Health Emergency Management (HEM) Specialist, Health Authorities
HEMBC LM West
Langley, BC
In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of Provincial Health Services Authority, patient safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA, and as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.
Reporting to a Director or Manager, Health Emergency Management BC (HEMBC), the Specialist provides advice and guidance to health authority leadership, management and staff on emergency management for an assigned geographic or program portfolio. The Specialist works closely with health authority leadership, advising on emergency management matters and leads operations during emergency events. The Specialist consults with a range of internal and external partners, including partners from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), local governments, Indigenous communities, and First Nations Health Authority to ensure appropriate integration of HEMBC planning activities with similar activities across the provincial healthcare system. The Specialist contributes to the development of the budget, and the strategic priorities for the assigned area of responsibility, as well as for the regional and provincial health emergency management portfolio. The Specialist develops, recommends, and implements integrated emergency management plans; leads site/sector emergency plans ensuring alignment with corporate and provincial plans and ensures alignment with established policies and procedures. Organizes exercise programs, education, training and responses to emergencies for the assigned area.
What you’ll do
- Provide advice and guidance to health authority leadership, ensuring that emergency management principles are central to decision-making and to minimize the impact of emergencies on the health system. Make recommendations to HEMBC’s leadership team on ways to improve emergency management in the health system.
- Lead response during emergency events, including providing subject matter expertise and decision support to leadership. Manage and guide teams, including providing guidance, direction, and support for the purpose of limiting impacts of emergencies on health authority operations. Advise health authorities when to activate/deactivate Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs). Lead debrief and after-action review processes following emergency exercises and responses.
- Lead and/or project manages multi-partner/cross sector projects specific to the development, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of emergency management plans, based on accreditation and international standards and best practices for the assigned geographic or program portfolio as a single point of contact for the assigned area; identify and recommend activities and resources to support continuous improvement in emergency management.
- Work with health authority leadership within a specific health authority portfolio in addition to relevant external organizations, including local governments, government ministries, and non-governmental organizations (NGSs) to establish work plans and lead portfolio specific projects, within the parameters set by their leader and HEMBC’s Senior Leadership Team. Set the direction of the work plans by performing duties such as establishing a portfolio specific committee and negotiating consensus on the priorities and deliverables of the program. Negotiate with health authority leadership to determine goals, objectives, and deliverables.
- Work in collaboration with a variety of health authority programs to determine emergency management strategies; support plan development, implementation and maintenance to ensure continuity, consistency and standardization of strategies across the region and province.
- Represent HEMBC and health authorities on committees with a wide variety of health sector and external partners, at the executive, regional, and local levels. Support emergency management communication linkages across / between sites and programs, between health authorities, with the Ministry of Health, and with external (non-health) partners as the emergency management liaison.
- Lead planning efforts based on current, emerging, and urgent risks, to support mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
- Develop and provide emergency management education and training sessions through methods such as reviewing current plans and identifying gaps; revise current educational/training materials and develop new/changed processes to deliver training/educational materials; maintain and deliver an ongoing and regular plan for exercising and the testing of applicable health emergency plans to measure plan effectiveness and to identify mitigation, planning response and recovery needs to improve outcomes.
- Provide guidance, advice and support for emergency facilities and equipment, which may include guidelines, training, and testing, including guidance and support on how to design and maintain specialized equipment.
- Develop and maintain emergency management manuals and documentation. Produce written documentation, including briefing notes, presentations, and after-action reviews, and implements systems to organize and keep track of information, work requests or progress. Works with key partners to develop integrated information and reporting systems to support health emergency management incident reporting.
- Assist with the development and management of the portfolio’s budget, to ensure expenditures fall within budgetary guidelines. Lead the development of project proposals, including developing and managing project budgets.
- Provide coaching and mentoring to staff on emergency management protocols, and support growth through feedback, instruction and encouragement.
- Perform other related duties as assigned
What you bring
Qualifications
- A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in emergency management, the social sciences, geography, business administration and/or a related field and five (5) years’ recent related experience in a large institutional or campus environment, including two (2) years’ experience managing business continuity and/or emergency management programs in a large complex multi-site environment.
- 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.
- Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism and systemic racism on Indigenous Peoples within social and health contexts. This includes understanding how these factors contribute to current health disparities and barriers to care. Show a clear commitment to identifying, challenging, and eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and all forms of discrimination impacting equity-deserving groups within health care settings. This involves familiarity and understanding Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility recognizing personal biases, institutional barriers, engaging in anti-racism education and training and advocating for systemic change.
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments within HEMBC Initiative 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 - BC Human Rights Code, BC Anti-racism Act and how they intersect across the health care system.
Core Competencies
- Brings an understanding of the Indigenous specific racism and the broader systemic racism that exists in the colonial health care structure, and has demonstrated initiatives in breaking down barriers and ensuring a safe environment ensuring a sense of belonging to all and informed by Indigenous Cultural Safety.
- Awareness of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (the Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).
Skills & Knowledge
- Demonstrated knowledge of emergency management and business continuity issues in a healthcare setting.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the standards, systems and response agencies related to emergency management.
- Knowledge of, and ability to support the use of complex communication systems during a disaster.
- Excellent interpersonal and negotiations skills including the ability to present to a wide range of individuals, groups and partners.
- Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external partners. Ability to develop and deliver training, education programs and/or workshops.
- Ability to work independently, exercise judgment to resolve problems/issues, contribute as a member of a team. Ability to organize and prioritize work, and adapt to changing program and health authority needs.
- Demonstrated ability to be flexibility in adapting to and working with a variety of situations, individuals and groups and respond to changing organizational priorities.
- Demonstrates a commitment to learning and self-development; partaking in professional development opportunities and acquiring new knowledge and skills.
- Demonstrates a commitment to beginning and/or continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Shows willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.
- Demonstrates foundational knowledge of the social, economic, and political realities of settler-colonialism and its impacts on Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups within social and health contexts. Understands the impact of social determinants of health-on-health outcomes. Shows a commitment to learning about and upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments outlined in foundational documents such as the 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, the BC Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Data Act, and the Distinctions Based Approach.
What we bring
Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.
- Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
- Access to professional development opportunities through our in-house training programs, including +2,000 courses, such as our San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training course, or Core Linx for Leadership roles.
- Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
- Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
- PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
- Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.
Job Type: Regular Full-Time
Salary Range: $90,770 - $130,481 /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: 8521 - 198A Street, Langley, BC V2Y 0A1
Closing date: Applications accepted until position is filled
Hours of Work: 08:00-16:00 (Monday to Friday)
Requisition #: 202072E
What we do
The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Create equity – Be courageous.
Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services
PHSA is committed to anti-racism and equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently excluded groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.
One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at [email protected].
Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including the 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.
Attention current employees of PHSA:
You must apply via your internal profile at http://internaljobs.phsa.ca.
The internal job posting expires on August 4, 2026 and will no longer be accessible. If the internal job posting has expired, please e-mail [email protected] with the six-digit job requisition number and your PHSA employee ID number to be considered as a late internal applicant. Please do not apply for the external job posting.
If you have not yet set up an internal profile, please e-mail [email protected] with your PHSA employee ID number to obtain your temporary password. Our business hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, excluding Statutory Holidays and a Help Desk Representative will respond to you with 1-2 business days.
If you are not a current employee of PHSA and require assistance with your application, please contact the External Careers team at [email protected].
