Health and Safety Advisor

SWITCH BC is a collaborative organization that influences, invests in, and supports provincewide activities to improve occupational health and safety. Our organizational model, unique in Canada, brings together health employers, unions, physicians, the Ministry of Health, and WorkSafeBC on SWITCH BC’s Board of Directors to make consensus, strategic decisions. 

Our purpose is:  

• To promote safe and healthy workplaces throughout British Columbia’s healthcare sector; and; 

• To collaborate with unions, employers, and Doctors of BC to develop and pursue a provincial framework, systems and programs aimed at improving the health, safety, and wellbeing of B.C.’s health care workers.  

SWITCH BC is an inclusive organization, focused on advancing Indigenous cultural safety, anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our policies and practices. We are helping create an environment that addresses systemic barriers, biases and inequities that exist for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, racialized individuals, individuals with disabilities and complex health conditions, immigrants, 2SLGBTQQIA+, and other underrepresented groups. 

Role Summary

Reporting to the Director, Operations, the Health and Safety Advisor is the primary SWITCH BC supportive resource in the operational planning, development implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of an integrated, system-based approach for safety and prevention-related programs and services for community physicians throughout the health sector in British Columbia. The Advisor provides consultation and expertise in workplace health, safety, and wellbeing, and works collaboratively with community physicians and their staff to enable them to meet safety and prevention-related obligations and improve safety in their practices.  

The Advisor fosters consultative relationships, engages in proactive problem solving, and contributes to the overall strategic design and implementation of work processes that enable physicians and their staff to achieve their health, safety, and wellbeing outcomes. The Advisor liaises with professionals, in various organizations such as WorkSafeBC, Divisions of Family Practice, and Doctors of BC to utilize networks to maintain a pool of resources to meet program needs, while supporting compliance with provincial workplace requirements. The Advisor contributes to identifying related strategies including workflow improvement, system optimization, and knowledge transfer.   

Please note that this is a remote worker position (must reside in BC) and only candidates that live in BC will be interviewed. Frequent travel for in-person events and visiting community physician clinics within BC is required.

Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Provides leadership and expertise in the development of a comprehensive workplace health and safety program for community physicians, inclusive of OHS Regulations, best practices, policies, and services. 
2. Provides stewardship in the planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of comprehensive health and safety management systems. 
3. Supports community clinics with workplace incidents, accidents, and near-misses; identifies root causes and develops corrective action plans to prevent future occurrences. 
4. Supports a systems approach framework to build a culture of health and safety that extends beyond regulatory compliance. 
5. Develops and/or recommends tools and mechanisms to measure, monitor, and evaluate progress and education outcomes; provides support to those with operational accountability in the design and/or redesign of processes, systems, and tools. 
6. Develops and reports on health, safety, and prevention programing metrics to community physicians, oversight groups, and external partners. Monitors performance indicators of various safety and prevention programs and makes recommendations for remedial action to mitigate risk. 
7. Oversees regulatory compliance efforts of community physicians including investigations and responses to WorkSafeBC and other regulatory agencies in relation to orders and reports. 
8. Connects with senior leaders to ensure that operational plans are aligned with achieving workplace strategic priorities and are consistent with the philosophy, goals, and objectives of SWITCH BC. 
9. Stays informed of provincial health and safety legislation and regulatory changes (i.e. WorkSafeBC); identifies when updates are required for policies and procedures related to community physicians. 
10. Provides consultation, remotely and in person, to community clinics identified as high risk or in need of support. 
11. Represents the organization at external forums and committees related to workplace health and safety and establishes relationships with industry peers and regulatory bodies. 
12. Participates in change initiatives at SWITCH BC and with community physician offices by providing information, training on the CPHS web portal, feedback and offering ideas for improving work and team processes.  
13. Performs other related duties as assigned. 

Qualifications 

A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a master's degree in occupational health or relevant healthcare discipline with five (5) years of recent experience in developing and implementing occupational health and safety policies and strategies, change management, and quality improvement. Preference will be given to applicants with Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and/or Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST) certificates. Occupational health experience in multiple industries is an asset.  

• A solid understanding of the BC health system, specific to community physicians, occupational health, safety, and wellbeing within this system. 

• Knowledge of Canadian Safety Association (CSA) Standards for Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems and Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. 
• Demonstrated commitment to change management, quality improvement and excellence. 
• Ability to analyze complex issues and develop recommendations using facilitation and consensus building. 
• Clinical thinking and analytical skills including statistical analysis and evaluation methodology. 
• Ability to apply conflict management skills and judgement to facilitate consensus, persuade effectively, and to implement service change and transition. 
• Travelling within British Columbia to community physician clinics is required. 

Compensation and Benefits

In joining SWITCH BC, we are pleased to offer you a rewarding career. In recognition of your skills and experiences, and in alignment with our core values of building safe and healthy work environments, we are pleased to offer comprehensive benefits which includes, but is not limited to:  

• Competitive salary  
• Generous extended health benefits with no waiting period, long-term disability benefits, and Municipal Pension Plan 
• Paid vacation (20 days per year - prorated in first year) and sick leave allowances  
• Flexible work arrangements  
• Professional development and membership opportunities

As a key organization within the BC healthcare sector, we also encourage current health sector employees to ask about pension and benefits portability options, which may also be available. SWITCH BC is committed to be an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce.  

We recognize that there are a variety of experiences that contribute to the overall qualifications for each role. If you feel that you could excel in this position, but do not necessarily meet the formal requirements, we still encourage you to apply.   

We wish to thank all applications for their interest and effort in applying; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Job Type: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week

Posting type: This is a backfill position

Salary Range: $86,398 - $107,997 (Range 8) per year depending on experience

Typical Hiring Range: $86,398 - $102,597 per year depending on experience

The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidate’s relevant education and experience as well as internal equity, and would be in alignment with SWITCH BC’s compensation framework.

Please note that this is a remote worker position (must reside in BC) and only candidates that live in BC will be interviewed. Frequent travel for in-person events and visiting community physician clinics within BC is required.

Closing date: September 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM PST