Social Worker (BSW), Specific Care Clinics (Signing bonus available)

Nova Scotia Health Authority; Halifax; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Halifax is hiring a Social Worker in the Eating Disorders Specific Care Clinic. The role involves supporting clients awaiting Eating Disorder services through consultation and navigation within the community. Ideal candidates should have a Bachelor of Social Work, registration with the NSCSW, and experience in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. The position offers a competitive compensation rate and may include flexible hours.

Benefits

Signing Bonus up to $5000

Enhanced benefits and wellness programs

Qualifications

• Minimum two years related clinical experience required.
• Two years experience in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Addictions services required.
• Experience and training in cultural competence and safety.

Responsibilities

• Provide information, navigation, and consultation to clients.
• Liaise with client's primary care team for support.
• Work closely with the IWK Eating Disorders team.

Skills

Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Crisis Intervention

Community Outreach

Interpersonal Communication

Cultural Competence

Education

Bachelor of Social Work

Registration with NSCSW

Job description

Click here to apply as an internal applicant.

Company: IWK Health

Req ID: 209539
Department/Program: Specific Care Clinics, Mental Health And Addictions
Location: Halifax
Type of Employment: TemporaryHourly FT long-assignment (100% FTE) for 1 year x 1 position(s)
Start Date: December 2025
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $36.5798 - $47.3464/hour
Closing Date: November 21, 2025 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

Successful external applicants may be eligible to receive a one-time Signing Bonus of upto $5000. (There is a Return of Service Agreement attached to this bonus).

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

Reporting to the Manager of Community Mental Health and Addictions, the Social Worker is a member of the interprofessional care team with the Eating Disorders Specific Care Clinic and is responsible for providing information, navigation, consultation and community outreach support to clients and families who are waiting for Eating Disorder services. The Community Outreach Navigator, Eating Disorders is a member of the interprofessional treatment team which consists of psychology, social work, nursing, dietitians and psychiatry. The Social Worker will liaise with client’s local primary care team to connect and support their care while waiting for Eating Disorder services. The Social Worker will empathically and effectively engage clients and their families in the community, provide support, consultation and navigation as needed.

The Social Worker will have knowledge of available resources within IWK Health and the community to address Mental Health and Addiction concerns and advance the facilitation of referrals for more specialized services as needed. This position will work closely with the IWK Eating Disorders team and serve as a liaison between the team and the clients they are supporting in the community. The Social Worker exhibits a commitment to the highest standard of professional integrity, by interacting with colleagues, clients, families, students, and partners in a respectful and collaborative manner in keeping with principles of client centred, trauma informed care, family centred care, IWK Health standards, and their own Standards of Professional Practice, as applicable.

Hours of Work

Monday – Friday; 8:30-4:30 (37.5 hours per week). Some evening work and flexibility may be required.

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor of Social Work required.
• Registration with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW) required.
• Minimum two (2) years related clinical experience required.
• Two years experience in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Addictions services required.
• Two (2) to four (4) years’ experience in community outreach and system navigation preferred.
• Sound knowledge and awareness of Eating Disorders and current evidenced based interventions for children, youth and their families.
• Knowledge and awareness of community based Mental Health and Addictions organizations and resources for child and youth.
• Ability to engage and support clients and their caregivers
• Experience and competency in triaging risk and clinical needs.
• Knowledge of motivational interviewing, psychosocial rehabilitation and harm reduction models.
• Ability to work independently, collaboratively and in a consultative manner as part of an interprofessional team.
• Must be a skilled communicator with strong interpersonal and written skills.
• Experience and training in cultural competence and safety.
• Strong critical thinking, judgement and decision-making skills are required.
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Certification (NCI)
• Current successful completion of CPR Level-C Healthcare Provider or Basic Life Support (BLS) course within the last 12 months.
• Competencies in other languages 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 Healthcare 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.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.