Director, Policy and Integration

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Executive Director of the Integrated Helth Services Planning Branch, the Director of Policy and Integration provides strategic leadership for integrated health system planning functions across the government. This role leads the development, implementation, and evaluation of complex, integrated planning initiatives aligned with government legislation, policy direction, and government priorities. A key part of the position is fostering strong relationships and maintaining effective communication with partners and stakeholders across the health system.

As the Director of Policy and Integration, you will:

•    Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of integrated health system strategy and planning initiatives, ensuring alignment with legislation, evidence, and Ministry priorities.
•    Oversee projects and funding that enable community‑driven health initiatives and support alignment with government priorities and system and service planning objectives.
•    Provide evidence -based, strategic advice to senior leadership, reviewing issues papers, Cabinet materials, briefings, and recommendations.
•    Lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for research, policy analysis, system planning, stakeholder engagement, and project implementation.
•    Direct complex, cross-divisional, cross-ministry, and intergovernmental projects, including setting strategic direction, managing resources, and ensuring rigorous consultation, research, and evaluation processes.
•    Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, negotiating support for priority initiatives and representing the Ministry at Key meetings and engagements.
•    Oversee operational planning and reporting for the branch, ensuring alignment with government priorities, business plans, and accountability requirements.
•    Lead proactive issues management, providing clear, strategic guidance on emerging system planning issues and recommending actions to executive leadership.
•    Champion effective leadership and people management, including coaching, performance management, workforce planning, and fostering a positive collaborative team environment.

Role Responsibilities continued

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:
•    Expertise in leading multidisciplinary teams and a strong understanding of health system and service planning and operations.
•    Proven track record managing complex, multi stakeholder issues, such as coordinating cross ministry initiatives or leading responses to politically sensitive matters with clear outcomes.
•    Ability to lead a team in a collaborative and integrated approach to achieving goals.
•    Operational leadership experience, such as supervising staff, managing office workflows, improving administrative processes, or overseeing budgets and resource planning.
•    Deep understanding of provincial government and provincial health authority structure and decision-making, legislative frameworks, accountability processes and policy development mechanisms, and
•    Strong interpersonal and communication skills to build and maintain effective relationships with key partners.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Systems Thinking:
•    Integrates broader system trends, political context, and risks into planning and decisions.
•    Anticipates long‑term implications of current issues and aligns work with government priorities.
•    Ensures system planning reflects the wider health system environment and organizational vision.
•    Identifies and addresses barriers that may hinder progress.

Creative Problem Solving:
•    Breaks down complex problems using a range of analytical and creative techniques.
•    Encourages open thinking and collaboration to generate innovative solutions.
•    Brings the right people together to resolve issues without clear precedent.
•    Applies sound judgment and consultation to develop strong, practical solutions.

Agility:
•    Operates effectively in a rapidly changing environment, including during health system restructuring.
•    Incorporates new directions into planning and adjusts priorities as needed.
•    Remains objective under pressure and supports others through change.
•    Identifies and resolves project issues early to maintain momentum.

Develop Networks:
•    Builds strong, effective relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
•    Ensures multiple perspectives are heard and represented in planning and decisions.
•    Uses negotiation and conflict‑resolution skills to secure cooperation and consensus.
•    Supports cross‑ministry initiatives and collaborates with executive leadership.

Drive for Results:
•    Anticipates challenges, removes barriers, and ensures outcomes align with organizational goals.
•    Uses analytical and risk‑management skills to assess the health system and inform recommendations.
•    Confronts problems directly and maintains focus on achieving measurable results.
•    Aligns solutions with complex system factors and government priorities.

Qualifications

A university degree ( Public Administration or Medicine) or a related field and a minimum of six years progressively responsible experience. 

Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis:
•    1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or
•    1 year of experience for 1 year of education

Experience:
•    Strong understanding of legislation related to the delivery of health services in Alberta, as well as broader constitutional and legislative matters.
•    Knowledge of health-care infrastructure,, operations, and system delivery models, including best-practive standards.
•    Understanding of health system planning, standards development, performance measurement, and policy analysis.

Assets:
•    Ability to foster positive partnerships and collaborative working relationships scross divisions, departments, and external organizations.
•    Ability to handle highly complex or sensitive issues with professionalism and discretion.
•    Ability to summarize complex information into clear, actionable recommendations for senior and executive leaders. 
•    Ability to coach and develop staff, contributing to a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and strategic thinking.  

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Hours of work are 8:15 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday. This is a temporary full-time position working 36.25 hours per week in office in Edmonton or Calgary.

•    Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.
•    Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

•    Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
•    Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
•    Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) - https://www.mepp.ca.
•    Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
•    Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
•    Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
•    Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
•    Leadership and mentorship programs.