BAND 4 – Director, Animal Health Centre

Job title: BAND 4 – Director, Animal Health Centre

Company:

Job description: Due to present physical distancing requirements related to COVID-19, the recruitment process for this competition may take place virtually.

Combine your client service, stakeholder engagement and strategic planning skills in this challenging role

The Plant and Animal Health Branch (PAHB) of the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAFF) consists of three key program areas: The Animal Health Centre (AHC), the Livestock Health Management and Regulatory Unit, and the Plant Health Unit. Together these three work units enable the PAHB to provide comprehensive diagnostic services, disease surveillance activities, outbreak investigations and a regulatory framework to support agricultural sustainability, public health and animal welfare. The PAHB has established strong and effective multi-disciplinary alliances with federal, provincial and private sector partners.

The Animal Health Centre (AHC) is one of four Canadian laboratories accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). The AHC is also accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) for ISO/IEC 17025 and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for the various veterinary diagnostic testing services it offers As a member of the Canadian Animal Health Lab Network (CAHLN) and the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network (CAHSN), the AHC is equipped to provide local diagnostic support to Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) detections. The AHC contains multiple levels of containment laboratories including – Containment Level 2 laboratories, a Prion laboratory, 2 Foreign Animal Disease laboratories as well as a Containment Level 3 laboratory, all of which allow the AHC to operate and work with varying levels of biohazardous agents The specialized laboratory sections of the AHC, each with a dedicated Section Head, are Pathology, Microbiology, Histology, Serology, Virology and Molecular Diagnostics.

The AHC provides a culture of respect, empowerment, collaboration and appreciation. Work-life balance, continuing education and personal growth and development are actively supported. The AHC currently has 45 staff members that include front office clerical staff, animal health technicians, lab technologists and scientists, general and specialist veterinary pathologists, a veterinary microbiologist and a veterinary virologist. Staff are enthusiastic, engaged and passionate about the work of the AHC and its role in preserving and promoting animal health and welfare in BC. The AHC is truly a center of excellence for veterinary diagnostics.

The Director of the AHC is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the management and daily operation of the AHC work unit and would apply their leadership and professional competencies toward oversight of the AHC’s budget, staff management, the continuous improvement of diagnostic services, the quality management system and laboratory accreditations. The Director is the public face of the AHC and will have many opportunities to engage with national and provincial professional associations, stakeholders and clients to ensure AHC services remain valued and relevant.

The AHC facility is located in the Abbotsford Agricultural Center, in the City of Abbotsford, BC, approximately 1 hour east of Vancouver and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Abbotsford is also called “the City in the Country” and is set in the heart of the Fraser Valley, a vibrant and diverse multi-commodity agricultural community. For the adventurous, Abbotsford is only ever one hour away from 7 world class ski hills, innumerable hiking trails, several salmon fishing rivers and coastal kayaking opportunities. For more refined tastes, Vancouver, as well as Abbotsford, has abundant cultural, educational and culinary offerings.

The BC Public Service is an award winning employer and offers employees competitive benefits, amazing learning opportunities and a chance to engage in rewarding work with exciting career development opportunities. For more information, please see What We Offer .

The BC Public Service is committed to creating a diverse workplace to represent the population we serve and to better meet the needs of our citizens. Consider joining our team and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

For complete details about this opportunity, including accountabilities, please refer to the attached job profile. For specific position related enquiries, please contact . DO NOT SEND YOUR APPLICATION TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS. For more information about how to create or update your profile and how to submit your application, please refer to the Job Application page on the MyHR website. If you are still experiencing technical difficulty applying for a competition, please send an e-mail to , before the stated closing time, and we will respond as soon as possible to assist you.

NOTE: Applications will be accepted until 11:00 pm Pacific Time on the closing date of the competition.

Job Requirements:
In order to be considered for this position, your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the education and experience as outlined below:

• Degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from an educational institute accredited by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, or equivalent/comparable veterinary degree with eligibility to obtain a full licence to practice in British Columbia.
• Degree to the Masters or PhD level in Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology, Virology, parasitology or immunology.
• A minimum of five years of experience in a veterinary diagnostic laboratory or relevant work experience.
• Minimum 5 years experience in a leadership and/or a supervisory role, which may include practice management, regulatory/policy, finance or quality management.
• Preference may be given to candidates with experience in an AAVLD and/or ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory.
• Preference may be given to candidates with DVM and PhD with specialty board certification.

Applicants selected to move forward in the hiring process may be assessed on the Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies as outlined in the attached Job Profile located in the Additional Information section at the bottom of the posting.

A Criminal Record Check (CRC) will be required.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Cover Letter: NO – Please do not submit a cover letter as it will not be reviewed.

Resume required: YES – Ensure your resume includes your educational accomplishments, employment history including start and end dates (month and year) of your employment, and any relevant information that relates to the job to which you are applying.

Questionnaire: YES (COMPREHENSIVE) – As part of the application process, you will be prompted to complete a comprehensive online questionnaire to demonstrate how you meet the job requirements. Please allot approximately 60 minutes to complete the questionnaire.

IMPORTANT: Comprehensive questionnaire responses will be used to shortlist applicants against the job requirements. Please ensure you include all relevant information about your educational accomplishments and employment history including job titles, start and end dates (month and year) of your employment, and your accountabilities and accomplishments.

Expected salary: $90900 – 120800 per year

Location: Abbotsford, BC

Job date: Sun, 17 Jan 2021 07:09:29 GMT