Requisition number
203003E
Date posted
08/24/2026
Director, eMental Health and Special Projects, Provincial Crisis LinesBC Mental Health & Substance Use Services
Burnaby, BC
Reporting to the Senior Director, Digital Innovation & Capital Planning, BCMHSUS, the Director, Provincial Crisis Line Services provides senior leadership for the planning, delivery, and oversight of provincially coordinated 24/7 crisis line services and virtual health initiatives. The role is accountable for strategic direction, operational performance, service delivery agreements, technology and vendor oversight, and continuous quality improvement to ensure accessible, high-quality crisis response services across BC. The Director leads complex, high-impact initiatives involving multiple internal and external partners, including regional health authorities, contracted service providers, technology vendors, and the Ministry of Health. The role operates with a high degree of autonomy and is responsible for ensuring the quality, accessibility, sustainability, and risk management of provincially delivered crisis services within a highly visible and high-risk environment.
What you'll do - Provides strategic leadership for provincial crisis line services and virtual health initiatives, including establishing program direction, priorities, and performance expectations to support timely, equitable, and high-quality access to crisis response services across BC.
- Oversees the delivery of provincially coordinated, 24/7 crisis line services across contracted providers, ensuring service quality, performance monitoring, system coordination, and continuous improvement.
- Leads system planning and coordination with internal and external partners, including regional health authorities, PHSA programs, Indigenous partners, and the Ministry of Health, through formal governance structures and collaborative planning processes.
- Holds accountability for service delivery agreements with contracted crisis line providers and key technology vendors, including contract negotiation, renewals, procurement processes, vendor performance monitoring, and issue resolution.
- Develops, oversees, and manages program budgets within the context of operational demands, environmental and resource constraints, and emerging priorities; allocates resources and implements remedial strategies as required.
- Establishes and oversees policies, standards, procedures, performance indicators, and risk mitigation strategies governing provincial crisis line and virtual health services to ensure alignment with PHSA requirements and relevant external standards.
- Leads and directs staff, including performance improvement activities and assignment to initiatives and programs. Provides overall leadership and direction for the team using effective management techniques (e.g., coaching, mentoring, skill and leadership development, decision making, coalition building and performance management) that support the achievement of required outcomes.
- Exercises substantial independent judgment in complex, ambiguous, and high-profile environments, and represents PHSA in matters with significant operational, financial, reputational, and public interest implications.
What you bring Qualifications
- A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Master's Degree in Health Services Administration, Business Administration, or related Health Profession
- More than 10 years recent, related experience including at least two (2) years in a progressive leadership role.
- Extensive experience in facilitating and managing consultation processes with a wide range of stakeholders (including public, senior and middle management, physicians and staff, regional health authorities, and ministry staff and officials), managing strategic and operational projects and contract and budget development and oversight.
Core Competencies
- Brings an understanding of the Indigenous specific racism and the broader systemic racism that exists in the colonial health care structure, and has demonstrated leadership in breaking down barriers and ensuring an environment of belonging. Embed Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility into all aspects of work. This means creating an environment where Indigenous patients feel respected, valued, and understood. Foster trust through respectful communication, active listening, and honoring equity-deserving people's perspectives on health and wellness. Commit to ongoing education and training on Indigenous health issues, cultural safety, and DEI principles. Participate in workshops, cultural immersion experiences, and continuous professional development to stay informed and responsive to equity-deserving groups. Provide patient-centred care that respects Indigenous ways of knowing and healing, respects BIPOC experiences and world views ensuring that care plans are culturally relevant and holistic.
- Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).
Skills and Knowledge - Comprehensive knowledge of health care systems, crisis response services, virtual health delivery models, and relevant government procedures, standards, and requirements.
- Demonstrated expertise in service delivery agreement oversight, procurement processes, vendor negotiations, and performance management.
- Ability to provide leadership, guidance, and direction to others.
- Strong negotiation, interpersonal, and communication skills.
- Ability to use appropriate strategies to resolve conflict and build consensus between partners on critical issues.
- Ability to anticipate and respond to changing priorities or unforeseen opportunities. Ability to analyze and problem-solve complex issues toward creative solutions.
- Ability to organize and prioritize work and balance multiple activities concurrently while working effectively under time pressures to meet deadlines.
- Ability to productively use word processing, spreadsheet, database, and project management software.
- Experience and demonstrated ability to collaboratively lead a diverse team and manage staff in a complex, multi-partner environment.
- Comprehensive understanding of the complexity of service delivery of BCMHSUS and the provincial health system in British Columbia.
- Demonstrated commitment to on-going learning and professional development.
- Demonstrates a commitment to beginning and continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Shows willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.
- Demonstrates foundational knowledge of the social, economic, and political realities of settler-colonialism and its impacts on Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups within social and health contexts. Understands the impact of social determinants of health-on-health outcomes. Shows a commitment to learning about and upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments outlined in foundational documents such as the Truth & Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan, Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, the BC Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Data Act, and the Distinctions Based Approach.
What we bring Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That's why we're focused on your care too - offering health, wellness, development programs to support you - at work and at home.
- Join one of BC's largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations - offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
- Access to professional development opportunities through our 2,000+ in-house courses including a range of experience level, profession-specific, or other essential training on Indigenous Cultural Safety; Indigenous-specific anti-racism; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and accessibility, mental health and well-being, and more.
- Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
- Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
- PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
- Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.
Job Type: Regular, Full-Time
Wage: $118,923 - 170,951 per annum.
The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidate's relevant education and experience, and would be in alignment with the provincial compensation reference plan. Salary will be prorated accordingly for part time roles.
Location: 1795 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5C 6E3
Hours of Work: Monday - Friday; 0900 - 1700
Requisition # 203003E
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