Director, USask Continuing Pharmacy Education and medSask

Primary Purpose: The Director provides overall leadership to both the USask Continuing Pharmacy Education (USask CPE) and medSask units in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition. The Director is a value-added partner, delivering effective oversight to both units with priorities driven by requests and requirements.  The Director is a senior leadership role within the units, providing strategic planning, financial management, and leadership support. The Director also works with closely with College, University, regional and national leaders, and interested parties to develop and implement solutions that achieve common priorities and outcomes.

Nature of Work: USask CPE develops, implements, supports, and evaluates continuing education and continuing professional development opportunities for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and healthcare professionals. USask CPE collaborates on continuing education courses with other health organizations and partners nationally.

medSask is a non-profit organization that supports positive health outcomes in Saskatchewan residents by providing healthcare professionals and the general public with access to on-demand, accurate, evidence-based drug information. medSask staff contribute to undergraduate education at the University of Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, offer continuing education for healthcare professionals, and collaborate on drug-therapy projects with other health organizations and partners.

Under the direction of the Associate Dean Academic, the Director is responsible for providing strategic and administrative leadership for both USask CPE and medSask.  This role will work in partnership with various internal and external collaborators. This role will oversee the development and delivery of professional, curricular, instructional, continuing pharmacy education and ongoing medication information support for the public and healthcare professionals, with the ultimate goal of improving patient care in the province of Saskatchewan and beyond.

This position requires a high level of integrity, discretion and judgment, along with knowledge of the higher education teaching and learning practices, and a solid understanding of the current healthcare and practice environments. The Director must deal with emerging and unpredictable events in a sensitive and timely manner as well as lead a team of highly skilled professionals and collaborating faculty in this work. The position requires a commitment to an exceptional standard of service and continuous improvement.

The Director provides effective integrated financial strategies and initiatives, within cost recovery models, that support the unique objectives and operational requirements of both units. The Director is responsible for addressing complex financial matters, applying comprehensive financial management skills while ensure ongoing high-quality outputs, often during periods of change, high work volumes, and stringent deadlines. The Director will monitor and oversee all USask CPE and medSask projects through the planning, execution and closing phases for risk, quality, scope, and resources, including implementing quality improvement initiatives. The position will act as a key resource to both internal and external interested parties, building and maintaining effective relationships with individuals and groups at all levels of the organization across the province and country. The work is high volume and complex and decisions ranging from the mundane to the critical are required on a routine basis. A high level of concentration and the ability to deal with priorities is required for long-term planning and for dealing with multiple projects simultaneously. The role routinely sees the Director being required to deal effectively with difficult decisions and it is expected that the candidate will bring experience in this area.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities:

• Provides overall leadership for USask CPE and medSask based on the annual operational plan and budget
• Responsible for the overall effective financial performance of USask CPE, including ensuring development and delivery of an annual operating budget and attainment of planned deliverables within budget resources
• Ensuring the allocation of financial and human resources are managed responsibly and are aligned with institutional values, priorities, and unit/College goals
• Works to identify, develop and implement operational business plans, development and monitoring of key performance and accountability metrics and assist in the decision making of the units in terms of strategic mission and vision
• Participates in strategic planning ensuring that developed goals align with the University and College goals and contribute towards revenue enhancement, cost containment and maximizing outputs
• Responsible to develop and oversee publicity, promotion and communication strategies
• Provides leadership and supervision to all staff in the USask CPE and medSask units, including providing feedback, orientation, training, merit recommendations, disciplinary action and dismissals
• Plans, develops and implements strategies on employee learning, job training, professional development, performance and recognition, team building and succession planning
• Anticipates future challenges and proactively initiates, implements and supports new or modified approaches, practices and processes; champions change initiatives
• Enhances unit goals by implementing QI/QA initiatives
• Maintains a thorough understanding of accreditation and practice standards to ensure adherence in all day-to-day work
• Establishes and maintains effective internal controls, policies and procedures for finance, human resources, IT and infrastructure to ensure that the units’ day-to-day operational activities are efficient and effective and are aligned with approved strategic initiatives and budgetary allocations
• Establishes and maintains strong working relationships and communications with all key collaborators, including internal and external organizations
• Builds a management culture based on teamwork, open communication, prudent risk taking, innovation, mentoring and accountability
• Maintain professionalism in all interactions, being aware of the nature of the complex, multi-partner environment in which this position works

