Director of Health and Wellness for Ross River Dena Council (RRDC)

Director of Health and Wellness for Ross River Dena Council (RRDC)

Ross River Dena Council (RRDC) is seeking a leader and community builder to take on the role of Director of Health and Wellness.
Based full-time in Ross River, the Director serves as the vital operational bridge between executive leadership, healthcare staff, community families, and external health partners. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, you will provide the overarching strategic vision, daily operational oversight, and fiscal accountability for the RRDC Health and Wellness Department, including the complete administration of the Margaret Thomson Centre. This senior leadership role requires a professional, deeply committed leader who will translate the strategic priorities of Chief & Council into actionable, community-facing health programs, ensuring rigorous corporate and financial compliance while remaining deeply grounded in culturally safe, trauma-informed care and Kaska traditions
Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership:
  Translate community health priorities into actionable operational plans, provide strategic direction for health initiatives, and offer technical governance advice to leadership.
• Operations, Programs & Policy:
  Oversee the day-to-day administration of the health department, ensuring healthcare services are delivered in a culturally safe, trauma-informed manner. This includes full operational oversight of the Margaret Thomson Centre, ensuring it is safely staffed, structurally maintained, and fully equipped to blend modern medical care with traditional Kaska healing.
• Financial Oversight:
  Manage all departmental budgets, maintain strict fiscal accountability, and ensure compliance with external funding agreements and mandatory reporting obligations.
• People Leadership:
  Provide exceptional leadership and mentorship to health staff and contractors by driving work plans, supporting professional development, and modeling a culturally grounded workplace culture.
• Community & External Relations:
  Act as the core liaison between the community, leadership, and external health authorities, while advocating for regional wellness needs and securing diverse funding opportunities.

What You Bring
How we work is as important as what we do. We expect that you will bring the following skills:

• Holistic & Culturally Grounded Health Leadership: A deeply empathetic leader who upholds traditional Kaska values—including trust, respect, honor, and humility. You listen deeply to center community needs, advocate for Kaska wellness priorities, and promote healthy, culturally grounded lifestyles.
• Team Building and Mentorship:
  A reliable mentor who motivates, unites, and leads a multidisciplinary healthcare team with compassion. You foster a collaborative workspace, drive capacity building, and serve as a positive role model for self-care and work-life balance.
• Exceptional Communication:
  An excellent written and verbal communicator who easily bridges gaps between leadership, clinical and community staff, and external health authorities to navigate complex regional health systems.
• Problem Solving & Conflict Resolution: An analytical thinker who takes ownership of outcomes to solve complex operational or care-delivery challenges. You handle high-stress situations and interpersonal differences using patient, trauma-informed, and clear conflict resolution.
• Professional Accountability & Integrity: A dependable executive leader who maintains strict organizational integrity, healthcare compliance, and fiscal accountability for the Ross River Dena Council's health infrastructure.

Required Experience, Education, Knowledge
This leadership role requires a significant depth and breadth of leadership experience. We value diverse pathways to leadership and will consider combinations of the following including but not limited to/such as:

• Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration, Public Health, Nursing, Social Work, Community Health, or related field.
• Master’s degree in health administration, public health, or related discipline is an asset.
• Minimum 7+ years of experience in health or social services, including 5 years in a leadership or management role.
• Knowledge of the RRDC culture, history, goals, and aspirations
• Knowledge of the Kaska people living in the Yukon and in northern British Columbia

Conditions of Employment

• Class 5 (minimum) Yukon Driver’s license
• Criminal record check with Vulnerable Sector check

Compensation
$80,000 to $90,000, dependent upon accreditation and experience.