Health Canada has a Unique Opportunity for an Experienced Pharmacist - Pharmacists Section Head

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

Health Canada’s Therapeutic Products Directorate is presently recruiting an experienced pharmacist for an exciting leadership opportunity in our Special Access Program (SAP). We are seeking a section head that will lead a team focused on facilitating access to non-marketed drugs for physicians to help Canadians when conventional therapies have failed, orare not available. If you have an interest in drug safety and efficacy, have experience as a clinical pharmacist, and want to hone your leadership skills, then this opportunity may be for you. See what Health Canada can offer you today!

EVERYONE IS WELCOME
Health Canada is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce with a diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds that represents Canada now and in the future. We are passionate about fostering a workplace where all people feel welcome, can reach their full potential, and contribute their unique perspectives and experience to the success of the team.

BRING YOUR WHOLE SELF TO WORK
We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex (including gender identity and/or expression), national origin, sexual orientation, civil union or relationship status, disability, age, parental status, military service, or other status protected under federal law.

Do you need help with your application? Reach out to our team, or check out this video for tips and advice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GW7P3g9hhI

Role

The work will offer you a unique opportunity to contribute to the health of Canadians. You will also have the chance to work in an intellectually stimulating environment, where principles of pharmacology, public health, epidemiology, and clinical aspects, among others, must be taken into consideration and integrated into the regulatory decision-making process.
Your role will involve:
• Frequent multidisciplinary interactions with drug companies, regulatory officers, scientists and medical experts;
• Quick turnaround input on supporting evidence for the use of drugs not available in Canada.
• Managing a team of pharmacists.
• Utilizing Health Canada’s SAP to enable physicians to obtain access to drugs not marketed in Canada for the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of serious or life-threatening conditions when conventional therapies have failed, are unsuitable, or unavailable.
Your decision to authorize a drug through the SAP will be based on the assessment of the information provided by the requesting physician as to why the drug is required in this situation and how it would benefit their patient based on the patient’s clinical history against the regulatory requirements. Your team conducts independent review of the supporting information and you will provide the physician with an opportunity to be heard when the SAP is considering issuing a denial

We are looking for a clinical pharmacist currently practicing pharmacy in Canada. The ideal candidate has:
• Strong judgement skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast paced environment
• Ability to make decisions keeping in mind the impact on others and on the organization
• Several years of experience in independent practice as clinical pharmacist within the Canadian healthcare system
Your impact:
• You will be contributing to the health of Canadians by ensuring that Canadians have access to drugs when they have exhausted available alternative treatments on the Canadian market
• You will have an opportunity to work in partnership with other levels of government, health care professionals, research communities and industry

Work environment

Are you interested in working at a cutting-edge organization that values both your physical and psychological health and wellness, provides rich career development opportunities and rewards innovation? Health Canada has been recognized as one of the Top Employers for Young People for five years running and as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the past ten years! Don’t miss your opportunity to not only enjoy the unparalleled benefits of the public service, but to get so much more on our award-winning team!

Health Canada is the federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health. Our goal is for Canada to be among the countries with the healthiest people in the world. Within Health Canada is the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB). HPFB’s mandate is to manage the health-related risks and benefits of health products and food by minimizing health risk factors to Canadians while maximizing the safety provided by the regulatory system for health products and food and providing information to Canadians so they can make healthy, informed decisions about their health. We work to protect and promote the health and safety of Canadians by being a trusted scientific and regulatory authority for health products and food in Canada and internationally.

This position is located within our Therapeutic Products Directorate (TPD). TPD is Canada's regulator of prescription drugs for human use.

Our team is located in National Capital Region (Ottawa, ON). Ottawa has an abundance of parks and waterways for you and your family to explore. In addition, it’s only a short 20-minute drive to Gatineau Park, which offers biking, golfing, hiking, swimming and skiing. If you like to eat out, Ottawa has everything from the most amazing food trucks to fine dining prepared by award-winning chefs. You can also take in an event at the National Art Centre or visit one of many summer music festivals. Applicants should be aware that our team is presently working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although flexible options, including remote work, may be offered on a temporary or full-time basis. Therefore, we encourage applicants from across Canada to apply.

Relocation:
The Initial Appointees Relocation Program provides newly appointed employees with the sum of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) to cover relocation costs should the position require reporting to our Ottawa office.

