Careers

Director of Care, Hospice Residence  

Position Summary  

Key Responsibilities 

Clinical Operations & Care Delivery

• Oversees the day-to-day delivery of clinical care within the hospice residence, ensuring alignment with hospice palliative care standards and best practices 

• Ensures care is safe, consistent, and delivered in a person- and family-centred manner 

• Participates in clinical rounds and supports complex care planning and family discussions 

• Acts as a clinical resource to staff, supporting decision-making in complex or escalating situations 

• Ensures documentation, charting, and clinical processes meet required standards 

Staffing, Coverage & Scheduling

• Ensures 24/7 clinical staffing coverage aligned with resident needs  

• Develops and manages staff schedules, including vacation, sick time, and overtime approvals  

• Participates in a rotational leadership on-call schedule  

• Recruits, onboards, coaches, and manages clinical staff performance  

• Builds and sustains a high-performing, collaborative interdisciplinary team  

 Admissions & Resident Flow

• Oversees the client intake and admissions process, ensuring timely, appropriate, and well coordinated access to care  

• Aligns admissions with staffing capacity and operational readiness 

• Collaborates with external partners to support smooth transitions into care 

 Clinical Leadership, Quality & Risk Management

• Partners with the Medical Director to support clinical standards, program development, and quality improvement 

• Leads the operational aspects of clinical risk management, including incident review, escalation, and mitigation 

• Conducts chart reviews, audits, and continuous quality improvement initiatives 

• Ensures adherence to professional standards, codes of ethics, and regulatory requirements 

 Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC)

• Leads the implementation and ongoing management of Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) practices across the residence 

• Develops and maintains IPAC policies and outbreak management protocols 

• Ensures staff training, compliance, and monitoring of IPAC practices 

Operations & Resource Management

• Oversees clinical supplies, equipment, and inventory management, including ordering and utilization 

• Ensures compliance with health and safety, infection control, fire safety, and environmental standards 

• Participates in Joint Health & Safety processes and promote a safe care environment 

Collaboration with Executive Director

• Works closely with the Executive Director on: 

• Operational planning and execution 

• Support staffing models and workforce planning 

• Budgeting for clinical operations 

• Residence priorities and issue escalation 

• Provides regular reporting on clinical operations, staffing, quality, and risk 

 Interdisciplinary Leadership & Culture

• Fosters a strong transdisciplinary care model across all clinical and support roles including volunteers and learners 

• Promotes a culture of compassion, dignity, collaboration, and continuous learning 

• Facilitates team meetings, debriefs, and effective communication  

Education & Professional Development

• Identifies staff learning needs and supports ongoing clinical education 

• Supports onboarding, orientation, and professional development 

• Promotes evidence-based practice and knowledge exchange 

External Collaboration & Vendor Coordination

• Works collaboratively with external partners including:  

• Ontario Health at Home and referral partners  

• Clinical and community stakeholders  

• Vendors supporting clinical and operational systems  

• Ensures a coordinated and well-integrated operational environment 

Shared Leadership Model

• This role operates within a dyad leadership model: 

• Medical Director: Leads medical practice, physician model, and clinical standards 

• Director of Care: Leads clinical operations, staffing, and care delivery execution 

• Together, these roles ensure clinical excellence, operational reliability, and a seamless care experience for residents and families. 

Qualifications 

• Registered Nurse (RN) in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario 

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in healthcare leadership, including staff supervision 

• Minimum 3 years’ clinical experience in hospice palliative care or related setting 

• Certification in palliative care (e.g., CAPCE) or equivalent preferred 

• Health and Safety Certification strongly preferred 

• Demonstrated experience managing staffing, scheduling, and clinical operations in a 24/7 environment 

• Strong knowledge of IPAC, quality improvement, and risk management 

• Experience developing and implementing staff education programs 

• Experience leading interdisciplinary teams and collaborate with a wide range of community partners 

• Strong technology proficiency, including experience with EMR systems and shift scheduling software 

• Strong communication, collaboration, and professional judgment skills appropriate to a senior healthcare leadership role. 

• Valid Driver’s License and use of vehicle 

• Satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Screening required. 

Working Environment  

• Combination of clinical and administrative responsibilities 

• Standard schedule of 8-hour shifts, 5 days a week with extra hours based on operational needs 

• Flexibility required, including evenings/weekends to meet client and organizational needs  

• On-call participation required 

Inaugural Duties 

• Leading hospice policy development, drafting, and review
• Designing clinical workflows, care models, and documentation standards
• Developing the clinical staffing model and 24/7 coverage framework
• Establishing admissions criteria, processes, and referral pathways
• Leading clinical hiring and training program development
• Supporting electronic medical record (EMR) selection and implementation
• Contributing to equipment selection and clinical space planning in partnership with operations
• Leading IPAC and outbreak management planning
• Ensuring regulatory compliance and supporting future accreditation readiness
• Leading the clinical aspects of vendor implementation, and partnering with operations on vendor selection where required
• Supporting the Medical Director on pharmacy arrangements and contributing to clinical education programs