Come work as a Regional Director, Public Health Surveillance Unit with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!

Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for a Regional Director, Public Health Surveillance Unit, to join the team.

The Regional Director is accountable to the Vice President (Public Health) and Chief Medical Health Officer for all matters relating to the operations of the Public Health Surveillance Unit (PHSU) with direct reporting to the Executive Director, Population Health. The PHSU is a source of health intelligence knowledge and capacity, to support the needs of regional, HSDA and LHA public health practitioners.

The Regional Director oversees the development, implementation and evaluation of the PHSU’s core functions of health assessment, disease surveillance, epidemiological investigations and knowledge transfer.  As a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Health Officer’s senior leadership team, the Regional Director provides expertise, guidance and decision-making in relation to these functions.

In collaboration and consultation with Medical Health Officers and other program Directors, the Regional Director works to establish best practice for monitoring disease trends and health indicators for the purpose of implementing effective prevention strategies for Vancouver Coastal Health communities.

In consultation with Medical Health Officers, the Regional Director also provides epidemiological guidance for public health investigations. For communicable disease outbreaks the PHSU provides a central co-ordination role, with the Regional Director being an integral part of the regional outbreak management team.

Key internal partnerships are with VCH Medical Health Officers, Public Health Nurses, Environmental Health Officers, Infection Control Practitioners, Population Health, Emergency Management, Health Planners, Population Continuums, Decision Support Services and others involved with public health delivery. Key external partnerships include colleagues involved with public health matters at other health authorities; municipal and NGO organizations; provincial, federal and international agencies; as well as academic institutions

Apply today to join our team!

As a Regional Director, Public Health Surveillance Unit with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Lead, direct and provide expertise in the development, implementation, sustainability and evaluation of regional surveillance activities for communicable and non-communicable diseases
• Recommend development, implementation and utilization of information and intelligence systems to underpin public health priorities and action across the region, leading to evidence based policy making
• Provide specialist expertise and advice on the interpretation of complex epidemiological and statistical information about the health of populations relevant to the prevention efforts of the health authority and key stakeholders
• Initiate and collaborate across a range of projects and programs that support public health practice in the health authority and linking with professional groups as required
• Provide leadership and guidance in outbreak response as an integral part of the regional outbreak management team.
• Act in an expert advisory capacity on epidemiological methods, standards and practice, across the spectrum of public health at regional, provincial, national, or international level.
• Provide guidance on data and information required to support health assessments and the production of the CMHO’s Annual Report
• Establish close working relations between the Unit and provincial/national/international bodies responsible for surveillance, as well as relevant organizations, networks and experts on areas of work related to the Unit’s mandate and the Office of the Chief Medical Health Officer.
• Contribute to the development of capacity and capability in public health through mentorship, teaching and training.
• Responsible for the supervision, line management, and career development of regional epidemiologists, public health information analysts, federally funded trainees, practicum students and administrative staff.
• Designated authorized signatory and budget holder for the PHSU cost center with accountability for planning, monitoring and managing annual budget.
• All other duties as required.

Education & Experience

• Current PhD in Epidemiology or related discipline. 
• Preference will be given to candidates with at least five years of recent professional experience in applied public health practice in the areas of health assessment, disease surveillance, outbreak investigations and knowledge transfer activities within a large community-based healthcare organization.

Knowledge & Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of a range of statistical and analytical epidemiological methods
• Proven experience in the analysis, interpretation and application of a variety of health data
• Maintains current knowledge of new developments, trends and research in public health surveillance and recommends best practices accordingly.
• Identifies new disease control issues and initiates projects to evaluate and control diseases of public health interest.
• Applies superior communication skills to collaborate and influence internal and external stakeholders, providing advice, guidance and education and ensuring compliance with standards, criteria and regulations.
• Demonstrates effective leadership skills and inspires a shared vision for the strategic development of health assessment and disease surveillance as a core public health function
• Fosters collaborative and effective working relationships that promote cooperative goal achievement and contribute to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
• Facilitates and negotiates for consensus and effective resolution of public health issues.
• A high level of tact and diplomacy is required and an ability to understand other cultures to enable effective working across organisational boundaries and influencing without authority
• Familiar with performance monitoring and reporting for core public health functions
• Uses a variety of software applications at an advanced level to develop databases, conduct analyses, prepare presentations and reports.
• Develop and implement an effective workforce plan in context of operational demands and environmental constraints.
• Provides knowledgeable input into the planning and development of the budget and monitors expenditures and makes recommendations for corrective remedial action as required.
• Ability to secure external funds for specific projects and collaborative work.

Shared Values

You Care for Everyone

• Compassionate, respectful, and committed to supporting others.
• Values diverse perspectives and fosters inclusive, relationship-based care and leadership.
• Recognizes and appreciates the contributions of others. 

You Are Always Learning

• Open-minded, curious, and committed to continuous learning and improvement.
• Encourages innovation, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Supports the growth and development of others through mentorship and leadership.

You Strive for Better Results

• Accountable, solution-focused, and committed to improving healthcare outcomes.
• Takes initiative and works collaboratively to address complex challenges.
• Actively seeks feedback and opportunities to strengthen performance, leadership, and impact.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on June 24th, 2026. 

As per Ministry of Health policy, all health care workers working in publicly-funded health care facilities are required to report their past receipt of certain vaccines or history of certain infections. Collecting these records will allow for offering of any missing vaccines, and for appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any future exposure to a communicable disease or during outbreaks. For all new hires and appointments to Vancouver Coastal Health, you will be asked to provide this information as part of the onboarding process.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Harleen Dastur-Randhawa, Manager, Executive Talent Acquisition at executivecareers@vch.ca.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?

VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research, and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health, and dental and municipal pension plan.
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities.
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families.
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers.
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff.

At Vancouver Coastal Health, our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices, diverse teams, and inclusive environments, which are integral to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported. We encourage applications from equity-deserving communities, including Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups, people with disabilities and people of all gender identities and expressions and sexual orientation.

Vancouver Coastal Health is proud to be recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and Canada's Top Employers for Young People in 2025.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting.

***Employees of VCH must apply online via the Internal Career Portal on CareerHub, you are currently viewing the External Career Portal. Refer to the https://my.vch.ca/working-here/job-postings site for instructions on how to view internal job postings and how to apply as an employee. Current VCH employees who apply to this posting using this external site will be considered as an external candidate. Seniority will not apply.***

Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.