Recovery Alberta - Senior Medical Director, Addiction Medicine

Recovery Alberta is seeking a highly skilled and experienced leader to serve as Senior Medical Director, Addiction Medicine, bringing expertise and strategic vision to drive excellence in addiction care.

As the Senior Medical Director (SMD) of Addiction Medicine, you will provide expert leadership for Recovery Alberta’s bed-based addiction and detoxification treatment services, opioid dependency programs, and safe consumption initiatives. Additionally, you will oversee overdose prevention and harm reduction programs across the province, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care. It is an exciting time to be a part of Recovery Alberta, as the province works to re-imagine and re-organize healthcare administration and delivery.

This is a 0.7 FTE position and the work location is negotiable within Alberta. As this is a provincial position, the physical work location is negotiable within Alberta and may be eligible for remote/hybrid work arrangements.

Recovery Alberta (RA) is a newly established provincial health agency dedicated to providing accessible, comprehensive, recovery-focused mental health, addiction, and correctional health services across Alberta. With one in five Albertans facing mental health or addiction challenges in their lifetime, Recovery Alberta offers a wide range of care options. Whether it's acute care, psychiatric services, community beds, detox facilities, virtual care, or outpatient and community outreach services, RA is here to help people build a better tomorrow.

The right medications can make all the difference in addiction recovery. You can make a difference by guiding Recovery Alberta’s approach to addiction recovery and helping Albertans to overcome their challenges and live full, healthy lives. Read on for full details and apply below!

Applications will be reviewed on May 9th; however, the posting will remain open until the position is filled.

Job Description:

The Senior Medical Director, Addiction Medicine, (SMD) provides leadership and a medical perspective to Recovery Alberta. Reporting to the Chief Medical Officer, the SMD provides oversight, direction, and advice regarding medication and treatments provided through Recovery Alberta.

As the Senior Medical Director, Addiction Medicine, you will be responsible for the effective and efficient recovery-oriented addiction services across Alberta. In this role, the SMD provides strategic and operational leadership for RA’s addiction services and program delivery. This includes strategic planning, business planning, and establishing priorities for Addiction Medicine in alignment with Recovery Alberta’s vision and priorities and the provincial Ministry of Mental Health’s direction, as well as relevant legislation, regulations, and standards. You will develop and maintain a provincial framework for addiction services and program delivery and judiciously manage financial, physical, and human resources. You will develop, implement, and evaluate Addiction Medicine programs and services, standards of practice, and best practices with a view to continuous improvement.

As the SMD, you will develop effective relationships fostering a climate of cooperation with internal and external stakeholders. You will act as a physician liaison and engage key stakeholders including the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction (MHA) and Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence (CORE), provincial health agencies, contracted service providers, and other external organizations.

Required Qualifications

The successful candidate will hold or be eligible for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta and appointment to the Recovery Alberta Medical Staff and must be certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or an equivalent professional body. At least 5 years of experience leading intensive addiction treatment services, including bed-based treatment and detoxification, with 3 years in senior leadership roles in diverse clinical settings.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Proven ability to develop and execute long-term organizational strategies and initiatives, with a focus on achieving measurable goals.
• Experience in leading change management and driving innovation to improve service delivery and outcomes.
• Demonstrated success in developing medical leaders and leading quality improvement initiatives to address complex healthcare challenges.
• Strong interpersonal and public relations skills, with a track record of influencing, negotiating, and managing relationships to achieve organizational goals.
• Upholds a proven record of engaging in ethical conduct.

Preferred Qualifications

Certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Addiction Medicine and/or a Certificate of Added Competence in Addiction Medicine by College of Family Physicians of Canada and/or Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine certification or equivalent is preferred. Canadian Certified Physician Executive (CCPE) credential is an asset.

Additional Information

• FTE: 0.7
• Recruiting Organization: Recovery Alberta