying supervisor or other appropriate personnel.
• Performs other related duties as assigned; often working in collaboration with other health authorities.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?

VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience

• Master’s Degree in Communications, Public Relations or other relevant discipline
• Plus a minimum of ten (10) years’ recent, related experience in progressively more complex senior management/leadership roles in a large, multi-union environment or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Knowledge & Abilities

• Develops and maintains strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including management and staff at all levels, media, government agencies and other health authorities.
• Uses a comprehensive knowledge of communication and public relations strategies theories/practices as well an understanding of a complex multi-union healthcare environment to identify, develop and implement policies, strategies, key messages and initiatives for the strategy and vision.
• Applies knowledge of relevant statutory and legal requirements to ensure effective disclosure of information as well as a solid understanding of various levels of government.
• Expertly applies knowledge and understanding of the essence and subtleties of communication to ensure exchanges are understood at all levels within a complex internal and external network.
• Strong understanding of stakeholder needs and an acute awareness of the impact of actions.
• Applies superior conflict management, critical thinking, judgment and political expertise to present key messages, and persuade and influence internal and external stakeholders, ensuring effective and appropriate media and public relations.
• Identifies emerging initiatives, trends and industry best practices and ensures full consideration in the development and implementation of service delivery goals and objectives.
• Uses well developed leadership, customer relations and problem solving abilities to lead a variety of complex and integrated services initiatives and to achieve desired results within critical timeframes.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to delivering exceptional care and building a great place to work. At VCH, we value and accommodate unique differences to ensure that our staff and medical staff (both current and prospective) have the opportunity and are supported to thrive.

To build a strong and representative workforce, we are seeking candidates who will contribute to a caring and inclusive culture. We encourage applications from members of communities that are disadvantaged on any grounds under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including Indigenous Peoples, people of colour, people of all genders and sexualities and people with disabilities.

VCH is proud to be recognized as a Best Place to Work in Canada in 2021 by Glassdoor and Forbes.