Manager, Patient Relations & Organizational Risk

Join Northeastern Ontario’s Health Care Leaders!

Health Sciences North is an organization dedicated to being patient and family focused, digitally enabled, and socially accountable, while supporting and developing our people and advancing our academic and research impact for Northeastern Ontario. We pride ourselves on being a learning hospital, providing professional development opportunities for our staff.

Health Sciences North (HSN) is seeking an innovative individual for the position of Indigenous Coordinator to coordinate and liaise with Indigenous communities and service providers in implementing initiatives to improve the cancer journey and facilitate the outcomes of the North East (NE) Indigenous Cancer Plan of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) peoples in the NE region in alignment with HSN’s Strategic Plan and Indigenous Health priorities.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of a three (3) year Bachelor’s Degree in a health-related field, from an accredited university. We are looking for someone with a minimum of three (3) years’ experience working in a health care or social service environment and two (2) years’ experience working with Indigenous communities, organizations or groups. The ability to write and develop business documents such as briefing notes, project reports, and presentations is required. The candidate must also possess experience working with FNIM language, culture, customs, and traditions.

If you enjoy working in a fast-paced, team environment and are looking for a rewarding career opportunity, you are encouraged to view the full job description on the HSN Careers Website.

HSN INCENTIVES

We offer a competitive salary and vacation, extended health and dental benefits, and relocation allowance to assist with moving expenses.

At HSN/HSNRI, we prioritize the physical and psychological wellness of all our staff through a variety of initiatives, aimed at creating a supportive and engaging workplace. Our Wellness Committee actively promotes health and well-being offering tips and resources to support wellness of our staff. We pride ourselves on recognizing our dedicated team members through Years of Service Celebrations and Excellence in Action Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements across the organization. We host Employee & Medical Staff appreciation events, and celebrations throughout the year, fostering a sense of community. Leadership development training is available to staff as well as an education fund, ensuring our people are our number one asset.

We participate in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), offering our valued employees the security and peace of mind that comes with a defined benefit pension plan. We understand the importance of financial well-being and believe that a strong pension, like HOOPP, recognizes our employees and provides a stable foundation for their future as part of the overall compensation package. HOOPP is also a multi-employer pension plan, meaning it can be transferred between many organizations in the province.  Join us and start building a future you can look forward to. For every dollar an employee contributes to HOOPP, the employer (HSN) contributes $1.26, meaning the plan is 55% funded by the employer, and 45% funded by the employee. All employees are eligible to join immediately upon hire.

HSN is a proud participant in the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot Programs. The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) offer a unique pathway to permanent residence for international workers looking to build a future in Greater Sudbury and surrounding communities. These programs are designed to address key labour shortages while helping skilled individuals and families settle long-term in welcoming, opportunity-rich regions of Northern Ontario. More information regarding this program can be found here or on the Sudbury site here.

HSN provides support through our Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), which is available for all HSN staff and family members regardless of status, position, affiliation, etc.

Interested applicants are asked to apply directly to requisition #9316 by February 4, 2026 at 11:59 pm on the HSN Careers Website at https://careers.hsnsudbury.ca/.

KEY FUNCTION: 

Provide strategic and operational leadership for patient relations, service quality, and organizational risk management. Ensure compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements, promote a culture of safety and transparency, and support effective resolution of patient concerns. Work closely with clinical and corporate leaders to reduce harm, strengthen patient experience, and advance quality and safety outcomes across the organization.

REPORTING:   

Under the general direction of the Director, Quality & Patient Safety.

DUTIES:

