Program Manager, Life Enrichment (Mgr-Cp33-002)

About Bethany
Bethany Care Society (Bethany) is one of Western Canada’s largest not-for-profit providers of care, housing, and community services for seniors and adults with disabilities. Since 1945, Bethany has provided high-quality, person-centred care focused on the unique physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of our residents and tenants. We create caring communities to support Albertans to age well.

Why Bethany?
Bethany has won Alberta Top Employer for 15 years for the programs we invest in for our employees. We offer top-ups for maternal leaves, generous vacation and leave time, competitive salaries, benefits, and retirement savings programs. We are committed to employee well-being and giving back to our community. We invest in our people because they are the reason for our success.

For more information, check out this video about Working at Bethany

*INTERNAL APPLICANTS* Internal applicants must utilize their @bethanyseniors.com email address in order to be considered for the role; failure to do so may result in omission from the selection process.

The Program Manager, Life Enrichment is a strategic leadership role that oversees the development and implementation of holistic programs aimed at nurturing the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual well-being of residents. This role emphasizes Bethany’s relationship-based care model, aligning programs with organizational priorities such as palliative and end-of-life care, dementia strategy, spiritual care, mobility, and allied health practice support. The Program Manager will foster interprofessional collaboration and ensure that all programs are evidence-informed, impactful, and designed to promote quality care and resident satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program Development and Oversight

• Develop, enhance, and implement programs that promote holistic resident health and well-being.
• Oversee programs focusing on life enrichment, palliative care, dementia care, spiritual care, and mobility.
• Establish and update organization-wide policies and procedures to reflect best practices and quality care standards.
• Research and integrate leading practices into program design, tracking key metrics to measure success.
• Ensure alignment of programs with Bethany’s strategic priorities and mission to create caring communities.

2. Allied Health Practice Support

• Provide leadership and professional practice support to allied health teams (including: Social Workers, Recreation Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Registered Dietitians).
• Foster a cohesive allied health team and promote collaboration with interdisciplinary teams across care homes.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, mentorship, and ongoing professional development of allied health professionals.
• Ensure allied health practices adhere to professional standards, regulatory guidelines, and the Health Professions Act.
• Promote allied health professionals working to their full scope of practice to achieve optimal resident outcomes.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Build strong relationships with Bethany leaders and allied health professionals.
• Act as a collaborative facilitator to support interdisciplinary practice and embed Bethany’s care philosophy across all programs.
• Lead communities of practice and program champions to ensure successful implementation and adoption of initiatives.
• Partner with external organizations and community groups to expand program offerings and resources.

4. Leadership and Safety Culture• Promote a culture of safety, ensuring adherence to safety guidelines and proactive mitigation of risks.

• Lead by example in implementing safe work practices, including emergency preparedness and incident reporting.
• Participate in reviews and develop action plans to address identified safety issues.
• Support leadership visibility and engagement through training and mentoring initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Credentials

• Bachelor’s Degree in a health-related discipline (Master’s preferred).
• Membership in good standing with a relevant professional college (if applicable).
• Training or experience in implementation science is an asset.

Experience

• 3-5 years of leadership experience, ideally in the continuing care sector.
• Demonstrated expertise in program development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Experience supporting interdisciplinary teams in a healthcare environment.

Skills & Attributes

• Strong project management and change management capabilities.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.
• Analytical and conceptual thinking for problem-solving and decision-making.
• Commitment to resident-focused care and teamwork.
• Proficiency in computer systems and documentation practices.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to spend extended periods at a desk and perform close visual work.
• Mobility for kneeling, bending, and light lifting as needed.