POSITION SUMMARY:

The assignment is with the Community Drug Strategy, Toxic Drug Crisis and Mental Health Promotion team, Reporting to the Manager, the Health Promoter plays a key role within the Health Promotion and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division. As part of a multidisciplinary team, the Health Promoter will research, plan, develop, coordinate, implement, and evaluate health promotion initiatives to align with the Ontario Public Health Standards and address local community needs.
This role involves providing evidence-informed recommendations based on data analysis and program evaluation to support effective planning and health communication strategies. The Health Promoter will also foster collaboration across teams and with external partners, ensuring consistency of information and alignment of efforts. In addition, the position offers expert consultation on research and evaluation, health promotion theory, best practices, and policy development to support.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s degree in health promotion, public health, or other relevant field. Equivalent education/training ensuring a population public health focus may also be considered.
• Minimum 2 years experience in health promotion or a related public health discipline, with proficiency in a combination of the following areas: research methods, program planning, design, monitoring and evaluation, policy development, group facilitation, principles of population health, community development, social marketing and media communication strategies.
• In depth knowledge of key theoretical models in health promotion, and in the specific area of work (e.g. toxic drugs).
• Strong ability to critically appraise, analyze, interpret and apply evidence in practice.
• Strong group facilitation, public speaking and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated computer skills with Microsoft Office and relevant databases.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Advanced oral and written proficiency in English is required.
• Advanced oral and/or written proficiency in French is an asset.
• Strong communication (verbal and written), negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Maintains a means to travel on an occasional basis, such as having a current valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle.
• Ministry of Labour “Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps” training certificate is required.

• Develops, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors and evaluates assigned projects in consultation with the manager and other team members as required.
• Supports programming using a population health approach to meet the OPHS and local needs.
• Implements relevant public health interventions utilizing skills in writing, social marketing, media communications, intersectoral planning, community relationships (i.e. networks and coalitions), community engagement, capacity building, and knowledge translation and exchange.
• Provides consultation specific to public health intervention strategies using a variety of theories (e.g. behaviours change theories).
• Engages in community development initiatives with internal staff members as well as external partners, agencies, and community members to improve overall health status of the service area and to reduce health inequities.
• Acts as a resource person by responding to internal and community requests for information as appropriate.
• In consultation or collaboration with agency subject matter experts, plays a key role as it relates to program planning and the implementation of the OPHS Foundational and Program Standards at the team, division, and agency levels.
• Facilitates the establishment of healthy public policy by advocating for, or implementing a series of, activities such as engaging community members, assessing readiness and analysing options, and drafting recommendations for new or existing policies, to improve circumstances that support population health.
• Reviews, analyzes, and synthesizes data and information to support agency and Ministry reporting requirements.
• Responds to media requests, as appropriate.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• In consultation or collaboration with the agency subject matter experts, identifies and recommends program priorities by reviewing existing epidemiological, behavioural and socio-demographic data and by planning, conducting, analyzing and reporting on assessments of community assets and needs.
• Provides support to apply health equity principles, policy development and knowledge exchange.
• Makes use of health equity impact assessments such as the agency’s Health Equity Checklist.
• Maintains current knowledge of the literature and best practices and critically appraises evidence to assist with priority setting, and determination of public health strategies.
• Collects, synthesizes and analyzes data and information to support evidence-informed decision-making, planning, and policy analysis.
• Contributes to the development of program plans, logic models, activity plans and monitoring and evaluation plans by providing latest evidence and best practices.
• Initiates, conducts, promotes, presents and participates in collaborative research or evaluation projects with public health staff, relevant community partners and agencies, community members with lived and living experience, other local public health agencies, and provincial partners in conjunction with the manager/specialist and other team members as required.
• Consults and liaises with staff and relevant community members on the methodology, data collection, interpretation, implementation, and ethics of research, evaluation, and evidence-generating projects.
• Applies sound evaluation methodology for determining effectiveness, acceptability, availability and cost-efficiency of public health programs and evidence-generating projects.
• Takes responsibility for the dissemination and use of applicable research and evidence in the community, through knowledge translation and exchange.
• Assists with the development of the operating budget for any assigned projects, such as research grants and evaluation projects.
• Initiates and coordinates grant proposals. This includes identification and securing of potential funding sources and relevant partnerships.
• Provides a key role to plan and implement evaluation of designated programs and services.
• Contributes to an organizational culture of quality and improvement by supporting and participating in the identification of tools, structures, processes and priorities to measure and improve the quality of programs and services.