Workplace Health Specialist Full Time NEW

This position is subject to the satisfactory completion of required background checks.

This position is 0.80FTE and will be prorated to 80% of the above posted wage scale.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary:

The Workplace Health Specialist advances workplace accessibility, inclusion, wellbeing, and safety through the delivery of the Work Reintegration and Accommodation Program (WRAP). The role provides disability management, accommodation, and work reintegration services, partnering with employees, leaders, Human Resources, healthcare professionals, and external stakeholders to support early intervention, stay-at-work strategies, and return-to-work planning.

The Specialist develops individualized, person-centered plans that support recovery, inclusion, and sustained work participation while meeting accommodation and operational requirements. Applying equity, accessibility, and anti-ableism principles, the role helps remove systemic barriers and supports the University’s commitment to inclusive and equitable workplaces.

Organizational Status:

Reports to the Manager, Workplace Health and Wellbeing.

Works collaboratively with employees, academic and administrative leaders, campus partners including the Centre for Workplace Accessibility, Ergonomics, Occupational and Research Health and Safety, Human Resources colleagues, and other university stakeholders.

Provides consultation and expertise regarding equitable, accessible, and inclusive workplace practices and the impact of systemic barriers on employee health, disability management, accommodation, and work reintegration outcomes. 

Liaises with physicians, specialists, rehabilitation professionals, community health providers, WorkSafeBC, legal counsel, third-party insurers, union representatives, and other service providers involved in employee health, accommodation, disability management, and return-to-work planning. 

Work Performed:

Case Management, Rehabilitation and Return to Work:
Provides comprehensive case management services for faculty and staff experiencing illness, injury, disability, reduced work capacity, chronic health conditions, planned medical absences, or complex performance and attendance concerns.
Leads the full cycle of disability management and return-to-work processes for assigned cases from intake through successful return to work, accommodation, long-term disability transition, or closure. 

Provides early intervention support and develops individualized rehabilitation, stay-at-work, graduated return-to-work, and modified duties plans based on employee functional abilities, job requirements, medical restrictions, and departmental operational needs. 

Serves as the central point of contact for employees, leaders, healthcare providers, WorkSafeBC, third-party insurers, and other authorized stakeholders throughout the disability management process. 

Requests, reviews, interprets, and evaluates medical documentation, functional abilities information, and rehabilitation recommendations to determine accommodation requirements and support safe return-to-work planning. 

Educates, coaches, and supports employees and managers throughout the disability management process. 
Collaborates with departments and key stakeholders to advance accessibility, wellbeing, inclusion, and equitable workplace participation through the identification and mitigation of systemic barriers. 

Applies an equity-informed, trauma-informed, and person-centered approach when assessing employee needs and determining accommodation or reintegration strategies. 

Identifies, recommends, and supports the removal of systemic, procedural, and environmental barriers that may impede equitable access, accommodation, successful return to work, or ongoing employment participation. 
Collaborates with the Centre for Workplace Accessibility and other partners to support accessibility, accommodation, and inclusion initiatives across the university. 

Program Administration:

Develops, reviews, and implements procedures, guidelines, and best practices that support WRAP objectives and continuous improvement initiatives. 

Maintains current expertise in relevant legislation, collective agreements, university policies, insurer requirements, disability management principles, and emerging best practices. 

Maintains databases, records, and reporting systems to support program evaluation, compliance, and performance measurement. 

Coordinates and supports projects, initiatives, and committee activities related to workplace health, disability management, accommodation, and employee wellbeing. 

Ensures confidentiality and appropriate handling of medical and sensitive personal information. 
Contributes to workplace health data review and analysis by providing case-level insights and identifying trends, emerging issues, and potential risks. 

Provides subject matter expertise in the development and implementation of policies, practices, and resources that promote accessibility, inclusion, employment equity, and psychological health and safety. 

Supports continuous improvement efforts by identifying opportunities to enhance equitable service delivery, accessibility, and employee experience. 

Education, Consultation and Health Promotion:
– Builds strong relationships with leaders and units across campus. 
– Educates the UBC Okanagan community regarding WRAP, disability management, accommodation responsibilities, and successful workplace reintegration. 
– Provides coaching to leaders and employees regarding accommodation practices, disability management, and return-to-work planning. 
– Develops and delivers educational materials, communication resources, workshops, and presentations related to workplace health, accommodation, accessibility, and inclusion. 
– Develops programs and initiatives aligned with WRAP priorities and emerging workplace trends. 
Supports Workplace Health and Wellbeing initiatives through participation in campus health promotion activities and programs. 
– Maintains collaborative relationships with campus partners and UBC Vancouver counterparts and contributes to university-wide planning and continuous improvement activities. 
– Develops and delivers education focused on accessibility, accommodation obligations, disability-inclusive and anti-ableist practices, and psychologically safe workplaces. 
– Promotes understanding of employee and employer responsibilities related to accommodation, accessibility, inclusion, and human rights obligations. 
– Facilitates constructive dialogue among stakeholders to resolve complex accommodation issues while fostering respectful, inclusive, and collaborative working relationships. 
– Performs other related duties as required. 

Consequence of Error/Judgement:
 - This position has a significant impact on the successful delivery and effectiveness of the Work Reintegration and Accommodation Program (WRAP). Decisions and recommendations require sound judgement, as errors may affect workplace safety and employee wellbeing and create labour relations, human rights, legal, financial, operational, or reputational risks. Poor decisions may also reinforce systemic barriers, limit employee inclusion and participation, and undermine the University’s commitments to accessibility, equity, diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing. Ineffective decisions can further increase time loss and operational costs, contribute to unsuccessful reintegration outcomes, and reduce employee confidence in WRAP services and related health promotion initiatives.

Supervision Received: 
This position works with general direction from the Manager, Workplace Health and Wellbeing.
 
Supervision Given: 
May supervise students, volunteers and/or project staff. Provides guidance, mentoring, and direction using inclusive and respectful leadership practices that support equity, accessibility, belonging, and psychological safety.
 
Qualifications:
Minimum:
– Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum five to seven years of related work experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
– Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
Preferred:
– Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Relevant disciplines may include occupational health, nursing, rehabilitation, disability management, occupational therapy, kinesiology, health sciences, social work, counselling, psychology, or related disciplines. 
– Ability to apply an equity lens to program development, service delivery, policy interpretation, and case management. 
Demonstrated client-focused philosophy and commitment to confidentiality. 
– Strong relationship-building, consultation, facilitation, and conflict-resolution skills. 
– Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders. 
– Ability to navigate complex conversations involving competing needs and perspectives while fostering inclusion, respect, and psychological safety. 
– Strong oral and written communication skills with attention to detail. 
– Strong organizational, analytical, planning, and systems-thinking skills. 
– Effective presentation and group facilitation skills. 
– Ability to manage complex and sensitive situations with discretion, empathy, cultural humility, and sound judgement. 
– Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment. 
– Ability to prioritize workload and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. 
– Experience providing consultation, education, or facilitation related to accessibility, accommodation, disability inclusion, psychological health and safety, or workplace wellbeing is preferred. 
– Demonstrates and models the principles of a respectful, inclusive, accessible, and psychologically safe workplace. 
– Experience in a post-secondary academic environment is preferred.