Assistant Health Care Manager

Ontario Public Service Leadership | Leadership dans la fonction publique de l’Ontario; Northwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Northern Attraction Incentive Program

Job summary

A government health service in Northwestern Ontario is looking for an Assistant Health Care Manager to lead daily clinical operations in a correctional environment. This role demands strong leadership skills and clinical expertise to mentor staff and ensure quality healthcare delivery while navigating challenges in a secure setting. Candidates must be registered nurses with exceptional communication abilities and operational management experience, offering a unique opportunity to impact the health system positively.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• Strong leadership and management skills in nursing context.
• Excellent communication with multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate daily clinical operations.
• Provide people-centred leadership and mentorship.
• Support staffing and recruitment efforts.
• Promote quality, safety, and compliance with standards.
• Coordinate resources and partnerships in care delivery.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Clinical decision-making

Operational management

Education

Registered Nurse certification

Tools

Microsoft 365

Electronic health records

Job description

Step into a leadership role where your actions directly support safe, high‑quality care in a complex and ever‑changing correctional health environment. As an Assistant Health Care Manager, you’ll work collaboratively with the Health Care Manager to coordinate key clinic functions, support primary care and psychiatry services, oversee nursing staff and ensure the timely ordering of medical supplies and medications. You’ll play a hands‑on role in operationalizing and advancing the electronic medical record system, liaising with Infection Prevention and Control partners, and supporting occupational health initiatives—requiring adaptability, sound judgment, and strong clinical awareness as you help address the unique physical and mental health needs of patients in an institutional setting.

This role is well suited to a people‑centred leader who leads through influence, service, and trust. You’ll inspire and empower staff, support recruitment and retention efforts, and foster a respectful, inclusive workplace grounded in collaboration and psychological safety. With a growth mindset and a commitment to excellence, you’ll balance accountability with empathy, bringing strong organizational and analytical skills to guide decision‑making and day‑to‑day operations. For leaders who value mentorship, continuous learning, and the opportunity to shape team culture during a period of meaningful change, this role offers a rewarding next step with real impact—for patients, staff, and the broader health care system.

Northern Attraction Incentive Program (NAIP)

This position qualifies for the Northern Attraction Incentive Program (NAIP). NAIP is a pilot recruitment program that offers financial incentives to new hires in specific positions in designated institutions and probation and parole offices in Northern Ontario. This includes both external candidates to the Ontario Public Service and existing employees who agree to work for a term of three years.

All applicants will receive more information on the program once the job advertisement closes. If you would like this information prior to applying, you may contact: [e-mail].

As a leader, you’ll shape a team culture that sparks innovation, supports collaboration, and champions inclusion. You’ll help build a workplace that is diverse, anti‑racist, and accessible, where everyone feels safe, respected, and able to thrive.

Leadership is about impact, and in this role, you will:

• Lead and coordinate daily clinical operations by supporting nursing and non‑regulated staff, organizing primary care and psychiatry clinics, and ensuring health services are delivered safely and efficiently within a secure correctional environment.
• Provide people‑centred leadership and mentorship by coaching, supporting, and empowering staff to excel, fostering collaboration, psychological safety, and a respectful, inclusive workplace culture.
• Support staffing, recruitment, and workplace administration by assisting with scheduling, attendance support, training needs, performance conversations, and contributing to recruitment and retention efforts in alignment with collective agreements and ministry expectations.
• Promote quality, safety, and professional standards by assisting with monitoring service delivery, gathering statistical and operational data, and ensuring compliance with legislation, policies, IPAC standards, and professional practice requirements.
• Coordinate resources and interdisciplinary partnerships by working with physicians, pharmacy services, external providers, and the broader interprofessional team to ensure operational and patient care requirements are met.
• Support safe systems and continuous improvement initiatives by assisting with medical supply and medication management, contributing to EMR implementation and updates, participating in occupational health initiatives, and supporting problem‑solving and risk management activities.

Your ability to align your team’s efforts with broader organizational goals will be key to your success, and to the success of the people we serve.

Meet Your New Team

The Thunder Bay Jail is a long‑standing provincial correctional facility in Northwestern Ontario, known for its critical role in housing adults on remand or serving short sentences, but also for the significant pressures created by aging infrastructure and chronic overcrowding—conditions that have at times pushed the combined jail and correctional centre population to around 320 inmates and required transfers to other jurisdictions. As the province undertakes the development of the new 345‑bed Thunder Bay Correctional Complex—which will replace the existing jail and introduce modern security, improved inmate management systems, and expanded rehabilitative and healthcare services—this transformation represents an exciting moment for professionals seeking to contribute to safer, more effective corrections.

What you bring to the team

To succeed in this role, you bring the following qualifications and demonstrated capabilities:

Mandatory

• You are currently registered as a Registered Nurse in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario.

Leadership and Management Skills

• Provide day‑to‑day operational leadership to ensure effective delivery of nursing and medical services.
• Mentor and support staff by fostering confidence, professional growth, and an inclusive team environment.
• Manage HR functions including performance reviews, attendance support, and identifying training needs.
• Lead change and continuous improvement by modeling OPS values and advancing quality‑focused initiatives.

Nursing Knowledge and Expertise

• Apply broad clinical knowledge suited to correctional nursing, where diverse health needs arise daily.
• Ensure adherence to professional standards including CNO practice guidelines and relevant legislation.
• Support safe clinical decision‑making through assessment, triage, and oversight of nursing services.
• Promote quality patient care by monitoring trends, identifying risks, and guiding evidence‑based practices.

Technical Knowledge

• Use Microsoft 365 applications confidently including Teams, Outlook, and basic Excel for daily operations.
• Maintain secure documentation systems including electronic health records and medication management tools.
• Understand health‑related legislation and policy frameworks that inform correctional health operations.
• Apply organizational and administrative systems to manage resources, scheduling, and reporting.

Communication Skills

• Communicate effectively with multidisciplinary teams to coordinate care and resolve issues collaboratively.
• Provide clear direction and coaching to staff to ensure expectations, priorities, and standards are understood.
• Liaise professionally with external partners including community providers, legal representatives, and oversight bodies.
• Prepare and share accurate reports and documentation to support operational decision‑making and accountability.

Don't meet every qualification? If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!