Program Director

Help shape the future of healthcare in Alberta! Alberta Health Services (AHS) is seeking an experienced executive operations leader for the role of Program Director for its Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO) Office. As Program Director, you’ll help guide AHS’s planning and strategic direction, offering expert advice in operational excellence. Your systems thinking and ability to analyze trends, anticipate challenges, and seize opportunities will be key. Acting as a primary liaison for the CEO’s office, you’ll provide insight into provincial operations and lead the development and evaluation of processes, procedures, and policies that drive organizational success. Politically astute and coalition-savvy, you know how to build partnerships that advance strategic goals. This is a pivotal time to join AHS as we reimagine and refocus healthcare delivery. As a provincial role, the position’s location is negotiable within Alberta-giving you flexibility to design your ideal lifestyle. In a refocused healthcare system, AHS plays an integral role in delivering high-quality acute care services to more than 4.5 million people living in Alberta, as well as occasionally to some residents of other provinces and territories. We are a nation-leading hospital-based service provider operating 106 facilities across the province and we are dedicated to excellence in patient care. Showcase your leadership skills at AHS, where we strive to foster an environment where patients, clients, and staff feel safe, healthy, valued, and supported.

The Program Director for the CEO’s Office supports AHS’s planning and strategic direction by providing expert advice on operational planning, risk, compliance, and performance. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Program Director provides support and recommendations for opportunities and challenges associated with business and operational planning, policy, and program development. In this role, the Program Director offers insight, high-level analysis, and guidance to the executive team on behalf of the CEO’s office, identifying trends, challenges, and opportunities. This includes coordinating and leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of projects, policies, and initiatives that reflect evolving business needs and best practices. You will oversee issues management and ensure effective coordination of provincial and organization-wide communications. As a trusted liaison between the CEO’s office and operational areas, you’ll provide strategic insight and alignment across the organization. A key member of the leadership team, you’ll act as a liaison for the CEO’s office and foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government, regulatory bodies, public agencies, and industry partners. The Program Director will also lead a team of executive support professionals within the CEO’s office, promoting a high-performance, collaborative culture.

The successful candidate will have a degree in health administration, public administration, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience. They will possess a minimum of 7 years of experience in senior administrative, leadership, or Chief of Staff role, preferably within healthcare, continuing care, government, or a complex public sector environment. Additionally, the individual will have a proven track record in issues management, executive support, resource stewardship, and operational integration across diverse organizational functions.

The successful individual has strategic vision and possesses expertise in building and managing teams, systems, processes, and structures. Exceptional organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills are also required. Dedicated to achieving measurable outcomes and delivering value to stakeholders and is proficient in project management and office software. Demonstrated ability to implement processes, lead changes and foster resilience in dynamic, fast-paced, and rapidly evolving environments. In addition to being skilled in building collaborative relationships with internal and external partners, the individual inspires and engages teams to reach organizational goals. The ideal candidate demonstrates clear, concise, and effective verbal and written communication skills tailored to diverse audiences. Along with their ability to manage confidential matters, the successful candidate demonstrates political acuity and recognizes and appropriately responds to the political context in decision-making.

Familiarity with the unique challenges and opportunities associated with Alberta’s/Canada’s health care system. Demonstrated success in managing and leading personnel and projects within a growing, dynamic, and complex health agency is highly desirable.