Community Engagement Specialist, Family Medicine

Primary Purpose: The Department of Family Medicine is a large complex provincially distributed medical education program in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan and is dedicated to excellence in patient care, teaching and learning, research, and administration. The Community Engagement Specialist plays a key strategic role in elevating the department’s provincial and national visibility by leading initiatives that enhance community partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and recruitment efforts for faculty and learner. The position supports the department’s mandate within a distributed medical education model through thoughtful planning, stakeholder collaboration, and strategic implementation.

Nature of Work: Reporting to the Director of Operations and Administration, the Specialist operates with a high degree of independence and judgment. This role engages with senior leadership across sectors including the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Indigenous communities, government agencies, community health organizations, and the College of Medicine. The Specialist will serve as the direct supervisor for the Communication Specialist and will be responsible for all aspects of performance management, including coaching, evaluation, goal setting, and professional development.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities:

• In collaboration with the Provincial Head and the Director, Operations & Administration to develop and support faculty and resident physician recruitment strategies across the Department's eight core residency training sites and associated rural communities. Identify needs, tailor approaches to geographic and cultural contexts (including northern, rural, and Indigenous communities) and assist in implementing recruitment initiatives as they are developed
• Act as a primary liaison for engagement initiatives, recruitment strategies and community partnership efforts when interacting with external stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, SHA and Indigenous organizations and leaders, academic partners and rural health networks
• Represent departmental priorities and strategic direction, particularly related to socially accountable medical education, faculty and learner recruitment, Indigenous health equity and distributed training site engagement
• Communicate and advocate for departmental needs, provides updates on current initiatives and gather input to inform collaborative planning with external organizations
• Support relationship-building and stewardship, fostering trust, continuity and long-term partnerships between the Department and its external collaborators
• Deliver presentations or briefings on behalf of departmental leadership as needed
• Design, lead, and implement community engagement initiatives aligned with the Department’s commitment to socially accountable medical education, rural physician workforce development, and culturally safe healthcare delivery
• Provide strategic advice to departmental leadership, including the Provincial Head and Program Directors, on public perception, stakeholder relations, engagement risks, and alignment with USask’s social accountability mission
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of engagement initiatives at the direction of the Director, Operations & Administration and Provincial Head by analyzing recruitment data, stakeholder feedback and analytics platforms. Use findings to inform strategic planning, guide continuous improvement and support reporting to internal and external partners
• Supervise and mentor the Communications Specialist, aligning communications activities with Department’s priorities. Provide strategic oversight for public-facing content, campaigns, media relations, and community-focused storytelling
• Plan and facilitate community-based engagement sessions, such as rural physician recruitment forums, Indigenous community visits, town halls, and provincial recruitment events. Coordinate logistics, agenda, follow-up reporting, and briefing notes for leadership
• Ensure all engagement initiatives are guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the College of Medicine’s Indigenous Health goals, and the University’s EDI strategy. Co-create partnerships with Indigenous communities and stakeholders
• Lead or co-lead strategic initiatives – at the direction of the Director, Operations & Administration and in collaboration with the Provincial Head and other departmental leaders - such as development of community-engaged faculty recruitment framework, distributed site engagement model, or regional engagement strategies linked to program expansion and sustainability
• Conduct research, environmental scans, and best practice reviews to support long-term engagement planning and innovation.
• Identity and mitigate reputational risks through proactive issues management, stakeholder consultation, and coordination with department leadership
• Oversee departmental stakeholder and communications databases, ensuring consistent tracking, relationship management, and data-informed planning
• Act as a resource and lead advisor on engagement-related matters, including responding to external inquiries, preparing presentations, and leading planning sessions across the department

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s in public relations, marketing, community development, or a related discipline. Minimum 5 years’ experience in strategic engagement, preferably in post-secondary or health contexts. An equivalent level of education and experience may be considered.

Experience: Experience in community engagement or stakeholder relations within a post-secondary environment, health environment or similarly complex organization is required. A demonstrated progression in level of responsibility, including developing and implementing strategic communications plans is essential. Experience in website development and social media strategies are required. Knowledge of the University of Saskatchewan, family medicine, and the Saskatchewan healthcare system would be an asset.

Skills: Demonstrated ability to plan, lead, and evaluate strategic community engagement initiatives. Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with experience working with diverse populations, including rural and Indigenous communities. Proven leadership and supervisory skills, including performance management and staff development. Excellent communication skills—written, verbal, and public speaking—with the ability to prepare presentations and briefing materials for leadership. Experience developing and managing strategic communications across web, social media, and public platforms. Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines. Analytical thinking with the ability to use data and stakeholder input to inform planning and continuous improvement. Understanding of socially accountable education, health equity, and community engagement frameworks. Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation, with demonstrated application in previous roles. High proficiency in Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and stakeholder engagement or CRM systems. Ability to work independently and collaboratively, exercising sound judgment, diplomacy, and discretion.

Department: Family Medicine (Saskatoon)

Status: Permanent

Employment Group: ASPA
Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0

Salary: The salary range, based on 1.0 FTE, is $69,035.00 - 107,868.00 per annum. The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Salary Phase/Band: Phase 2

Posted Date: 7/15/2025

Closing Date: 7/21/2025 at 6:00 pm CST
Number of Openings: 1
Work Location: May be eligible for hybrid work under the terms of USask's Alternative Workspace Guidelines

The University is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are proud to support career opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reflect the community we serve. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin: Indigenous Truth policy and Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation. The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.