Vice President - Medical & Academic Affairs

This opportunity is being advertised to fill an existing vacancy.

Position: Vice President, Medical & Academic Affairs

Work Type: 3 days per week

Location: Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) – All Sites

Reporting to: EVP, Medical and Chief of Staff (Chief Medical Officer)

Position Summary:

At Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), we're building one of Ontario's newest and most innovative healthcare organizations. As we continue our transformation, we are seeking an exceptional healthcare leader to shape the future of professional practice, patient safety, clinical education and technology-enabled care.

Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) is seeking an accomplished, collaborative and forward-thinking physician leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Vice President, Medical & Academic Affairs (VP-MAA). Reporting to the Executive Vice President, Medical & Chief of Staff (Chief Medical Officer), this executive role provides strategic leadership for medical and academic affairs across a multi-site healthcare organization and plays a critical role in advancing clinical excellence, physician engagement, medical leadership, education, research and innovation across the organization.

Responsibilities at a Glance:

Executive & Medical Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership and advice on medical affairs, clinical operations, healthcare policy, and emerging health system priorities.
• Provide executive leadership and direction to medical leaders, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, engagement, and clinical excellence.
• Partner closely with the EVP, Medical & Chief of Staff (Chief Medical Officer) and Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) to strengthen alignment between medical, clinical, and administrative leadership.
• Strengthen communication and collaboration between Program Medical Directors, Program Directors, and the Senior Leadership Team to effectively address program and organizational priorities.
• Represent WRHN with regional and provincial healthcare partners, academic institutions, professional organizations, and other key stakeholders.
• Provide reports and presentations to the Board of Directors as required.

Quality, Patient Safety & Clinical Excellence

• Champion quality improvement, patient safety, and risk management in partnership with the Vice President, Quality, Research & Patient Experience and medical and clinical leaders.
• Support meaningful medical staff engagement in quality improvement, patient safety, and organizational transformation initiatives.
• Participate in Quality of Care Reviews, including those conducted under the Quality of Care Information Protection Act (QCIPA).
• Support evidence-based clinical practice and alignment with applicable regulatory, accreditation, and clinical governance requirements.
• Work with the EVP, Medical & Chief of Staff (Chief Medical Officer), Department Chiefs, Medical Directors, and Quality leaders to advance high standards of clinical care across WRHN.

Academic & Research Leadership

• Advance the organization's academic mandate by strengthening relationships with medical schools, universities, and research partners.
• Promote an environment that supports teaching, learning, scholarship, innovation, and research.
• Support undergraduate and postgraduate medical education programs.
• Foster participation in research and implementation of innovative care delivery models.

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of medical strategies that improve patient outcomes, strengthen care delivery, and respond to evolving health system needs.
• Partner with the EVP, Medical & Chief of Staff (Chief Medical Officer) to advance physician workforce planning, recruitment, succession planning, and medical leadership development.
• Develop and advance an organizational approach to medical leadership development, supporting the growth and effectiveness of Medical Directors and other physician leaders.
• Contribute to organizational planning, resource allocation, program development, and fiscal stewardship.
• Provide leadership to the development of integrated medical programs across internal departments and local, regional, and provincial healthcare networks.
• Support the evolution of care models and clinical programs through strong partnerships across medical, clinical, and operational leadership.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic and innovative mindset with the ability to translate vision and strategy into action.
• Collaborative and influential leader with the ability to build alignment across diverse medical, clinical, operational, and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills.
• Strong understanding of healthcare operations, clinical governance, financial stewardship, and program management.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and patient-centred care.
• Ability to navigate complexity, respectfully challenge thinking, and make sound decisions in a dynamic healthcare environment.
• Visible and accessible leader who builds trust, credibility, and strong relationships across the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and enable transformational change while maintaining a strong focus on quality, people, and organizational priorities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Medical Doctor (MD) degree.
• Licensed, or eligible for licensure, with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
• Membership with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
• Eligible to hold an academic appointment with an affiliated university or medical school.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive senior leadership experience within a healthcare environment.
• Demonstrated success leading in complex, interdisciplinary healthcare organizations and working effectively with physicians, clinical leaders, operational leaders, and executive teams.
• Proven expertise in strategic planning, healthcare operations, quality improvement, and change management.
• Experience advancing medical education, research, innovation, and academic partnerships.
• Strong knowledge of Ontario's healthcare system, quality frameworks, accreditation standards, and academic health networks.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE RECEIVED UNTIL THE POSTING IS CLOSED.

Please include a resume with your application in order to ensure that your qualifications are appropriately considered in the hiring process.

Please Note: New employees must provide documentation/proof of COVID-19 vaccination status, a 2-step TB test, as well as proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) prior to their start date at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN). New Employees will require clearance from Employee Health, Safety and Wellness before they are able to begin any position within WRHN.

WRHN is committed to fair and equitable employment and in our recruitment and selection practices. We strongly believe in inclusion and diversity within our organization, and welcome all applicants including, but not limited to racialized communities, all religions and ethnicities, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, Indigenous people, and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of our Hospital community. We are committed to providing and fostering a respectful workplace for all employees, free from violence and harassment.

Accommodations are available during all stages of the recruitment process in accordance with the Human Rights Code. WRHN is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to provide an inclusive, barrier free workplace. We will accommodate the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities to support participation in all aspects of the recruitment process. Should you require this accommodation, please contact Human Resources.

If you are seeking employment on a temporary work or study permit we recommend reviewing work permit restrictions as it applies to healthcare organizations in Canada. Individuals holding a work or study permit seeking employment in the healthcare sector may be required to complete additional steps in the process. This may also apply to current employees seeking renewal of their work permits. It is the accountability of the applicant and/or employee to ensure they are adhering to their specific work permit restrictions.

WRHN does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or make hiring decisions regarding applicants during our recruitment and selection process.

Please Note: New employees must provide documentation/proof of COVID-19 vaccination status, a 2-step TB test, as well as proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) prior to their start date at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN). New Employees will require clearance from Employee Health, Safety and Wellness before they are able to begin any position within WRHN.