1. Provide leadership and oversight to ensure compliance with legislative requirements related to patient relations and risk (e.g., Excellent Care for All Act (ECFAA), Public Hospitals Act (PHA), Quality of Care Information Protection Act (QCIPA), Health Care Consent Act (HCCA)), and with applicable best practices, organizational/department policies and processes, and accreditation/department standards.
2. Lead the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of the Patient Relations program including the day-to-day operations in resolving patient concerns.
3. Provide leadership and oversight of the Integrated Risk Management Framework and related processes.
4. Lead the comprehensive assessment, prioritization and monitoring of clinical, administrative, property and patient safety risks.
5. Coordinate legal and policy reviews, conduct legal risk assessments, and review contracts, agreements, and organizational policies to ensure legal and insurance compliance and minimize risk exposure.
6. Manage litigation claims, respond to legal correspondence and regulatory inquiries, support litigation processes; liaise with external counsel, and attend discoveries as required.
7. Provide internal legal guidance to leaders, clinicians, and staff on patient relations, consent, privacy, documentation, and risk mitigation.
8. Provide leadership and oversight of the HSN Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC) insurance program, including Risk Assessment Checklists (RACs) and Risk Register processes.
9. Oversee and collaborate with stakeholders on the analysis and trend of patient safety, patient relations and risk data to reduce reoccurrence and minimize risk; develop summary reports as required.
10. Evaluate patient care and satisfaction on an ongoing basis and formulate solutions for improvement.
11. Develop annual budgets and assume fiscal accountability of the departmental operation according to approved budget.
12. Oversee the work of others in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), its regulations, and HSN policies.
13. Manage human resources, which include recruitment, selection and training.
14. Guide, motivate, monitor and supervise staff, develop standards of performance, evaluate performance and make recommendations on disciplinary action as required.
15. Determine and align improvement projects with HSN’s Strategic Plan; monitor and adjust to achieve goal outcomes.
16. Participate in the accreditation process and work to ensure that the program and HSN achieve, maintain and continually improve upon their accredited status.
17. Teach, coach and lead staff in the development and monitoring of quality indicators and improvement initiatives.
18. Engage in and foster professional development of all staff and provide opportunities for learning within budgeted resources.
19. Ensure a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors; investigate, report, debrief and take or direct corrective action as required on incidents.
20. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders/organizations/community groups to achieve program objectives, integrate and link services and foster partnerships across the continuum of service delivery.
21. Participate in education and training specific to current, relevant federal and provincial health and safety legislation, standards and guidelines.
22. Represent the department or program on various committees and in meetings as required. 
23. Perform other duties as required. 

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND TRAINING: 

1. Minimum of a four (4) year Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a Healthcare or Business Administration field, from an accredited university.
2. Master’s Degree from an accredited university is preferred.
3. Law degree and eligibility to practice law in Ontario is preferred.
4. A member in good standing with of the Law Society of Ontario is preferred.
5. Ministry of Labour “Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps” training certificate is required.

EXPERIENCE: 

1. Minimum of five (5) years’ experience working in a health care environment.
2. Minimum of two (2) years’ experience working in a leadership/supervisory role, preferably in a health care environment.
3. Experience in clinical risk, claims and organizational risk management, patient relations and alternative dispute resolution processes within a healthcare setting is required.
4. Training or recent experience with project management is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES: 

1. Demonstrated strong knowledge of patient relations processes, complaint and incident management, and risk mitigation in a healthcare setting.
2. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of legislation applicable to a hospital setting (e.g. ECFAA, PHA, QCIPA, HCCA) and other related provincial and federal legislation.
3. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities.
4. Demonstrated ability to manage complex, confidential and sensitive issues involving patients, families, clinicians, and external stakeholders.
5. Demonstrated leadership experience, including influencing and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams.
6. Demonstrated strong analytical skills with experience using data and trends to inform risk reduction and quality improvement strategies.
7. Demonstrated relationship-building skills, including active listening, conflict resolution, and the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders.
8. Proven ability to develop, monitor, administer and report on budgets.
9. Demonstrated excellent presentation skills.
10. Demonstrated ability to coach, advise and teach others using the principles of adult learning.
11. Demonstrated training, experience or utilization of quality improvement methodology for process improvement.
12. Demonstrated ability to independently identify issues, plan improvements, measure success and continue improvement.
13. Demonstrated knowledge of relevant legislation and principles of management, hospital committee structure, conflict management and resolution, system needs analysis and organizational assessment.
14. Demonstrated excellent computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office software (e.g. Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook) and patient information systems.
15. Demonstrated superior interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
16. Demonstrated commitment to the safety of co-workers and patients.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY: 

1. Successful Criminal Record Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC).
2. Ability to address issues outside regular business hours as they arise.
3. Demonstrated high level of professionalism, judgment, discretion, and ethical decision-making.
4. Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development.
5. Demonstrated professionalism in dealing with confidential and sensitive issues.
6. Demonstrated positive work record and excellent attendance record.
7. Ability to meet the physical and sensory demands of the job.
8. Ability to travel between local sites.

Processus de sélection :  Les candidates et les candidats à ce poste seront sélectionnés en fonction de leurs aptitudes, de leurs capacités, de leur expérience et de leurs compétences indiquées dans le curriculum vitæ ou le formulaire de demande dûment rempli. L’hôpital se réserve le droit de mener une entrevue officielle au besoin. Cette annonce concerne un poste vacant. 
 
Horizon Santé-Nord s’engage à offrir des mesures d’adaptation aux candidates et candidats en situation de handicap afin de favoriser leur participation aux étapes du recrutement, de l’évaluation, de la sélection et de l’embauche.

HSN REMERCIE TOUTES LES PERSONNES POSANT LEUR CANDIDATURE.
CEPENDANT, NOUS COMMUNIQUERONS UNIQUEMENT AVEC CELLES RETENUES POUR UNE ENTREVUE.

NOUS N’ACCEPTERONS PAS DE DEMANDES APRÈS LA DATE ET L’HEURE DE CLÔTURE.