Associate Legal Counsel, Phsa Legal Services

Associate Legal Counsel, PHSA Legal Services

Risk Management – Legal

Vancouver, BC

The Associate Legal Counsel reports to the Senior Legal Counsel, Corporate Director, Legal & Privacy at the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). PHSA is a complex organization that has responsibility at a provincial level for healthcare services across British Columbia. It includes a number of branch societies and agencies including BC Emergency Health Services, BC Cancer, BC Centre for Disease Control and BC Children’s’ & Women’s’ Hospitals, and overseas a large number of provincial programs, administered at a regional level by regional health authorities. The Associate Legal Counsel possesses strong leadership abilities to provide general legal support and advice to leaders at all levels within PHSA and its programs, agencies and affiliates. The Associate Legal Counsel reviews and drafts agreements, conducts legal research and prepares legal opinions, analyses legislation and case law, and advises on all aspects of legal risk and liability issues relevant to PHSA’s operations. The Associate Legal Counsel also represents PHSA in negotiations and disputes, and oversees external counsel, where engaged.

Specific Portfolio:

Labour and Employment – this position has primary responsibility to provide legal advice on matters relating to Human Resources (HR) and performance management of Medical Staff. This includes matters involving physician contracts, medical staff privileges, workplace issues involving medical and non-medical staff, administrative law and regulatory compliance, employment and labour law, and risk management related to labour and employment. This position also manages litigation and matters before administrative tribunals arising from performance management issues related to both medical and non-medical staff.

What you’ll do

• Develops an in-depth understanding of the business requirements and provides expert legal support and guidance to PHSA departments and leaders, managers and members of the in-house legal team on a wide variety of legal matters/issues to enable effective decision-making.
• Responds to a variety of legal issues that affect the healthcare industry and the clinical/business operations of PHSA.
• Reviews, researches, interprets, and prepares legal opinions that may have significant impact to PHSA, its programs, agencies and affiliates.
• Advises on new and existing legislation applicable to healthcare and impact to PHSA, programs, services and staff.
• Drafts, reviews, amends and revises legal documentation, including contracts, proposals, policies, and strategy papers, and negotiates with external parties on behalf of PHSA and its programs, agencies and affiliates. Provides guidance on implications and courses of action.
• Anticipates and identifies legal issues within complex scenarios and relationships, and advises managers and directors on legal strategies and solutions to mitigate legal risk.
• Consults and coordinates with external counsel (where retained) in drafting correspondence, legal submissions and materials for hearings and ancillary legal proceedings.
• Represents PHSA at various hearings, court and/or tribunals and presents arguments.
• Maintains partnership with senior leadership, operational areas and corporate services to ensure a coordinated and consistent PHSA response on legal matters.
• Maintains professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, and professional affiliations to keep up-to-date with industry trends, developments, revised legislation and new regulations.

What you bring

• A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Law Degree from an accredited University.
• A minimum of seven (7) to ten (10) years of recent, related experience.
• Current member in good standing with the Law Society of British Columbia or eligibility for membership within a specified period.
• Substantial knowledge of and demonstrated familiarity with the legislative and regulatory framework governing healthcare.
• Knowledge of commercial transactions, information technology, intellectual property, administrative and privacy law.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, plan, direct, manage and implement.
• Ability to facilitate the resolution of issues. Expert ability to analyze, research, evaluate and interpret legal issues.
• Exemplary ability in legal writing and drafting legal documents, and in the preparation of correspondence, summaries and reports.
• Demonstrated ability to provide legal opinions and advice, taking into account and understanding the needs of others to achieve helpful results.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to a variety of audiences, including the ability to negotiate and persuade others.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Possessing of such qualities as integrity, trust and professionalism.
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Computer proficiency with a variety of relevant software applications.

Skills & Knowledge

• Commitment to upholding the shared responsibility of creating lasting and meaningful reconciliation in Canada as per TRC (2015) and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019).
• As a strong asset for consideration, we are looking for our successful candidate to have: Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

What we bring

Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.

• Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our in-house training programs, including +2,000 courses, such as our San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training course, or Core Linx for Leadership roles.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

Job Type: Temporary, Full-Time - Until return of incumbent

Salary Range: $$116,591 - $167,600 /year. The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidate’s relevant education and experience, and would be in alignment with the provincial compensation reference plan. Salary will be prorated accordingly for part time roles.
Location: 1333 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 1G9
Closing date: Applications accepted until position is filled
Hours of Work: 0900-1700 (Monday to Friday)
Requisition # 170709E

What we do

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose.

Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA is committed to equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently marginalized groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya'kula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and marginalization faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and self-determination of Indigenous communities. PHSA must uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents such as including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

ATTN: PHSA Employees:

To be considered as a PHSA employee (internal applicant) for this position, you must apply online via your internal profile at http://internaljobs.phsa.ca

Please note the internal job posting will no longer be accessible after the expiry date of August 19, 2024. If the internal job posting has expired, please contact the Internal Jobs Help Desk and advise that you would like to be considered as a late internal applicant for this position. Please do not apply for the external job posting.

If you have not registered your internal profile, a password is required to log in for the first time. To obtain your password, please contact the Internal Jobs Help Desk at 604-875-7264 or 1-855-875-7264. Please note regular business hours are Monday – Friday (excluding stats), 8:30am to 4:30pm. For inquiries outside of regular business hours, please email the Internal Jobs Help Desk at internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca and a Help Desk Representative will contact you the next business day.