Clinical Nurse Lead

AVI Health and Community Services; British Columbia; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health organization in British Columbia is seeking a Clinical Nurse Lead to oversee nursing care delivery and provide leadership to nursing staff. The role involves collaborative work to ensure high-quality, person-centered healthcare with a strong focus on harm reduction principles. Candidates should have a baccalaureate in nursing, extensive experience in nursing practice, and a commitment to social justice in healthcare. This position offers competitive pay, benefits, and a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Extended health, life, and AD&D coverage

Enrolled in Municipal Pension Plan

15% discount on annual transit passes

7.69% vacation and sick days

Qualifications

• Graduation from an approved school of nursing with current registration as an RN or RPN.
• Minimum 3-5 years recent full-scope nursing experience working with high levels of poly-substance use.
• Strong knowledge of substance use disorder and opiate agonist treatment options.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Nurse Manager to develop and deliver nursing care.
• Provide supervision and leadership to nursing staff in the SAFER program.
• Monitor nursing staff needs ensuring quality clinical care is delivered.

Skills

Clinical expertise in harm reduction

Excellent communication skills

Crisis management

Team leadership

Cultural humility

Education

Baccalaureate in Nursing

Master’s degree in a relevant discipline

Job description

AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community-based organization, providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to people living with HIV and hepatitis C and harm reduction clients. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework – ensuring equity and access to services for all – and from a harm reduction perspective, understanding that clients are the best sources of knowledge regarding the services and supports they need. AVI provides comprehensive, accessible, and effective education, prevention, care, treatment, and support services to residents of Vancouver Island with offices in Victoria, Nanaimo, the Comox Valley, and Campbell River. For more info see: www.avi.org

SAFER is a flexible, community-based, harm reduction program that provides safer, pharmaceutical alternatives to the currently toxic drug supply. SAFER is located on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).

JOB SUMMARY

The Clinical Nurse Lead (CNL) is responsible for collaborating with the Nurse Manager to develop, support, and deliver nursing care within AVI Health and Community Services Victoria.

The CNL provides supervision, leadership and functions as a role model and coach to all SAFER nursing staff. They work in partnership with the Nurse Manager and leadership team to ensure support for the SAFER multidisciplinary teams and to continuously develop and ensure quality program nursing practice and protocols.

This position provides person-centered healthcare including assessment, screening, and education to support the clients of AVI. They will use a trauma and violence informed, client-centred approach and demonstrated clinical skills and experience to independently assess individuals with complex primary care health needs and active poly-substance use.

This position requires a professional who is experienced with harm reduction and is committed to collaborating with multiple stakeholders including people with lived/living experience of criminalized drug use. This position reports to the Nurse Manager or designee.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Expertise:

Stays up to date on current research and best practices in treatment harm reduction prescribing, treatment of substance use disorder, HIV, HCV, and other primary care and specialty care areas of relevance.

Determines educational opportunities of nursing staff and develops learning plans in collaboration with the Nurse Manager to ensure nursing team is working to a standard of best practice.

Deliver certification courses in topics such as phlebotomy, harm reduction fundamentals, basic counseling skills, wound care, assessment skills, etc. to staff by means such as preparing written materials, facilitating workshops, and overseeing clinical practice sessions.

Participates in the development of policy and protocol as pertains to clinical practices.

Orients new nursing staff members to organizational practices, standards of care, and policy and procedure.

Team Leadership:

Provides person-centred, trauma-informed, and relational supervision and coaching to all nursing staff to ensure quality clinical care is delivered and attends to principles of social justice, trauma-informed care, and cultural humility.

Collaborates with the Nurse Manager to ensure open communication and coordination across the multidisciplinary SAFER services.

Works with site leadership to identify and respond to nursing staff support needs, participant concerns, and issues related to clinical practice.

Supports NM in addressing practice improvement with nursing team members.

Monitors and supports nursing staff needs, the work environment and relevant risks ensuring appropriate resources are in place.

Evaluates equipment, products, and supplies in coordination with the leadership team to ensure efficient and effective inventory and purchasing processes, as well as the identification and follow-up of maintenance issues.

Promotes and facilitates a safe and therapeutic environment for the provision of care including addressing and documenting and following up on any risk management, critical incidents, and emergency-related issues.

Clinical Practice:

Provision of direct participant care as a clinic nurse.

