Public Health Planning Advisor

Job Summary

The Public Health Planning Advisor is responsible for providing expertise in the planning and implementation of evidence-informed public health interventions, which improve population health outcomes and advance health equity. The Public Health Planning Advisor will facilitate individual and group planning of public health programs. interventions and services, including situational assessments, evidence reviews and program logic models which align with Ontario’s Public Health Standards, the Region’s Strategic Business Plan and Public Health priorities. They will work to support agency-wide requirements within the Effective Public Health Practice Standard, specifically those related to research, knowledge exchange, planning and evidence-informed decision-making.

The Public Health Planning Advisor also leads and manages a team of professionals who foster community engagement and serve as knowledge brokers by synthesizing research evidence and supporting program planning and development to improve population health and advance health equity.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Facilitate individual and group planning of health unit programs and interventions, including program logic models, situational assessments, environmental scans and evidence reviews.
• Supervise and support Planning and Knowledge Brokers, setting clear priorities, providing guidance and coaching, and ensuring high quality deliverables. 
• Support program teams in selecting and implementing appropriate community engagement methods and tools to reach specific partners, community groups, or populations, including First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Urban Indigenous (FNIMUI) communities, Black communities, and other identified priority populations. 
• Advise or undertake the development of strategic research review.
• Provide Public Health’s Senior Leadership Team with strategic and evidence-informed advice to form strategic plans and public health priorities.
• Implement change management principles and methods with teams as part of the program planning process.
• Develop and provide project management tools and templates to planning teams to support the timely execution of planning projects.
• Oversee the continuous improvement of the department’s public health program planning framework, methods, tools and templates.
• Collaborate with Epidemiologists, the Senior Program Evaluator, Public Health Quality & Accountability Specialist and other specialist staff as part of a division that supports program planning and evaluation, knowledge translation and continuous quality improvement.
• Remain well-informed of current issues and emerging methodologies in public health EIDM, healthy equity, community engagement and program planning by reviewing research literature, maintaining a network of contacts and participating in professional development opportunities.
• Assist in ensuring that the Health Department is meeting the Ontario Public Health Standards, specifically the Foundational Standard on Effective Public Health Practice.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills & Qualifications

Essential

• A Master’s degree in Public Health, Program Planning, Evaluation or a similar discipline.
• Three (3) years’ experience working in a planning or evaluation role, preferably within a local public health unit.
• Demonstrated experience in program planning, community assessment, and advancing health equity.
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff and managing cross-functional teams
• Expert understanding of the theories and principles of program planning and familiarity with relevant methods and tools (e.g. situational assessment, logic models) is required, as is an ability to interpret and synthesize relevant research evidence.
• Appreciate the relevance of public health program planning in effective public health practice and the promotion of health equity.
• Experience training and coaching management and staff in the steps of evidence-informed decision making is required.
• Strong interpersonal skills, facilitation skills, political acuity, and diplomacy.
• Flexible and adaptable, able to work in a self-directed manner and manage competing deadlines.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Shows initiative and successfully executes on initiatives and emerging issues.

Additional Skills and Qualifications

Preferred

• Completion of McMaster University’s continuing professional development course “Evidence-Informed Public Health” to have knowledge of the seven steps of EIDM in public health.
• Certificate/training in change management theories and approaches.
• Certificate/training in Lean Six Sigma to support teams in identifying when a continuous quality improvement project is required to improve performance.
• Project management experience.
• Knowledge of health promotion theory and approaches, including knowledge about health equity (e.g., Health Equity Impact Assessment). 
• Knowledge of the Ontario Public Health Standards and protocols and Regional Strategic Business Plan.

Working/ Employment Conditions

Working Conditions

• Travel within Halton Region is required to meet with staff or stakeholders at other Regional offices or other off-site locations. The incumbent must provide their own transportation. The incumbent will be required to provide a copy of their driver’s license by their first day of employment.

Employment Conditions

• The successful candidate will be made an offer of employment on condition that the Regional Municipality of Halton receives a current (obtained within the past six (6) months), original and acceptable Criminal Records Check, by the first day of employment.