Manager, Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Policy and Programs

Role Responsibilities

Are you ready for a role that shapes the future of Alberta’s mental health and addiction workforce through strategic leadership, collaboration, and evidence‑informed policy? The Manager, Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Policy and Programs provide strategic leadership for the development, implementation, and coordination of workforce policies, strategies, and initiatives that support Alberta’s mental health and addiction system. Reporting to the Director, Strategic Information, Research and Evaluation, this role leads and mentors a multidisciplinary team and works collaboratively with internal and external partners to advance ministry priorities and the Alberta Recovery Model.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing expert leadership and advice on regulated and unregulated mental health professions and their roles within Alberta’s mental health and addiction system.
• Leading the development and implementation of a province‑wide Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Plan, informed by evidence, stakeholder engagement, and system needs.
• Managing complex, innovative workforce projects and initiatives, including coordinating stakeholder engagement, negotiating deliverables, tracking progress, and ensuring alignment with provincial priorities and the Health Workforce Strategy.
• Developing policy options, recommendations, and briefing materials for senior and executive leadership related to workforce planning, legislation, and emerging system issues.
• Ensuring workforce policies, programs, and initiatives align with relevant legislation and regulations, including the Health Professions Act and labour mobility frameworks.
• Building and sustaining effective working relationships with internal ministry partners, provincial health agencies, regulatory colleges, service providers, employers, post‑secondary institutions, and other government ministries.
• Representing the ministry on interdepartmental, cross‑government, and external committees related to mental health and addiction workforce planning and policy.
• Overseeing research, jurisdictional scans, data analysis, and reporting to ensure the ministry has current, accurate information on workforce trends and issues.
• Managing consultants, contracts, and associated financial and budget resources, ensuring effective oversight, fiscal responsibility, and alignment with ministry and government requirements. 
• Supporting continuity of leadership by acting as Director, as required.
• Overseeing staff performance management, workload planning, mentoring, and professional development to support a high‑performing and accountable team.
  
  

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 context into planning: Plans for how current situation is affected by broader trends. Integrates issues, political environment and risks when considering possible actions. Supports organization vision and goals through strategy. Addresses behaviors that challenge progress
• Build Collaborative Environments: Collaborates across functional areas and proactively addresses conflict: Encourages broad thinking on projects and works to eliminate barriers to progress.  Facilitates communication and collaboration.  Anticipates and reduces conflict at the outset.  Credits others and gets talent recognized. Promotes collaboration and commitment
• Drive for Results: Works to remove barriers to outcomes, sticking to principles: Forecasts and proactively addresses project challenges.  Removes barriers to collaboration and achievement of outcomes.  Upholds principles and confronts problems directly.  Considers complex factors and aligning solutions with broader organization mission
• Agility: Proactively incorporates change into processes: Creates opportunities for improvement Is aware of and adapts to changing priorities.  Remains objective under pressure and supports others to manage their emotions.  Proactively explains impact of change on roles and integrates change in existing work.  Readily adapts plans and practices.

Qualifications

University degree in Public Administration, Business, Social Sciences, or related field with a minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible experience related to the role; or equivalent as described below.

Directly related education or experience may be considered on the basis of: 

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; 
• or 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.
  
  

Required Experience: 

• Experience related to health, mental health, or workforce policy and program development.
• Experience developing, implementing, and evaluating policies and strategic initiatives.
• Experience in health workforce planning or human resource-related policy and program work.
• Experience in program and project management, including leading complex initiatives with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience supervising or leading staff, including performance management, coaching, workload planning, and supporting employee development.
• Experience providing strategic analysis, policy advice, and briefing materials to senior leadership within a complex organization.
  
  

Assets: 

• Knowledge of Alberta’s mental health and addiction system, including the Alberta Recovery Model.
• Experience working with health professional regulatory colleges, health employers, service providers, or post‑secondary institutions.
• Experience in contract and financial management, including budget oversight or funding‑related responsibilities.
• Project Management certification.
• Experience supporting or leading large‑scale system transformation or change initiatives. 

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:

• 8:15 am to 4:30 pm
• 36.25 hours per week (full-time) Monday to Friday
  
  

Location: Commerce Place Building, 10155 - 102 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 4G8

Applicants are required to provide a cover letter summarizing information that clearly and concisely demonstrates their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies.

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. 
• 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.