Director, Indigenous Cultural Safety and Quality

Indigenous Health

Vancouver, BC

Pursuant to Section 42 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Indigenous Ancestry.

In accordance with the Purpose, Vision, Values and Coast Salish Teachings, and strategic directions of PHSA, safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates selected specialty and province-wide health care services across BC, working with the five geographic health authorities to deliver province-wide solutions that improve the health of British Columbians. PHSA embodies values that reflect a commitment to excellence.

Reporting to the Executive Director, Quality, Patient Safety & Experience, and matrix reporting to the Executive Director, Cultural Safety & Transformation, the Director, Indigenous Cultural Safety & Quality provides strategic leadership and strategic guidance with a focus on addressing and eliminating Indigenous specific racism. The Director works in partnership with leaders across PHSA to assist in the implementation, co-ordination, and evaluation of PHSA strategic plans and specific initiatives by providing Indigenous leadership on embedding Indigenous specific antiracism and Indigenous cultural safety into the organization in areas of quality, patient safety, and experience across PHSA.

What you’ll do

- Provide strategic leadership and accountability for the planning, alignment, actions, and evaluation of services within the portfolio to advance Indigenous cultural safety of patients/families and staff. Ensure consistency with various strategies and recommendations, including, but not limited to, PHSA’s overall strategic plan, B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, Truth and Reconciliation recommendations, PHSA Indigenous Health strategy, PHSA’s Integrated Quality & Safety Strategy, the First Nations Health Plan, the Tri-partite Health plan, and provincial mandates regarding Indigenous cultural safety and humility training.
- Develop and maintain key partnerships with relevant health agencies, educational facilities, and Indigenous communities and groups.
- Lead portfolio service development and planning activities through working groups and projects, and monitor the progress and outcomes achieved. Create, implement, and evaluate objectives, policies and procedures, and standards of cultural safety practice related to patient care in partnership with key partners across PHSA.
- Establish strong working relationships and partner internally with PHSA-wide Programs and Services to develop and operationalize strategies and plans to improve local and organizational systems and service delivery for Indigenous clients. Take a leadership role in developing, implementing, and evaluating the strategies such as policy, quality and human resources that support Indigenous cultural safety by promoting evidence-based best practice as well as Wise Practices grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
- Identify and pursue opportunities for supporting new activities and improvement initiatives.



Perform other related duties as required.

What you bring

Qualifications

- A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Master’s degree in a relevant health care profession and a minimum of seven (7) to ten (10) years of recent related progressive leadership experience, including five to seven (5-7) years of organizational change management experience and at least two (2) years in a managerial/leadership role; and if applicable, current registration / membership with a skilled college.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples in social and health contexts, including supported by significant knowledge of Indigenous-specific mandates, including clear understanding of and commitment to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination and embed Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility. Demonstrated knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism and systemic racism on Indigenous Peoples within social and health contexts, underpinned by significant expertise in Indigenous-specific mandates. This includes a clear understanding of and commitment to eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination. Additionally, it involves embedding Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility, and an advanced expertise and unwavering dedication to engaging with diversity, centering equity, and advancing inclusion (DEI).

- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments within Indigenous Health contexts found in the foundational documents including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, Anti-Racism Data Act, BC Human Rights Code - and how they intersect across the health care system.

Skills & Knowledge
- Demonstrated extensive knowledge of Canadian colonial impacts on Indigenous people in social and health contexts, supported by significant knowledge of Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
- Demonstrated extensive knowledge of social, economic, political, and historical realities impacting Indigenous communities and advanced knowledge of Indigenous Cultural Safety and anti-racism and accompanying reports (BC DRIPA, TRC, In Plain Sight etc.).
- Knowledge and appreciation of the unique history, cultures, and rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada; well-developed understanding of Indigenous Cultural Safety, white supremacy, and anti-Indigenous racism.
- Lived experience with Indigenous populations and demonstrated extensive knowledge of Indigenous health care needs, services, and issues as well as knowledge of culture,



protocols, traditions, and ideology of Indigenous people and organizations in British Columbia.
- Demonstrated relational skills, including effective facilitation skills and/or applying effective conflict negotiation/resolution skills, including Indigenous circle processes, and bringing in an Elder/Knowledge Keeper as necessary.
- Awareness of and commitment to learning and understanding the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight Report (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019) and Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls calls for justice, and how they intersect across the health care system.
- Demonstrated facilitative leadership skills, analytical and problem-solving skills, and a proven ability to foster a collaborative team approach to decision making. Considerable creativity and problem solving to manage direct and indirect opportunities.
- Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and projects.
- Exceptional communication, interpersonal and public relations skills.
- Proven ability to negotiate and mediate resolutions to complex situations.
- Ability to interact tactfully and effectively with staff at all organizational levels both internally and externally.
- Ability to establish courses of action for self and others that are results oriented.
- Demonstrated ability to relate effectively to a variety of people from diverse backgrounds.
- Pursuant to Section 42 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Indigenous Ancestry. We invite applicants to self-identify within a cover letter and/or resume.
- Demonstrated deep understanding of their personal learning/unlearning journey in relation to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Able to articulate and share this journey to motivate and inspire others enhancing a culture of learning/unlearning and self-reflection.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the social, economic, political realities of settler-colonialism and impacts on Indigenous peoples in social and health contexts as well as knowledge and understanding of, and commitment to upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments in the foundational documents: Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan, Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, and the Distinctions Based Approach.

Job Type: Regular Full-Time

Salary Range: $118,923 - $170,951/year. The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidate’s relevant education and experience, and would be in alignment with the provincial compensation reference plan. Salary will be prorated accordingly for part time roles.

Location: 1333 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 1G9

Closing date: Applications accepted until position is filled

Hours of Work: Monday - Friday 08:00-16:00

Requisition #: 202039E

📌 Director, Indigenous Cultural Safety & Quality (Vancouver)
🏢 Provincial Health Services Authority
📍 Vancouver