Specialist, Health Policy, Systems, and Engagement (Saskatchewan)

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 ― it’s 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 visit our website.

The opportunity

The Specialist, Health Policy, Systems, and Engagement is an experienced and energetic team player who contributes to the implementation of Mission initiatives in Saskatchewan that align with Heart & Stroke organizational priorities. This includes:

• Advocacy and government relations activities
• Engagement with people with lived experience (PWLE) 
• Health education and awareness initiatives (including the FAST signs of stroke campaign)
• Stakeholder engagement with partner organizations, health care providers, and the research community
• Support for Indigenous health and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives 

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

This is a fully remote role and candidate must be living in Saskatchewan (ideally in Saskatoon) and have access to a vehicle for occasional travel.

How you will make an impact every day

Development, implementation, and evaluation 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
• 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 events at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.
• Support preparation of reports to government when funding agreements conclude.

Build and strengthen provincial engagement of People with Lived Experience (PWLE) and caregivers.

• Work with teams to identify PWLE, care partners and health care providers to participate in media opportunities, meetings with government or elected officials or other public-facing advocacy initiatives.
• Explore and implement strategies that provide meaningful experiences for PWLE and caregivers.
• Engage with PWLE in local and national opportunities and maintain year-round meaningful connection.
• Track engagement with PWLE through existing database and prioritize stewardship and regular connection.
• Grow SK presence in online peer support communities, Community Connect e-newsletter, and virtual initiatives.
• Participate in internal working groups related to PWLE engagement.
• Provide resource navigation in response to email and phone queries.

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

• Support health systems change across the continuum of care related to heart and stroke conditions.
• Collect and analyze guidelines, statistics, survey results, etc. to assess current state, identify gaps and opportunities, inform decision making, and evaluate outcomes.
• Identify local and regional needs related to H&S goals and priorities.
• Maintain year-round connections and relationships with key stakeholder partners.
• Represent H&S 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 leadership and support to public awareness and education efforts in the area of promote health, save lives and enhance recovery

• Support FAST campaign initiatives and reporting.
• Together with Communications and Development teams, identify and act on opportunities to maximize reach of public awareness campaigns (ex: FAST).
• Identify and engage with PWLE and healthcare providers to support public awareness and media activities.
• Identifying and acting on opportunities to increase visibility of H&S in the province.
• Support the promotion of mission-related initiatives including Heart Month, Stroke Month, Heart Failure Awareness Week, etc.
• Engage with the research community to demonstrate the impact of H&S through funded research and to promote awards.

Support and engage vulnerable populations, particularly Indigenous individuals and engage with national diversity, equity and inclusion work.

• Support targeted initiatives in Saskatchewan to promote health equity in priority populations.
• Strategically engage with Indigenous organizations, communities, and leaders in SK.
• Strategically establish new partnerships to facilitate engagement and outreach within priority populations.
• Identify and act on opportunities to enact EDI policies and initiatives within SK.
• Advance FAST newcomer outreach in SK aligned with national strategy.

Who we need

Education

• University degree in a field related to policy, health, education, or business. A combination of education, skills and/or experience may be considered equivalent

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years or relevant experience (ex: in a health policy / systems related field or health care context).
• Experience working with people with lived experience.
• Experience with stakeholder engagement.
• Experience with developing resources.
• Experience with public speaking.
• Experience with program planning and evaluation is considered an asset.

Skills

• A high degree of independence, creativity, initiative, and accountability.
• Ability to lead / engage small and large groups to support mission activities.
• Comfort and ability working in a cross-functional team.
• Knowledge of government, health systems, and stakeholder relations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent critical thinking skills.
• High level of accuracy and excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent time management skills with ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities, priorities, and projects with minimal structure.
• Strong facilitation skills.
• Strong computer skills and comfort working in a virtual environment.
• Ability to synthesize, assess, and analyze large volumes of information.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strategic and tactical thinking with ability to understand multiple perspectives.
• Ability to be adaptable and flexible to changing environments and priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple files, problem solve, think outside the box, and find creative solutions.
• Maintains confidentiality and adheres to organizational policies and procedures.
• Working knowledge of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health and disease conditions preferred.
• A valid driver’s license is required.

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’ 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 September 13, 2024. Applicants must be currently residing in Canada and legally entitled to work in Canada.

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 ― we look forward to “virtually” 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.