Regularly meets with the leadership team to review and incorporate feedback from participant experiences and identified safe supply priorities from local, provincial, and national networks of People Who Use Drugs.

Regularly reviews and supports development and implementation of clinical protocols in collaboration with the leadership team and community partners.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduation from an approved school of nursing with a baccalaureate in Nursing with current practicing registration as an RN or RPN with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM). Master’s degree in a relevant discipline preferred.
• Minimum 3-5 years recent full scope nursing experience working with people with high levels of poly-substance use.
• Minimum one year of recent experience in healthcare education, adult education, or program development.
• Leadership experience within a BCNU or other union work site an asset.
• Previous experience working in supervised consumption/overdose prevention services or safer supply programs, including experience responding to medical emergencies such as overdose (naloxone administration, airway management, etc.).
• Strong knowledge of substance use disorder and opiate agonist treatment options.
• Commitment to harm reduction and social justice principles and experience working with individuals who experience intersecting systemic oppression. Commitment to bringing harm reduction and social justice principle to leadership practice as well as clinical practice.
• Understanding of the impact on individual health and well-being, as well as the considerations for service delivery, related to systemic barriers associated with poverty, mental health, substance use, trauma, racism, colonialism, heterosexism, and gender discrimination.
• Able to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma informed and decolonial lens
• Demonstrated understanding of public health and equity-oriented models of social support and health care.
• Relevant or applicable training/experience in anti-racism and a demonstrated commitment to anti-colonial learning/unlearning.
• Strong analysis of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonial violence impacts Indigenous People intergenerationally.
• Knowledge of local Indigenous and non-Indigenous social services including housing, income and food security supports that may benefit persons served.
• Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge in the areas of primary care, substance use, harm reduction, HIV, HCV, sexual health, mental health, and health promotion.
• Demonstrated commitment to person-centered healthcare service provision.
• Works well under pressure and in stressful situations.
• Capable, independent practitioner and committed team member.
• Excellent communication, conflict resolution and crisis management skills
• Current Valid BC Drivers’ License an asset.
• Ability to work weekends.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge in the areas of primary care, substance use, harm reduction, HIV, HCV, sexual health, mental health, health promotion, and impact of systemic poverty.
• Demonstrated commitment to the policy and practice of harm reduction, cultural safety, and trauma and violence informed practices.
• Ability to establish and maintain respectful rapport with participants.
• Ability to observe and recognize subtle changes in participants.
• Strong advocacy skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbal and written.
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload.
• Practiced conflict resolution and non-violent crisis intervention skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to use related equipment including computer to complete documentation, data, and reports using Electronic Medical Records.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position and operate related equipment.
• Ability to work outdoors during all types of weather and in all seasons.

POSITION DETAILS

• Pay: per BCNU grid, Level 5 $49.20/hour to $63.47/hour

• Hours and Schedule: 37.5 hours per week, Sunday through Thursday 9:30am – 5:30pm. Hours and days of the week to change as per program needs.

• Term: February 9, 2026 and this position is ongoing, subject to funding.

• Location: AVI SAFER Clinics, Victoria office and in the community as needed

• Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Nurses’ Bargaining Association 2022-2025 and this role is an Included Position.

• Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D coverage in compliance with the BCNU Collective Agreement. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.

• Pension: This position will be enrolled in the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP) after your first 3 months with AVI. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account.

• BC Transit ProPASS: AVI participates in the BC Transit ProPASS program in Victoria, offering staff a 15% discount on annual transit passes. This brings the cost down to approximately $72.25 per month. It’s a great way to save money and enjoy a stress-free ride to work.

• Other Perks: This position gets 7.69% vacation (equivalent of 20 days), receives 13 paid stat holidays throughout the year and accrues a Sick Bank of 6.92%. Sick and Vacation Days are both available to be used after your first 3 months at AVI.

Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.

TO APPLY

To apply, Please click on 'To apply' to send your resume and cover letter (optional). This posting will be open to internal applicants for 72 hours. If no internal applications are received, it will then be opened to external candidates. The posting will close on February 6 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

AVI is committed to equity and diversity and we strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, folks who identify as Indigenous Persons, persons of colour, racialized, persons living with a disability, persons who use/d drugs, persons with experience of sex work, persons who live with HIV and/or hepatitis C, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.

It is beneficial to identify in the cover letter if you are Indigenous and/or have lived/living expertise relevant to the position.

Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

As AVI is a union environment, internal staff will be prioritized in the hiring process.

We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.