Job Summary

Job Title:

Program Medical Director, Mental Health and Substance Use

Work Site:

Vancouver Community

Start Date:

June 1, 2026

The MHSU Medical Director for Vancouver Community (VC) will play a pivotal role in providing leadership and oversight within the Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) continuum of care. Working in close partnership with the other MHSU Medical Director, Psychiatry Department Head, and VC Operations Director colleagues, the incumbent will operate within a functional dyad structure to ensure effective coordination and leadership across all respective VC services and teams and their associated medical staff.

Key Accountabilities

The MHSU Medical Director, VC will:

1. Medical Leadership & Governance

• Provide medical leadership for assigned VC MHSU clinical portfolios, ensuring high-quality, safe, evidence-informed care.
• Support effective medical staff engagement, communication, and alignment with program priorities.

1. Service Integration & System Improvement

• Advance integration priorities aligned with VC MHSU strategy and cross-partner collaboration.
• Lead Medical Staff through system redesign initiatives and practice changes
• Contribute to designing/refreshing VC service overviews and operating models to support clarity of services and referral pathways.

1. Clinical Operations Partnership

• Work in dyad/triad partnership with operational leaders to identify issues, set priorities, and deliver improvements across patient flow, access, and care transitions.

1. Transitions, Escalation & Pathways

• Provide medical input to transition and escalation frameworks, including clarifying roles/responsibilities and strengthening escalation processes across partners.

1. Policy, Standards & Medical Advisory Support

• Contribute medical leadership to policy development/prep work that supports safe, consistent operations (e.g., leave-related policy readiness).

1. Quality, Safety, and Professional Practice

• Champion continuous quality improvement, risk mitigation, and patient safety practices within the portfolio.
• Promote culturally safe, trauma-informed, and equity-oriented care approaches consistent with VCH values.

Reporting Protocol:

This Medical Director role shall report to the Senior Medical Director, Vancouver Community.

Qualifications

Education, Licensing, & Experience:

Required

• RCPSC certified in Psychiatry (or equivalent) and eligible for licensure in BC.
• Canadian Medical Protective Association membership (CMPA)-Mandatory
• Demonstrated leadership experience in complex health systems, including quality/safety and change management.

Interested in applying? Feel free to reach out to Ben Murphy, Medical Staff Talent Acquisition Advisor: [redacted] or click "Apply Now."

Please note that a resume and cover letter are required to apply for this position.

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.