Intent of the process

The intent of this process is to hire for one (1) indeterminate (permanent) position.

Applicants should note that this process will also be used to create a fully or partially qualified pool (list of candidates) that may also be used to staff similar positions within the Federal Public Service. Current employees of the federal public service may be considered for deployments, assignments, secondments, actings or interchange opportunities.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter "A cover letter (no more that 5000 words) that clearly outlines how you meet the required education and experience (essential qualifications) needed for the position. If you meet the criteria for any of the item that may be needed for the job (other qualifications / asset education and experience) which are outlined below, please ensure these are included as well."

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

Bilingual - Imperative (CBC/CBC)

Information on language requirements

Education:
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in Pharmacy; and
Eligibility for licensure for practice as pharmacist in a province or territory in Canada.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
A minimum of three (3) years of experience as a clinical pharmacist in a role focused on providing pharmacotherapy advice.

Experience in analyzing, reviewing, and interpreting scientific or clinical data to provide advice on potential human benefits and risks of the use of a drug in a clinical setting

Experience in evaluating the effectiveness of drugs in a clinical setting, including dosage recommendations, monitoring for side effects and providing advice based on drug mechanism of action.

Experience briefing and providing strategic recommendations to decision makers (physicians/management or above in the private sector, director or above in the public service).

KNOWLEDGE:

Knowledge of how clinical medication guidelines are developed and employed in the clinical setting.

ABILITIES AND PERSONAL SUITABILITY:

Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Ability to solve complex scientific issues.

Ability to manage a team.

Ability to resolve conflict.

Respectful of diversity

Judgement

Effective interpersonal relationships

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

Asset Education:
Graduation from a recognized post-secondary institution with a post-graduate degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in Pharmacy or a related field

Degree equivalency

Asset Experience:
Experience as a clinical pharmacist in formulating drug preparations, compounding, and formulating intravenous admixtures

Completion of a pharmacy residency or fellowship in a relevant scientific or management field.

Experience in hospital pharmacy practice with direct patient care in institutional settings.

ASSET KNOWLEDGE:
Knowledge of the strengths and limitation of the different studies used in drug development.

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance - we will help you obtain this as part of the hiring process.

Ability and Willingness to work overtime on occasion.
Ability and Willingness to travel on occasion.
All employees of the core public administration are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and attest to their vaccination status unless accommodated based on a medical contraindication, religion, or another prohibited ground for discrimination as defined under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.
An exam will be conducted for those that have met initial criteria with their resume and cover letter.
An interview will be conducted for those that have met initial criteria with their resume and cover letter.
Reference checks will be sought for candidates that are successful in the assessments.
Information on employment equity
We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the contact information below to request special accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
Information on accommodation for persons with disabilities
You are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of your choice (English or French). You are asked to indicate your preferred official language in your application.
For this process, emails are the most efficient way to communicate with you. Candidates who apply to this selection process must include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email). If you do not wish to receive results by email or if you change your email address during the process, it is your responsibility to inform us.
Please note that candidates are responsible for submitting their application by the closing date in order to be considered. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE THROUGH THE PSRS SYSTEM. No applications will be accepted once the deadline has passed. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possibly missing information.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The PSRS system will time out after 60 minutes of inactivity which may result in your inability to save your work or loss of data. It is recommended that you draft ALL RESPONSES in another document on your PC which may be saved (e.g. in MS Word) and copy/paste into the PSRS system when completed. HEALTH CANADA IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SYSTEM PROBLEMS WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF DATA AND/OR INCOMPLETE OR NON SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS.
As per the Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration Including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=32694), federal public servants in the Core Public Administration and members of the RCMP must attest to their vaccination status. The requirement for employees to be fully vaccinated applies whether they are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site. This is a condition of employment and it applies to indeterminate (permanent), determinate (temporary), casual, and student hiring. Should you reach the point in the selection process where it is necessary to verify terms and conditions of employment then the hiring manager or a human resources representative will contact you in order to complete an attestation.
Please note that volume management strategies, such as random selection, top-down approach, invoking any asset(s) and/or cut-off scores, MAY be used at any point in the staffing process for the purpose of managing volumes of applications/candidates.
We thank all those who apply.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.