Qualifications

Education: A first professional degree in Pharmacy (Bachelor’s degree or PharmD), along with a minimum eight (8) years of progressive leadership experience with demonstrated excellence in leading people and of senior budget and finance management of a complex and diverse fund source organization such as an academic health sciences environment or post-secondary education environment.

Licenses:  The successful applicant must be licensed (or eligible to be licensed) to practice pharmacy in Saskatchewan 

Skills: Proven ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with team members from different areas of expertise, and with senior administrators and leaders across a variety of organizations and partners. Knowledge of accounting procedures and protocols, budget administration and financial forecasting, analysis, and reporting. Established capacity to think strategically with expertise in complex problem solving, decision making and critical thinking skills, and good judgement. Demonstrated ability to act with autonomy and discretion on matters within scope of authority, exercising a high degree of initiative and judgment on a wide range of issues. Demonstrated resiliency working in an environment of continuous change, shifting priorities and resources. The ability to influence outcomes and provide guidance to business decisions, and excellent analytical, problem solving and project management skills.  Must have experience working in and promoting a diverse and inclusive environment. Commitment to building a high-trust, professional community.

Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications and a high level of attention to detail are required.  Exceptional project and resource management skills with the ability to develop, monitor and evaluate multiple projects with multiple deliverables and deadlines.

Competencies: Competencies are attributes, behaviours, manner and style of how skills and knowledge are applied to the position. The competencies below are the desired attributes which support the University of Saskatchewan’s strategic directions and people values. 

Leadership / Vision
The demonstrated ability to build a shared, compelling and credible vision of the future, influencing people to ensure outcomes that support achieving the vision; a culture of leadership.

Support for Progress
The demonstrated ability to initiate, implement, and support innovation and institutional change and enhance programs and services.

Results Orientation
Focuses on results and completing objectives within the framework defined by the University’s plans and policies.

Personal Effectiveness
Demonstrates an ability to reflect, clarify and commit to what is important, take responsibility for growth and development, and contribute to positive and productive work and learning environments.

Communication
The demonstrated ability to convey information and ideas to individuals in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand, retain, and respond to the message.

Relationship Building
The demonstrated ability to develop the rapport necessary to build, maintain and/or strengthen partnerships and relationships inside and outside of the University.

Inquiries regarding this position can be directed to Charity Evans at charity.evans@usask.ca .   

Please note there is a strong internal candidate for this position.

Department: College of Pharmacy & Nutrition
Status: Permanent

Employment Group: Exempt

Shift: 8:30 – 4:30

Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0

Salary: The salary range, based on 1.0 FTE, is $88,740.00 – 148,665.00 per annum. The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Salary Phase/Band: Salary Band 4

Posted Date: 1/2/2024

Closing Date: 1/9/2024 at 6:00 pm CST
Number of Openings: 1
Work Location: On Campus

The successful applicant will be required to provide the following current verification(s) where ‘Yes’ is indicated below. Further information is available at: https://careers.usask.ca/tips-for-applying.php

Criminal Record Check: Not Applicable
Driver’s License and Abstract Check: Not Applicable
Education/Credential Verification: Not Applicable
Vulnerable Sector Check: Not Applicable

The University is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are proud to support career opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reflect the community we serve. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the deybwewin tendersglobal.net taapwaywin tendersglobal.net tapwewin: Indigenous Truth policy and Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation. The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.