Ontario Head and Neck Cancers Lead

Role title: Ontario Head and Neck Cancers Lead

Reports to: Jointly to the Provincial Clinical Lead, Cancer Care Integration and Disease Advisory Program and Director, Clinical Cancer Programs at Ontario Health

Location: Ontario (Currently Virtual)

Anticipated time commitment: 0.5 days per week

Term: 2 year + one optional 1-year renewal

Number of opportunities: 1

Posting date: July 17, 2025

Closing date: August 27, 2025

Position Summary

Ontario Health is seeking expressions of interest from specialists with focused practices in treating head and neck cancers for the position of Ontario Head and Neck Cancers Lead. This is a unique opportunity to provide strategic leadership to the evolution of the Ontario cancer system. This opportunity is open to all qualified candidates.

Within the Cancer Care Integration and Disease Advisory Program (CI-DAP), the Ontario Head and Neck Cancers Lead (the Lead) provides visionary disease-site leadership and expert advice to address care gaps across the cancer care continuum as well as drive quality improvement (including contemporary disease site pathways).
Underpinning this includes:

1. Disease-specific system planning and quality issues are identified and addressed in the context of the Ontario Cancer Plan,
2. Alignment and prioritization of disease-specific efforts across the organization, and,
3. Timely, disease-specific expert input into Ontario Health Programs and initiatives.
4. Support of the CI-DAP program objectives to promote system-level clinical integration to measurably improve clinical experiences and outcomes for patients with a significant focus on the diagnostic phases and integration with primary care

Questions about the role may be submitted by email no later than August 11, 2025. 

A consolidated list of all questions and answers will be available to any party, by request, by August 15, 2025.

Interested parties should forward their expression of interest and curriculum vitae, electronically, with the subject line as “Application for H&N Cancers Lead - [Your Name]” no later than 5:00 P.M. on August 27, 2025.   

To send a question, receive a copy of the consolidated list of questions and answers, or to submit your expression of interest, please contact Sourcing@ontariohealth.ca.

Accountabilities

In conjunction with clinical experts, patient/family representatives and OH’s Clinical Programs the general accountabilities of an Ontario Cancer Lead includes:

1. Strategic & Visionary Leadership for Head and Neck Cancers Care:
   1. Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to determine the most significant priorities impacting the care of head and neck cancer patients.
   2. Ensure Ontario’s cancer system is aware of emerging knowledge and practice/policy changes impacting care for patients (e.g. horizon scanning)
   3. Work with internal stakeholders to address key priorities and ensure integration with the Ontario Cancer Plan.
2. Provincial Clinical Engagement:
   1. Chair the Head and Neck Cancers Advisory Committee with regional and multidisciplinary representation to advise on disease site priorities and encourage broader communication.
   2. Establish and maintain a link with disease-site entities as appropriate, both provincial and those in the Regional Cancer Programs.
   3. Regular attendance and participation at the Ontario Cancer Leads Steering Committee.
3. Clinical Pathways Maps: Promote contemporary pathway maps as a framework for optimizing clinical care and quality improvement. Lead the development and maintenance of quality indicators, pathway maps, and/or quality initiatives, where applicable.
4. Clinical Practice Guidance: Working in collaboration with the Program in Evidence-Based Care and OH Program Leads, ensuring that priority topics for clinical guidance are identified and that high-quality guidance is developed and kept current.
5. Disease Advisory:
   1. Advising on and championing provincial initiatives to promote clinical integration of services, particularly in the diagnostic phase of care
   2. Provide timely advice to provincial programs regarding clinical, program implementation and policy issues.
   3. Provide timely advice on responses to information requests from government, media, the public, the Ontario Ombudsman, OH programs and others. Upon request from OH Communications, serve as a spokesperson for specific issues.
6. Drug Advisory Committee: Work with the Provincial Drug Reimbursement Programs (PDRP) on the following:
   1. horizon planning activities,
   2. providing decision support to the drug review process (national and local) and PDRP policy implementation;
   3. ensuring continued relevance of drug funding policies by identifying and addressing funding gaps;
   4. leading Drug Advisory Committees-initiated submissions and Evidence Building Program projects;
   5. providing expert input in case adjudication and in Ministry, Ombudsman and media inquiries;

Qualifications

• A medical doctor licensed to practice in the province of Ontario in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) with significant experience (minimum 5 years) and a focused practice in treating head and neck cancers and a good understanding of issues across the cancer continuum for all head and neck cancers including diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care
• Proven track record of leadership at the hospital and/or university and/or system level
• Recognition as an opinion leader in the professional and oncology community
• Knowledge of clinical, administrative, policy and system issues with respect to cancer services
• Aptitude for systems thinking; ability to analyze information and to make sound decisions
• Ability/credibility to reach and engage clinicians in different settings of care and disciplines
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build consensus
• Demonstrated commitment to patient-centred care, evidence-based medicine and public accountability
• Enthusiasm for and commitment to quality improvement in cancer care at the system level
• Creativity demonstrated through publication or research and/or implementation of innovative systems and ideas

Please note that the successful applicant will be required to comply with the provisions of OH’s Conflict of Interest Policy for Regulated Health Professionals, as it may be amended from time to time, which may impact your outside activities (including, but not limited to, activities that are funded by pharmaceutical or related industry entities) if they may impair, influence, or create the appearance of impairing or influencing your ability to objectively exercise your duties to OH.

How to Apply:

Interested parties should forward their expression of interest and curriculum vitae, electronically, with the subject line as “Application for H&N Cancers Lead - [Your Name]” no later than 5:00 P.M. on August 27, 2025 to Sourcing@ontariohealth.ca.

We will evaluate all applications against the skills and experience requirements for the position.  Those candidates selected for interview will be contacted directly by a representative from the Business Unit. Ontario Health may consider applications from incumbents currently in the position. If you have not been contacted within 3 weeks after the close of the posting, you can assume you are not under consideration for this position.

More about Ontario Health

Ontario Health is an agency created by the Government of Ontario with a mandate to connect and coordinate Ontario’s health care system in ways that have not been done before, to help ensure that Ontarians receive the best possible care.

Ontario Health oversees health care delivery across the province, which includes ensuring front-line providers and other health professionals have the tools and information they need to deliver the best possible care within their communities. This also means simplifying the current system and connecting and coordinating its many complex parts in new and innovative ways. This involves keeping a close eye on how the health system is performing and providing evidence-based standards and improvements to address any gaps.

Ontario Health helps to support significant and important transformation in Ontario’s health system, working to ease the transition between points of care for Ontarians and helping to ensure they have access to the care they need. Ontario Health is adapting world-renowned practices from areas such as cancer care and renal care to other parts of the system, including mental health and addictions.

Through integration, coordination, connection, and clinical excellence, Ontario Health is working to reduce strain on the system which will enable investment of more resources on the care Ontarians need, and most importantly, improve health outcomes and overall wellness for all.

As an operational service agency of the Government of Ontario, Ontario Health is accountable for conducting a fair and transparent process, providing equal treatment to all qualified parties, in selecting a candidate for the above-mentioned role.