Policy Advisor, System Performance & Analytics

This opportunity is for independent advisors only. The successful advisor will sign a vendor agreement with the Partnership. Advisors are not considered Partnership employees.

Division overview

The Cancer Systems and Innovation Division supports initiatives to improve equitable access, to better experiences and outcomes, and to advance reconciliation throughout Canada’s cancer system. The division enables system change with data, research, innovation, and modelling. Work of the division is primarily accomplished through partnerships across Canada to implement evidence-informed and co-developed solutions, encompassing everything from prevention and screening to diagnosis and clinical care through to palliative care and survivorship.

Overview of role

The Policy Advisor will be engaged to contribute thought leadership, clinical and political knowledge, and experience to the Partnership and the Local Lead Policy Network with the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) on behalf of Canada. ICBP is an international multidisciplinary collaboration that aims to drive efforts to achieve equity in cancer control and outcomes through the delivery of robust insights from high-quality data-informed research. The Policy Advisor will create opportunities for engagement with key stakeholders and will strengthen policy impact by contextualizing and showcasing evidence to ensure practical applications to support Canadian policy priorities. The Policy Advisor will also work closely with the Partnership and jurisdictional partners to maximize the potential of cancer system data to identify challenges and opportunities for improvement in health equity and cancer system performance and will support efforts to drive shared action through coordinated access to meaningful reports, resources and networks to support clinical, policy and practice change.

Core responsibilities and activities

General accountabilities

• Providing clinical, strategic and policy advice to the Partnership and jurisdictional partners as it relates to our participation in Phase 3 of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP), including advising on equity-related analyses and engaging with equity-deserving groups, as needed.
• Participating in and providing strategic advice to the ICBP Local Lead Policy Network to support dissemination of results and to strengthen impact on Canadian policy priorities.
• Engaging with colleagues and networks across Canada to seek advice, gather information, and support knowledge exchange.
• Support the Partnership, jurisdictional partners and ICBP to disseminate ICBP Phase 3 benchmarking and research program results.
• Engaging with and providing strategic, policy and/or clinical advice to other ICBP Networks and Groups, as needed (e.g., Lead ICBP Policy Advisor, Inequalities Advisory Group, Research Network, Clinical Engagement Network, Programme Board, Programme Management Team, and Programme Management Review Group).
• Providing consultation and clinical expertise on system performance products (e.g. approaches to measuring, benchmarking, disseminating products).

Experience and qualifications

• A PhD and/or MD with speciality in oncology together with relevant experience and leadership in operational roles.
• Experience working at a pan-Canadian level with demonstrated understanding of the Canadian health system and political landscape across Canadian jurisdictions.
• Credible leader with an established network and expertise in and across one or more of the priority areas of early cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment, survivorship and/or palliative care.
• Direct experience and expertise designing, analyzing, and/or reporting on cancer system performance on a pan-Canadian or international level.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities and achievements, including excellent interpersonal skills and strong group facilitation skills to foster dialogue, sharing, and problem-solving amongst multidisciplinary stakeholders, cancer programs and partners.
• Experience or expertise providing care in rural or remote communities or working with people who live in rural or remote regions is considered an asset.
• Experience or expertise in health equity and/or improving equitable access to cancer services for those who historically experienced disparities in cancer care in Canada, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
• Bilingual in both English and French is an asset.

Term of the contract

• The successful candidate will be hired on a contract basis for a 3-year term from May 2024 – March 2027.
• The incumbent will be able to commit on average 1.5-2 days per month, with an understanding that workload will vary depending on the phase of the work. The incumbent must be able to attend virtual and/or in person meetings with the Partnership, the ICBP Local Lead Policy Network and partners during business hours at a time mutually agreed upon.