Provincial Clinical Lead for Indigenous Palliative Care

Role title: Provincial Clinical Lead for Indigenous Palliative Care

Reports to: Director, Provincial Palliative Care Program

Location: Primarily remote with occasional travel

Anticipated time commitment: 2 days/week

Term: 2-year + optional extension for a 9-month term

Number of opportunities: 1

Posting date: May 6th, 2026

Closing date: June 8th, 2026

Position summary

Ontario Health is seeking expressions of interest from palliative care health service providers for the position of Provincial Clinical Lead for Indigenous Palliative Care. This is a unique opportunity to provide strategic leadership to the evolution of the Provincial Palliative Care Program. This opportunity is open to all qualified candidates.

This is a unique opportunity to provide strategic leadership to drive quality, accountability and innovation for clinical system improvements in palliative care, working in collaboration with the Provincial Palliative Care Physician Clinical Lead.

Questions about the role may be submitted to no later than 3:00 P.M. on May 18th, 2026,

A consolidated list of all questions and answers will be available to any party, by request, by May 25th, 2026.

Interested parties should forward their expression of interest and curriculum vitae, electronically, with the subject line as “Application for [Role Title] - [Your Name]” no later than 3:00 P.M. on June 8th, 2026.

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

The key responsibilities of this role are:

• Provide provincial‑level visionary clinical leadership in alignment with the strategic direction of the Provincial Palliative Care Program (PPCP), with particular emphasis on issues of importance to interprofessional health service providers.
• Provide leadership to the Collaboration Circle to support the co‑development of a distinct palliative model of care with First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban Indigenous (FNIMUI) communities. This Indigenous‑led model of care will complete Ontario Health’s Palliative Care Health Services Delivery Framework and support equitable, coordinated, holistic, and culturally appropriate access to palliative care for all Ontarians.
• Champion and provide leadership in support of PPCP priorities, initiatives, and transformation efforts across the provincial palliative care system.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, and evolution of the provincial clinical strategic direction for PPCP, ensuring alignment with Ontario Health priorities and Indigenous‑informed approaches to care.
• Lead the development, implementation, and clinical adoption of provincial palliative care guidelines, incorporating evidence‑informed, culturally safe, and equity‑focused practices.
• Identify, analyze, and advise on clinical and system‑level issues impacting palliative care delivery, and bring forward recommendations to support PPCP decision‑making and system improvement.
• Participate in provincial system performance management, including the interpretation of data and indicators to inform quality improvement and accountability.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with relevant clinical communities, Indigenous partners, academic leaders, and system stakeholders on behalf of PPCP.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external partners to advance shared goals related to high‑quality, coordinated, and equitable palliative care across Ontario.
• Collaborate with Ontario Health Regions and Regional Palliative Care multidisciplinary clinical co‑leads to provide leadership, guidance, and support related to PPCP direction, implementation, and regional alignment.

Qualifications

• A registered health professional in good standing with their respective regulatory college, recognized for advanced clinical and system leadership in palliative care, with demonstrated commitment to culturally safe and equitable care; or equivalent.
• Minimum 5–7 years of senior clinical or system leadership experience, with a focus on palliative care program development, quality improvement, and health system transformation, ideally across hospital, community, and cross‑sector settings.
• Demonstrated clinical leadership within health care and/or academic environments, with experience influencing practice, policy, or system design at a regional or provincial level.
• Experience working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and/or urban Indigenous communities, or a demonstrated ability and commitment to meaningful engagement, co‑development, and shared decision‑making grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing.
• Proven experience in interprofessional and interdisciplinary practice, including leading capacity‑building initiatives and supporting teams to deliver holistic, person‑ and family‑centred palliative care.
• In‑depth understanding of clinical, administrative, and system‑level issues in palliative care, including access, equity, coordination, and integration across care settings.
• Strong systems‑thinking capability, with the ability to synthesize complex information, navigate ambiguity, and apply Indigenous‑informed and evidence‑based approaches to decision‑making.
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship‑building skills, with a demonstrated ability to build trust, foster consensus, and work collaboratively with diverse partners, including Indigenous leadership, community members, clinicians, health system leaders, and government stakeholders.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the Ontario health care system and the organizations, policies, and stakeholders involved in the planning and delivery of palliative care.
• Strong knowledge of the Palliative Care Health Services Delivery Framework, including experience or interest in advancing Focus Area 1: Adults Receiving Care in Community Settings, Focus Area 2: Adults Receiving Care in Hospital Settings and Focus Area 3: Children Receiving Care in all Settings.
• Demonstrated ability to represent the role with professional presence and credibility, including presenting clearly and effectively to large and small audiences, facilitating culturally respectful dialogue, and producing high‑quality written materials.
• Demonstrated commitment to person‑centred, family‑centred, and community‑driven care, with a strong sense of public accountability and respect for Indigenous self‑determination and data sovereignty.
• Evidence of creativity, innovation, and leadership through scholarly publications, applied research, evaluation, or implementation of innovative clinical or system‑level initiatives, particularly those advancing equity and culturally appropriate care.

How to apply

Interested parties should forward their expression of interest and curriculum vitae, electronically, with the subject line as “Application for [Role Title] - [Your Name]” no later than 3:00 P.M. on June 8th, 2026 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.

Our website is at:
http://www.ontariohealth.ca

More about the Provincial Palliative Care Program:

The Provincial Palliative Care Program is an Ontario Health provincial clinical program within the Primary and Community Based Care Portfolio, Division of Integrated Care. Grounded in ongoing engagement, the Provincial Palliative Care Program collaborates with delivery partners to achieve the Ministry's established strategic priorities for palliative care. The program works closely with Ontario Health Regions, which maintain relationships with local healthcare providers, to implement provincial priorities. The program develops clinical guidance, informs, and/or develops policy related to palliative care, and provides subject matter expertise within Ontario Health, for the government, and partners. Additionally, the program is responsible for health system planning and measurement for palliative care, supports governance bodies, working groups, and expert panels to inform its work, and executes the Ontario Palliative Care Network (OPCN) mandate and priorities in alignment with Ontario Health's role.

Established in 2016, the Ontario Palliative Care Network (OPCN) is a partnership of health service providers, community and social support service organizations, health systems planners, as well as patient and family/care partner advisors formed to develop a coordinated and standardized approach for delivering palliative care services in the province.

Our website is at:
https://www.ontariohealth.ca/clinical/palliative/program