Job Description for:
Primary Care Network Indigenous Lead

Job Category:
Manager

Department:
WHD

Program/Team:
PCN Indigenous Wellness Provider

Reports To:
Director of Wellness and Health

Application Deadline
July 26, 2026 at 23:59

Job Summary

Reporting to the VNFC Director of Wellness and Health, the PCN Indigenous Lead will work collaboratively with the Primary Care Networks (PCN) to provide Indigenous health supports and education, and to foster an environment of cultural safety within health care for urban Indigenous community members living in Southern Vancouver Island. The Indigenous Lead will provide leadership for the PCN Indigenous Wellness Provider (IWP) program; as well as supporting a range of initiatives with internal and external partners to support the development and implementation of initiatives to improve the quality of, and access to Indigenous and non-Indigenous health services for Indigenous community in the region.

Roles and Responsibilities
Specific Job duties

• Provide supervision and leadership to the PCN IWP Team including all aspects of program delivery, in collaboration with PCN partners.
• To work collaboratively with the PCNs to support integration of the IWP into PCN service delivery models. IWP will be available to PCN resources for referral to support Indigenous community in coordinating and accessing health services.
• Participate in and/or lead initiatives, either internally within VNFC or with external partners, that improve cultural safety for Indigenous community accessing health services in the Victoria and South Island PCNs.
• Work collaboratively to support the integration of IWP services within the VNFC Wellness and Health Team to support seamless community access to primary care, MHSU providers, cultural supports, and other Wellness services.
• Work with internal and external partners to support urban Indigenous community members to  access Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, Healers, and other forms Indigenous Wellness and Healing.

 Leadership duties

• Actively work to identify and address gaps in access to culturally safe health care services for the South Island urban Indigenous community through the improvement of current services and implementation of new services.
• Responsible for timely and accurate reporting for all relevant contracts per the requirements of the PCN, VNFC, and any other partners as required.
• To promote improved partnerships to the benefit of the community, the Lead will participate in collaboration and coordination among internal and external partners including but not limited to: First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners, the PCN, Island Health, Divisions of Family Practice, VNFC programs, and others as appropriate.

Personnel and HR duties

• Ensure adequate staffing to meet the needs of the PCN IWP program and provide supervision to all PCN IWP Team including orientation and ongoing performance management.
• Be familiar with and administer all relevant VNFC Wellness (HR) policies with team as necessary; support Indigenous Wellness and Health staff members in becoming familiar with all Wellness Policies

 Financial Management

• Manage budget in cooperation with the Director of Wellness and Health and VNFC administration staff, including:
  • Participate in annual budget planning
  • Regularly monitor budgets and revision of expenditures to ensure minimal variation from projected budgets;
  • Plan to address budget deficits/surplus
  • Review of IWP Team expenditures

 Organizational Responsibilities

• Maintain confidentiality
• Document and report activity in alignment with VNFC practices and supports internal and external reporting as required
• Attend relevant professional training and meetings when directed
• Participate in staff development, staff meetings and department meetings as required
• Participate in management committees as needed such as Occupational Safety and Health, or supporting board committees or management planning committees for big events, as required
• Participate in data collection and evaluation tasks as requested

Knowledge and Skills

• Familiarity and experience in Indigenous Communities
• Some knowledge of Indigenous cultures and practices including from the territory in which the work of VNFC takes place.  Ability to speak about one’s own Indigenous culture, if applicable, and any communities the (prospective) employee has previously lived in or held jobs within.
• In depth knowledge of the experience of Indigenous peoples in Canada including the ongoing processes of colonization, discrimination, and structural violence, and the effects on the health and wellbeing of Indigenous communities; understanding of the wellness and healing capacities of Indigenous cultural resiliency and resurgence.
• Knowledge and practice of providing community-based services to Indigenous peoples using philosophies of cultural humility and cultural safety.

 Communication Skills and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills with the ability to successfully develop and maintain relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders including the ability to manage conflict and diverse viewpoints.
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to independently write reports, presentations, electronic correspondence, proposals, and other forms of professional communication.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from clients and the general public
• Ability to read, process and integrate findings into practice from a range of resources including peer-reviewed literature and governmental reports.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 including Word, Excel, and Outlook

Leadership Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work independently and be part of an integrated leadership team and in partnership with a variety of community organizations
• Ability to provide collaborative leadership in a complex, not-for-profit organization with a range of funding contracts and serving people from diverse demographics.
• Ability to think critically, multi-task, and balance multiple competing priorities involving diverse perspectives and client groups.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate Indigenous cultural practices and/or perspectives into leadership practices and program design or delivery.

Program Knowledge and Abilities

• A healthcare background and demonstrated knowledge of the principles of Primary Health Care, Population Health, and Health Promotion is an asset.
• Ability to practice using philosophies of cultural safety and humility, harm reduction, and trauma informed care.
• Knowledge and ability to work ethically and maintain professional boundaries when working with vulnerable clients.
• Ability to spend a major portion of the workday standing, walking and/or sitting as well as possible bending and stretching, due to physical requirements of the work
• Education
  A level of experience, training and education equivalent to a Masters’ degree in a related discipline is considered an asset, though other combinations of education and experience will be considered.
• Recognized course(s) in cultural safety and humility or equivalent life and/or professional experience

Work Experience

• The successful candidate will have in-depth experience working with and for Indigenous peoples at a community and/or leadership level, including extensive understanding and knowledge of Indigenous health issues, protocols and health needs. This includes the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of the client and community. In-depth experience in community development and/or primary care will be considered an asset.
• A minimum 5 years in a health care or social services organization with direct responsibility for community based health and/or social program delivery.
• Preference for past experience working in an indigenous serving organization or community nonprofit setting.

Licenses and/or Certificates

• Valid BC Driver’s license
• Clean Driver’s record
• Must provide a current (within 6 mos.) Attorney General Vulnerable Sector Criminal Record Check