Executive Director, Health Data Advancement

Canadian Institute for Health Information; Toronto; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health information organization in Canada is seeking an Executive Director to lead initiatives in digital health and health data modernization. The position emphasizes strategic leadership, financial management, and stakeholder engagement. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in health information and senior leadership within the healthcare sector. This role offers a dynamic environment focused on improving health outcomes through advanced data systems.

Benefits

HOOPP Pension Plan

Generous vacation days

Work-life balance

Career Planning Program

Learning and Professional Development

Qualifications

• 10 years of demonstrated experience in senior leadership roles overseeing health information.
• Strong understanding of the Canadian healthcare landscape and health data ecosystem.
• Knowledge of health data privacy and interoperability standards.
• Ability to implement large-scale initiatives focusing on long-term objectives.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to cross-functional teams for health data modernization initiatives.
• Oversee the development and monitoring of strategic workplans.
• Manage budget planning and resource allocation for initiatives.
• Build relationships with governmental and health agency stakeholders.
• Promote accountability and transparency in decision-making.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Financial management

Stakeholder engagement

Health data knowledge

Communication

Education

Advanced degree in Health Informatics or related field

Job description

At CIHI, we recognize what matters to our employees.

Some of the benefits of working at CIHI include

• HOOPP Pension Plan (Defined Benefits Pension)
• Retirement Planning Program
• Generous vacation days for permanent and long-term contracts
• Work-life balance
• Career Planning Program
• Learning and Professional Development Program
• Flexible benefits program from your first day on the job for permanent and long-term contracts

Why is this role important?

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is seeking a dynamic and visionary Executive Director to lead and oversee strategic programs of work focused on the modernization and advancement of Canada’s digital health and health data ecosystem. This role is integral to CIHI’s mission to drive health systems modernization and improve health outcomes across Canada through advanced data systems and practices. This is an executive role reporting to the Vice President, Data Strategies & Statistics and working collaboratively with other members of the executive team as well

What you'll do

Strategic Leadership and Oversight

• Provides leadership to cross-functional teams responsible for advancing digital health and health data modernization initiatives across Canada.
• Oversees the development, implementation, and monitoring of multi-year strategic and operational workplans aligned with organizational priorities.
• Ensures that all projects and initiatives are aligned with pan-Canadian digital health and health data priorities and contribute to broader health systems transformation.

Workplan and Project Delivery Oversight

• Ensures the execution of detailed workplans to ensure milestones, deliverables, and timelines are met.
• Identifies and mitigates risks to successful delivery, resolving issues and removing barriers where required.
• Applies performance measurement and evaluation strategies to assess project outcomes and impact.

Financial and Resource Management

• Oversees budget planning, allocation, and tracking to ensure fiscal responsibility and alignment with organizational goals.
• Ensures accountability for effective use of resources and value for investment across all assigned initiatives.

People Leadership and Organizational Culture

• Leads, coaches, and supports a team of directors, managers, and professional staff, fostering a high-performance, inclusive, and collaborative culture.
• Supports talent development and succession planning within the department.
• Promotes staff well-being, psychological safety, and professional growth.

Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management

• Builds and maintains strong, trust-based relationships with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous partners, federal health agencies, and other key stakeholders.
• Facilitates inter-jurisdictional collaboration to align strategies, share best practices, and address shared challenges in health data.
• Acts as a strategic liaison with Canada Health Infoway and other partner organizations to promote coordinated approaches and reduce duplication of efforts.

Standards and Vendor Engagement

• Engages with digital health vendors and provincial / territorial representatives to promote the adoption and integration of Canadian data standards and interoperable solutions.
• Influences the digital health vendor landscape by promoting policy-aligned, standards-based solutions that support data sharing and system integration.

Governance and Compliance

• Chairs and actively contributes to pan-Canadian advisory committees, technical working groups, and expert panels to advance data governance and innovation.
• Ensures all work products meet applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, including those related to data privacy, security, and ethical use.
• Promotes accountability and transparency in decision-making and reporting.

Product Implementation and Knowledge Mobilization

• Champions the adoption and scaling of developed tools, frameworks, and standards across jurisdictions.
• Leads strategies to promote knowledge transfer, dissemination, and stakeholder capacity-building to support implementation.

Internal Collaboration and Integration

• Works closely with other executives and functional leads to ensure alignment and integration across portfolios.
• Contributes to organizational strategic planning and participates in enterprise-wide decision-making processes.

What you'll bring to the table

• Advanced degree in Health Informatics, Health Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 10 years of demonstrated experience in senior leadership roles overseeing health information, data governance, and interoperability initiatives.
• Strong understanding of the Canadian healthcare landscape and health data ecosystem and stakeholder landscape.
• Knowledge of health data privacy, health data and interoperability standards, health data classifications and terminologies.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and partnership skills.
• Ability to implement large-scale initiatives with a focus on long-term objectives that drive organizational success, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and adaptability to evolving healthcare trends and technologies.
• Ability to foster a collaborative, inclusive work environment that empowers team members, encourages professional growth, and enhances overall performance.
• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as well as Indigenous reconciliation.
• Ability to meet travel requirements
• Fluency in English is required, bilingualism in both official languages is an asset