Senior Director, Nursing Practice & Advocacy, Ontario Nurses Association

ONA is seeking to hire a Senior Director, Nursing Practice and Advocacy to join the Senior Leadership Team and work out of the Toronto office. A newly created role, this Senior Director will support the development and oversee the implementation of government relations strategies including advocacy with external stakeholders, and direct the teams that protect the professional practice standards of our Members related to workloads, complaints before their regulatory college or other nursing related matters.

A conceptual thinker with political acuity, s/he can thrive, influence and drive towards implementation in a challenging environment. Most importantly, this Senior Director will be a leader in RN and Professional advocacy supporting the President, the Board and the CEO/CAO at government and stakeholder meetings, in the preparation of briefs and on sub-committees. The Senior Director will have an appreciation for the role of the Labour Movement in societal change and the importance of the Union as the guardian of worker rights and well-being.


This is what else you can expect from this dynamic role:

  • As part of the Senior Team, strengthen ONA’s voice as a strategic partner in health care so that advice is sought at the forefront of policy and legislative development.
  • Direct Government Relations Staff in supporting the President, the Board and the CEO/CAO in advancing ONA’s government strategies, political action and communication to engage the Members and the public as appropriate.
  • Design, develop and measure effectiveness of government advancement strategies, public relations and lobbying strategies against strategic and organizational goals and priorities.
  • Seek opportunities to partner with external stakeholders and labour organizations around issues; help establish strategic relations with related agencies where there is similar or overlapping policy framework, mandate and program focus with ONA.
  • Oversee the development of a proactive strategy for advancing professional practice issues with the Ministries of Health & Long Term Care (MOHLTC) and Labour, the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario, the Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO), the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), the regulatory bodies that govern other professional health workers as well as related governmental bodies and stakeholder groups.
  • Play a key leadership role in interpreting, evaluating and advocating for Members with respect to regulatory Colleges’ standards of practice.
  • Provide guidance, strategic forward thinking, advice, and development opportunities for the Professional Practice, Health & Safety and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Teams.
  • Support the development and oversee the implementation of strategic priorities for Health & Safety in ONA workplaces and Ontario in general including ONA’s lobbying efforts of the Minister of Labour and WSIB directly about policies and practices.
  • Maintain current knowledge of the trends and issues within the Legal Expense Assistance Plan (LEAP) and provide guidance to the team in safe-guarding the ability of Members to practice.
  • Oversee complex practice issues and provides strategic advice and mentorship to leaders and other stakeholders.

 

What we are looking for:

  • A Registered Nurse (RN) designation is required with a minimum of ten (10) years of nursing experience and a minimum of five (5) years of leadership experience.
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Master of Science in Nursing is preferred (or equivalent combination of education and experience satisfactory to ONA may be considered).
  • Experience developing and managing relationships with government decision makers.
  • In-depth knowledge of effective strategic planning, research, policy processes and evaluation techniques and proven ability to lead change and find creative solutions.
  • In-depth knowledge of the nursing profession and communications.
  • Proven strategic thinker with the ability to develop a comprehensive, strategy for each area of responsibility.
  • Collaborates effectively with the President, the Board and the CEO/CAO, Senior Management Team and Staff; reflects ONA’s high standards in all its relationships both internally and externally.
  • Ability to collaborate in strategic discussions, articulate view points and actively support decisions made as a cohesive team including developing communication plans and identifying and resolving conflicting messages or demands.
  • Intuitive ability to deal with potentially shifting priorities; able to prioritize and act quickly and with confidence in the moment.
  • Innovative, resourceful, collaborative; demonstrated excellent conflict resolution skills, both as a facilitator and mediator.
  • Effective people management skills with the ability to effectively lead and drive change.
  • A leader in setting and fostering Union values through modeling and stewardship; active in identifying risks and opportunities related to ONA achieving its goals and mandate.
  • Excellent communication skills as a presenter, and influencer.


To request a copy of the position profile that outlines in more detail the mandate and key responsibilities, and ideal candidate sought, please contact Lindsay Millard, Senior Consultant at Amrop Knightsbridge, at lmillard@amropknightsbridge.com or 1 416 928 4573. If this opportunity is of interest, please submit to Lindsay your resume along with an expression of interest for consideration.


The Ontario Nurses’ Association is committed to employment and pay equity within its staff.  Applications are encouraged from equity groups including individuals of Aboriginal descent, racialized individuals, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ persons.  We also provide accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (`AODA’). If you require accommodation for a disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please notify Human Resources at HumanResources@ona.org.