Commander, Healthy Workplace Bureau, Chief Psychologist

Are you passionate about impacting mental health and influencing a well-being culture shift in the lives of first responders? Are you up for grappling with the hard conversations across government and community partners around policing and psychological health amidst the spotlight of anti-black racism and COVID-19? If yes, consider this incredible opportunity in the newly created role of Commander, Healthy Workplace Bureau, Chief Psychologist with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

The Commander, Healthy Workplace Bureau, Chief Psychologist reports to the Deputy Commissioner, Field Operations Command, and is supported by a deputy director while leading operations and overseeing a diverse team of psychologists, social workers, mental health clinicians, and care navigators.

What impact will you have?

A registered psychologist in good standing, the future Commander of the Healthy Workplace Bureau, Chief Psychologist will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a culture of trust with a new team, and change the conversation about mental health and wellbeing throughout the OPP. Your leadership and decisions will transform the culture of first responders, creating a member-centred approach supporting psychological health across the organization.

What can I expect to do in this role?

The Commander, Health Workplace Bureau, Chief Psychologist will:

• Lead the implementation of recommendations from the Report of the Expert Panel on Police Officer Deaths by Suicide, the Findings and Recommendations in the Ontario Provincial Police Independent Review Panel Final Report, and the OPP Internal Mental Health Review, determining priorities and establishing accountability frameworks.
• Provide executive and strategic leadership and operational oversight for the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of diverse and member-centred policies, programs, frameworks, standards and guidelines for the delivery of employee psychological health and wellbeing services to all uniform and civilian OPP members across the province.
• Establish and nurture collaborative partnerships and relationships with other provincial ministries and the medical and policing communities while leading consultations and fostering consensus with stakeholders around health, wellbeing and effective delivery of mental health care and wellness programs and services to OPP members and their families.

How do I qualify?

Strategic and People Leadership

• You use creativity, innovation and flexibility to develop your cross-functional team, so they can optimally design and deliver a range of tailored, member-centric mental health services across the OPP.
• You are a strong, politically acute and collaborative leader whose impeccable ethical standards are critical in creating the trust required to transform the organization and ensure your expert advice is valued by the most senior levels of the OPP and government. You affirm, promote and demonstrate diversity, accessibility and inclusiveness values in all communications and actions.
• You provide direction and strategic planning and are accountable to government for identifying program resource requirements, allocating budgets for OPP health and wellness across the province, developing and overseeing programs to address the continuous improvement/modernization of policy and program strategies, frameworks, standards and guidelines to support OPP mental health and well-being priorities.

Change Management

• You are a courageous change agent who challenges the status quo and fosters an environment where people are encouraged to think creatively and their new and diverse ideas and approaches are heard, valued and considered for implementation.
• You make difficult choices, address present and future issues and concerns, and provide direction to shift strategic focus and activities in response to changing priorities. You can provide stability and managing and motivating staff within a transitional environment.
• You encourage the full participation of the bureau in creating the vision and mission, in the context of the larger OPP and ministry vision and use a broad range of communication strategies and methods to communicate this with enthusiasm and clarity, and to inspire confidence and generate commitment.

Relationship Building and Stakeholder Consultation

• You reach out to and engage with stakeholders, building and fostering strong working relationships and partnerships with colleagues within the OPP, the healthcare community, and in other ministries, policing organizations and jurisdictions, creating networks with the most senior levels to align and achieve objectives and leverage opportunities.
• You present complex issues with clarity to a wide variety of audiences, displaying sensitivity and awareness of current policing issues, promoting and facilitating open dialogue, and seeking common ground to identify optimal solutions in the creation of member-centred health and wellness strategies.
• You lead the OPP's response to complex and contentious issues related to the OPP's delivery of health and wellness objectives, mental health care and wellness programs and services for a population with complex mental health and wellbeing needs.

Technical Knowledge

• You must be a registered psychologist in good standing in order to qualify for this role; applicants that do not meet this criterion will not be considered.
• Experience working with first responders or the military and/or a background in organizational psychology is strongly desired.
• You have a proven track record of leading complex change management initiatives and providing effective stewardship of new health and wellness initiatives.
• This position requires an understanding of program management and is responsible for leading/directing the planning, development, delivery review, and evaluation of psychological health and wellbeing program planning and policies, processes, establishment of best practices, professional accountability, alignment and integration with strategic policy/program directions.

The position requires a Class G driver's license. Regular travel throughout the province and periodic overnights are required: a vehicle will be provided.

All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

Remember: The deadline to apply is Tuesday, September 8, 2020 11:59 pm EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.

We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted.