Status: Full time, indefinite
Location: Ottawa, Ontario or Toronto, Ontario (hybrid)
Closing date: December 16, 2024
Salary range: $86,000 to $107,000 per year

CADTH is now Canada’s Drug Agency — a pan-Canadian health organization. We are an independent, not-for-profit organization headquartered in Ottawa, with a satellite office in Toronto. Created and funded by Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments, we drive better coordination, alignment, and public value within Canada’s drug and health technology landscape. We provide Canada’s health system leaders with independent evidence and advice so they can make informed drug, health technology, and health system decisions, and we collaborate with national and international partners to enhance our collective impact.
We are proud to be a 2024 National Capital Region Top Employer. This recognition celebrates our dedication to fostering a work environment that nurtures growth; innovation; and inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). It reaffirms our ongoing efforts to create an outstanding workplace where our employees thrive and feel valued.

Most of our employees participate in a hybrid workspace arrangement that allows for flexibility and enhanced work-life balance. We believe in the positive impact of in-person collaboration and the importance of team building. Added consideration is given to qualified candidates who live near our offices and can participate in a hybrid arrangement. Those applying must be located in Ontario, except in rare circumstances where the employment position is remote.

Primary Focus
The Program Development Officer is responsible for overseeing the development, scoping, and refinement of drug health policy queries submitted to the Post-Market Drug Evaluation (PMDE) program by federal, provincial, and territorial decision-makers. An integral part of the PMDE team, they ensure an ongoing focus on engaging with customers and meeting their needs, and building on the knowledge of methodological and data analysis capabilities of the PMDE network. This may be achieved with planning and execution of capacity and methods training opportunities.

What do the daily responsibilities look like?

On any given day, the Program Development Officer will:

• develop, scope, and refine drug health policy queries through consultation with our customers (federal, provincial, and territorial decision-makers), the PMDE network (Co Lab), and appropriate internal teams
• work to identify the appropriate deliverables and timelines to meet customers’ needs as part of the scoping and refinement process
• identify and engage the most appropriate network research team(s) and facilitate collaboration within the PMDE network
• work with colleagues to determine the feasibility of a query to ensure the appropriate data are available and accessible, and determine if the network has capacity and possesses the necessary expertise; identify any additional expert advice and guidance that is needed, if required
• provide continued support of queries throughout the process by liaising and working with the customer(s), PMDE network, and internal team to ensure that customer needs are met
• disseminate query reports and summary results to the customer(s)
• work with the Co Lab network to identify, coordinate, and implement capacity and methods training events to increase the functionality and capabilities of the network.

Is this the right role for you?

The Program Development Officer will likely have:

• a completed, relevant health science undergraduate degree, coupled with no less than 4 years of experience performing work of a similar nature; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered
• knowledge and understanding of health technologies, health technology assessment (drug and nondrug), and health policy, and how to best maximize the uptake and impact of evidence-based information in the health sector in Canada
• the ability to identify health policy issues and relevant research questions
• experience with research methods used in the development and application of health technology assessments
• skills in the critical appraisal of study design, clinical trial data, and methodological approaches
• knowledge of real-world or observational evidence best practices
• proficiency in analyzing and using clinical data
• an understanding of the health care system in Canada and knowledge of decision-making processes within the federal, provincial, and territorial governments
• strong writing, presentation, negotiation, and facilitation skills
• the ability to work, communicate, and build collaborative and productive relationships with a variety of customers and knowledge users
• strong customer service orientation
• strong time management, organizational, and prioritization skills, along with solid planning and analytical skills and the ability to work independently
• proficiency with Microsoft 365 and its associated applications.

What will set you apart?

The following are considered asset qualifications:

• completion of a graduate degree in a health science–related discipline
• experience in clinical research or clinical practice across therapeutic areas
• fluency in French.

What’s in it for you?

At Canada’s Drug Agency, you will find:

• a team-focused, supportive, and inclusive work environment
• a competitive compensation package, including participation in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) — 1 of Canada’s largest and most successful defined benefit pension plans
• a comprehensive benefits package for employees and dependents, including health, dental, life, and travel insurance; a health spending account; and an employee assistance program
• paid time off (including a minimum of 4 weeks of vacation leave as well as sick leave and life leave, a December holiday closure, and other leave options)
• opportunities to work with and learn from highly specialized professionals
• personal growth through professional development opportunities, corporate training, and support for continuing education
• a friendly culture that supports community engagement
• the opportunity to make a difference for people living in Canada and effect positive change.

To apply for this position, visit the Careers section of our website. Your résumé must clearly identify how your skills and experience relate to the requirements of this role. Applications for this opportunity may be used for future staffing vacancies. We thank you for your interest; however, only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted. Please visit our website regularly for new opportunities.

At Canada’s Drug Agency, we actively celebrate, support, and flourish through our differences. Our employees are people with different strengths, experiences, and backgrounds, who share a passion for building the future of health care. We demonstrate a commitment to IDEA through continuous training, modelling inclusive behaviours, and proactively managing biases. We highly encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including people of all places of origin and religions, people with disabilities, people who are neurodivergent, people who are Black or racialized, Indigenous people, women, and people from the 2SLGBTQ+ community. We also provide accommodations during all phases of the recruitment process. If you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please let the Talent Acquisition team know when they contact you. We will work with you to meet your needs.

Please note that, as a condition of employment, successful candidates will be required to complete a confidential pre-employment background check, including criminal, employment, and educational verifications.

Candidates must be legally eligible to work in Canada. We regret that we are unable to sponsor employment visas at this time.

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