Manager, Animal Health Program

at  Government of Alberta

JOB INFORMATION

Ministry: Agriculture and Irrigation
Location: Edmonton
Full or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
Permanent/Temporary: Permanent
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: Open until a suitable candidate is selected
Classification: Senior Manager, Zone 1
Salary: $3,548.95 to $4,842.27 bi-weekly ($92,627 - $126,383/year)

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Are you passionate about promoting animal health and supporting Alberta’s livestock industry? The Ministry of Agriculture & Irrigation (AGI) is seeking a dedicated and experienced professional to lead its Animal Health Programs Unit.
Reporting to the Director of Animal Health, this role is essential for developing, implementing, and continuously improving livestock health programs that contribute to the safety, biosecurity, and economic stability of Alberta’s agricultural sector.
As the Manager, you will lead a team dedicated to advancing biosecurity, supporting disease control efforts, and managing key animal health programs, including Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy surveillance programs like the Canada and Alberta Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Surveillance Program and Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance. This role requires strong leadership skills, program management expertise, experience in managing a facility or handling responsibilities within a post-mortem examination room and a collaborative approach to working with stakeholders across government, industry, and academic institutions.
The position is also accountable for satisfying auditor expectations for FOIP and financial program delivery to clients for animal health surveillance and relevant Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership programs. The position is responsible for evaluating the Unit’s performance, and deliverables, and implementing changes to ensure continuous improvement.

In this role, your primary responsibilities will include:

• Program Leadership and Development: Direct and oversee the implementation of national and provincial livestock disease surveillance programs, ensuring they align with provincial and federal standards.
• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with key partners, including industry stakeholders and academic institutions, to enhance awareness and support for surveillance programs.
• Resource and Budget Management: Administer budgets and financial resources to ensure efficient program delivery within Alberta Government standards.
• Contribution to Federal-Provincial-Territorial grant programs in Agriculture, by setting goals, defining terms of reference and criteria, evaluation of requests and their ability to meet defined outcomes, oversight of administration, assessing program routinely.
• Continuous Improvement: Evaluate program outcomes, identify areas for improvement, and drive enhancements to optimize disease control efforts.
• Operational Oversight: Ensure compliance with GOA health and safety regulations, AGI policies, and manage human resources within the Animal Health Programs Unit.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES (CONTINUED)

This position also manages the Edmonton postmortem room staff and oversees the services outlined below:

• Livestock Pathology and Toxicology Diagnostic Service:
• Manage and administer pathology and toxicology diagnostic service of AGI to support disease surveillance, meat inspection activities and disease response.
• Provide diagnostic support services to other departments.
• Maintain post-mortem room facility and subsequent equipment at a Containment Level 2 (CL2) standard.
• Effectively manage staff and provide oversight to ensure biosecurity and biocontainment standards.
• Support disease investigation and response activities of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian related to Animal Health Act:
• Oversee and guide employees with field assignments.
• Support the Incident Command infrastructure in the event of an animal health emergency, providing guidance and expertise as part of a rapid response team.
• Administrative Responsibilities:
• Manage and supervise procurement of supplies to maintain services.
• Ensure compliance with occupational health and safety policies and regulations during field operations.
• Maintain and organize all documentation and records related to the role.

Please

Competencies specific to this role are:

• Systems Thinking: You consider the broader impacts of disease control and surveillance programs on Alberta’s livestock sector.
• Drive for Results: You are committed to achieving operational and financial standards that meet APS objectives and benefit the agricultural community.
• Creative Problem Solving: You approach challenges with innovative solutions, partnering with stakeholders to enhance program outcomes.
• Build Collaborative Environments: You engage with a wide network, leveraging resources to build shared solutions across government and industry.
• Develop Self and Others: You support continuous learning within your team, promoting growth and skill development