Manager, Complaint Services

In accordance with the Excellent Care for All Act, Patient Ombudsman is responsible for receiving, resolving and investigating complaints relating to Ontario's community care access center corporations, long-term care homes and public hospitals.

Join the team in the challenging role of Manager, Complaint Services for Patient Ombudsman (PO). Reporting to the Executive Director, the Manager will bring his/her vision, passion and creativity to this new organization. The Manager will have a successful track record in leading a complaint resolution and/or investigative team with experience putting systems and processes in place to ensure service excellence and customer focus. The Manager will have the ability to successfully motivate, empower and coach staff in addition to possessing the vision, insight and confidence necessary to oversee a dynamic, inter-professional team of investigators and early resolution specialists.

As the Manager, Complaint Services, you will work closely with the Executive Director to evolve the team's business processes, support the use of information and communications technology and invest in the development of staff. You will play a key role in establishing a workplace culture that is focused on service excellence, patient-centeredness, inter-professional collaboration and continuous improvement.

What can I expect to do in this role?

As a member of the PO's Leadership Team, the Manager, Complaint Services will:

• Be a strategic thinker and leader with experience building collaborative and productive relationships
• Have joint responsibility for short and long-term planning and monitoring day-to-day operations.
• Promote and support the concept of ombudsmanship through effective planning, decision making, and resource allocation.
• Ensure services and programs provided are effective, efficient, economical, and in an environmentally-sensitive manner.
• Promote the mission, vision and values of the PO.
• Guide the resources of the PO through effective policy setting.
• Ensure the efficient utilization of resources through ongoing audits/reviews and measurements.
• Promote the best interests of the PO, the Patient Ombudsman and all staff members.
• Participate in a variety of internal committees, task forces and working groups.
• Represent the PO at various external functions/activities.

As the Manager of Complaint Services Team, the Manager will:

• Cultivate a collaborative, learning and team-based culture through role modelling and encouraging others; support continuous learning and encourage innovation.
• Build and nurture an environment that supports staff to achieve business results, provide excellent customer service, effective decision-making, lead healthy lifestyles and maintain a safe workplace.
• Plan, organize, integrate and measure the work of the Team with a participative and collaborative management style.
• Provide training, coaching and development plans for staff, compatible with both PO and their personal goals, supporting a learning and collaborative environment and manage the performance and professional development cycle.
• Ensure the cost-effective and responsible management of the team's financial, material and human resources to achieve results.
• Coordinate and administer the team's budget.
• Develop and administer policies and procedures; maintain appropriate records.
• Maintain managerial capacity to meet changing requirements and demands for Complaint Services.
• Identify risks to the PO and take measures to mitigate the risk.
• Lead the team's work in a manner that ensures compliance with legislation and policies including, but not limited to, the Excellent Care for All Act, the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Employment Standards Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and our organizational policies.

Complaint Services Program:

• Responsible for overseeing the recording, tracking, monitoring and reporting of all casework associated with general enquiries, complaints including intake, early resolution, investigations and own motions.
• Ensure ongoing contact, as needed, with complainants, health sector organizations and other affected parties regarding investigations.
• Maintain and deliver a program of “best practices” in early/alternate dispute resolution.
• Dedicate/acquire resources sufficient to facilitate early resolution to complaints, conduct formal investigations and support Patient Ombudsman own-motion initiatives.
• Determine need for legal review of cases and/or need for external consultants (e.g., medical consultants)
• Consult with appropriate internal stakeholders on unique and/or challenging cases, along with those likely to cause controversy and which may come to the Patient Ombudsman's attention.
• Approve all investigated case dispositions in consultation with internal stakeholders, when appropriate, prior to the Patient Ombudsman's consideration.

Information Management (IM) Program:

• Develop, implement and maintain policies, procedures and guidelines to ensure the effective management and protection of PO information ensuring the confidentiality of personal information and personal health information.
• Maintain an awareness of industry trends and expertise to proactively identify new approaches to ensure the PO has an effective, efficient, and secure IM program.
• Identify new business processes and protocols required to support successful implementation and on-going delivery of new program requirements to ensure consistency with the IM Program.
• Manage IM communication and training programs, including education and awareness related to program changes.
• Identify new and emerging business and information management requirements in collaboration with internal stakeholders and technology vendors.

How do I qualify?

Education & Experience:

• Undergraduate degree in public administration, law, health administration or other related field of study, or an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.
• A minimum of 5 years' experience in leading a team of staff responsible for complaint handling, mediation and/or investigations in the public sector, preferably in the health care sector.
• Experience working in Ontario's health care system and thorough understanding of its stakeholders.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have held this type of role within the past three years and who have experience using and/or managing a case/complaint management systems (CMS).

Knowledge & Skills:

• Excellent leadership skills to develop, assess and guide staff to meet the goals of the organization and to meet operational objectives.
• Demonstrated experience applying progressive human resource management and financial management skills.
• Strong working knowledge of call handling, complaint resolution and investigative techniques.
• Strong organizational skills to manage day-to-day operations, set priorities, manage intake/caseload activities.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Strong analytical skills to assess information/data, identify gaps/process improvements, and implement solutions.
• Understanding of the Excellent Care for All Act and related legislation applicable to the work of the PO, including privacy legislation.
• Knowledge of Ontario's health care sector.
• Demonstrated understanding of administrative law and procedural fairness.
• Demonstrated training, experience and commitment to customer service and quality principles in service delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to identify risks and take appropriate steps to mitigate risks.
• Demonstrated ability to work with and respond effectively in a diverse population.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Proficient user of Microsoft Word, Power Point and Excel
• Demonstrated experience using case/complaint management systems (CMS) and other information management systems or databases.
• Experience with Workpro case and complaint management software a definite asset.
• Valid class G driver's license with demonstrated driving ability.
• Bilingual in English and French would be an asset.

Collection of Information

Your personal information is being collected and will be used to determine your qualifications for employment with the Ontario Public Service, and for recruitment modernization initiatives. OPS Careers is an authorized common service in accordance with s. 6 of the Ministry of Government Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.25 and this collection of personal information is necessary to the proper administration of OPS Careers.

Please do not provide more personal information than what is asked of you. For example, do not include your social insurance number, photograph, or banking information, etc. with your application. We strongly encourage you not to provide us with information beyond that which is requested in the job posting.

If you have any questions about the collection, use, disclosure, or retention of your personal information, please contact us.

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 26, 2017 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.