Program Advisor, Language Services

IWK Health; Halifax; On-site; CAD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

IWK Health in Halifax is seeking a Language Services Program Advisor to coordinate language services across the Health Equity, Safety and Wellness portfolio. You will develop education and training materials, promote inclusive practices, and foster collaboration with staff, patients and community partners.

The role focuses on data collection, reporting, and maintaining program materials while ensuring a welcoming, safe environment for diverse populations within the health system.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in project coordination and management.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate language services program across units.
• Develop and implement awareness, education and training materials.
• Track spending and report on usage of language services.
• Build partnerships with government, industry and community.
• Update websites and internal resources related to HES-W.
• Engage staff, patients and families to ensure an inclusive environment.

Skills

Oral communication

Written communication

Presentation skills

Facilitation skills

Interpersonal skills

Project management

Program development

Data analysis

Education

Undergraduate degree or higher in related field

Tools

PM tools

Job description

Company: IWK Health

Location: Halifax

Department/Program: Health Equity, Safety and Wellness , Health Equity, Safety and Wellness

Type of Employment: Temporary Hourly FT long-assignment (100% FTE) for 1 year x 1 position(s)

Start Date: September 2026

Union Status: Non-union, Management/Non Union Bargaining Unit

Compensation: $39.0515 - $47.8381 /hour

Closing Date: August 19, 2026 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

This is not a designated position; however, preference will be given to qualified candidates who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, and/or 2SLGBTQIA+. Please self-identify on your application.

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia . People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values , and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

The incumbent is responsible for the overall coordination of and support for language services, led and or supported by the units under the Health, Equity, Safety and Wellness (HES-W) portfolio, currently including Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness; Equity and Belonging; and Respectful Workplace for IWK Health. This role will be dedicated to coordinating the language and interpretation related services required by IWK Health with duties that include, but not limited to, review, updates, research, development, promotion, awareness, education and training, implementation, evaluation, data collection, creating reports, staff, patient, families, community and partner engagement plans and support that will facilitate and ensure a welcoming, inclusive, psychologically and physically safe environment for staff and patients of the IWK Health Centre.

As part of a collaborative portfolio team, and within the Portfolio's mandate and strategic goals, the Language Services Program Advisor will identify and develop partnerships with external and internal bodies such as government, private industry, other institutions, and the community, and seek opportunities to increase the coordination and collaboration of language and interpretation services required for patient, families and staff at IWK Health.

Reporting to the Director, Health Equity, Safety and Wellness, the Language Services Program Advisor works with HES-W team members and IWK staff, along with community groups, health professionals, vendors, interpretation professionals, and other key stakeholders as appropriate to help identify opportunities and pursue resources and to ensure the coordination of programs and related materials, along with tracking usage and providing advice on updates, developing communication items, updating related websites and internal resources including the HES-W subsite on the Pulse website, and streamlining process through tracking and reporting tools.

The incumbent will maintain databases, keep program materials up to date, track and report on related language services spending, conduct research and advise on best practice, and help ensure the program / unit managers and project leads are collaborating and tools are coordinated and consistent.

Hours of Work

75 hours bi-weekly.

Your Qualifications

• An undergraduate degree from an accredited post-secondary institution or equivalent combination of education, training and experience or graduate of a post-secondary accredited institution in a related field, e.g. social work, health promotion, or other health-related discipline, business research, project management, program management
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in project coordination and management, or equivalent demonstrated skills.
• Experience working with cultural communities, service delivery organizations and applicable government programming.
• Valid Nova Scotia driver’s license, access to a reliable vehicle, and appropriate insurance coverage is required.
• Proven commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and belonging initiatives
• Competencies in other languages an asset; Arabic is preferred
• Sound project management and program development skills
• Strong oral, writing and presentation skills.
• Strong facilitation skills; knowledge and application of adult education approaches
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to present ideas, build rapport, negotiate, and resolve conflict tactfully and diplomatically amongst diverse groups
• Sound knowledge of PM (Project Management Institute) principles, industry PM tools, and practices; project management of large, complex projects,
• Strong understanding of principles and theory of community development, health promotion, determinants of health, healthy public policy, population health and social marketing.
• Demonstrated understanding of culturally and linguistically safe space and practice and the unique needs of diverse communities.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and application of cultural safety and competency within healthcare.
• Demonstrated experience/ability to work collaboratively with staff colleagues and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple program initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to build multi-sectoral partnerships and teams
• Proven outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.
• Evaluation methods and processes; data analysis
• Report and proposal writing
• Computer proficiency
• Understanding of research methods an asset

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Management/Non Union bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.