Director, Agri-Food Inspection Services

Competition #: 48190
Department: Agriculture
Location: Multiple Locations
Type of Employment: Permanent
Union Status: Exclusion - Non Union - NSPG
Closing Date: 26-Mar-26 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

The Department of Agriculture supports a safe, sustainable, competitive, and innovative agri-food sector that contributes to the economic, environmental, and social well-being of Nova Scotians. The Department plays a key role in protecting public and animal health while supporting industry growth through science-based regulation and collaboration.

The Agriculture Operations Branch delivers province-wide inspection, compliance, and regulatory services that protect food safety and maintain public confidence in Nova Scotia's agri-food system.

About Our Opportunity

The Director, Agri-Food Inspection Services provides senior leadership for Nova Scotia's integrated agri-food inspection system. Reporting to the Executive Director, Agriculture Operations, the Director is accountable for food safety, meat inspection, fur industry inspection, and game farm regulatory functions across the province.

As the Department's principal advisor on food safety inspection, the Director provides strategic leadership in a complex, highly visible regulatory environment and plays a critical role during high-profile events, including foodborne illness outbreaks and inter-jurisdictional regulatory matters.

Primary Accountabilities

• Providing strategic and operational leadership for province-wide agri-food inspection, investigation, and enforcement programs
• Ensuring consistent, risk-based application of the full compliance continuum, including education, permitting, inspection, investigation, and enforcement
• Acting as the Province's lead coordinator and advisor during foodborne illness outbreaks, under the direction of Medical Officers of Health
• Serving as an advisor to senior leadership, the Deputy Minister, and the Minister on complex, sensitive, and high-impact regulatory issues
• Leading and supporting managers responsible for front-line inspection and compliance services across Nova Scotia
• Advancing regulatory modernization through evidence-informed and data-driven decision-making
• Overseeing divisional planning, performance measurement, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Building and maintaining effective working relationships with legal counsel, law enforcement, and regulatory partners
• Representing Nova Scotia in federal, provincial, and territorial forums and contributing to inter-jurisdictional policy and regulatory discussions
• Providing effective stewardship of human and financial resources
• Exercising statutory authority as Administrator under Part II of the Health Protection Act

Qualifications and Experience

The Director must possess a Bachelor's Degree in science, public health, management, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. They must also have a certification-in-good-standing as a Certified Public Health Inspector of Canada (CPHI). Graduate degrees in related fields will be considered an asset.

The incumbent must have several years of work experience in a senior-level leadership role, experience in regulatory, compliance, inspection, or public health environments or several years of work experience in progressive leadership roles, with preference given to those who have held these roles in regulatory, compliance, or public health protection/promotion environments.

The applicant must demonstrate experience in interpreting and applying complex legislation in quasi-judicial environments as well as experience in providing advice to senior management through both verbal and written communication.

The ideal candidate will be a strong leader, an excellent communicator, a team builder/player, supports innovation and have a strong results orientation. Experience in effective management of human and financial resources is essential. Consultation abilities as they relate to both internal and external stakeholders is required.

Competencies which will be assessed through the interview process include decisiveness, strategic orientation, developing others, team leadership, self-awareness and personal impact, effective interactive communications, partnering and relationship building and interpersonal & diversity proficiency.

Equivalency

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

Pending departmental approvals, the successful candidate will be able to choose if their office is located in one of the following four (4) locations: Truro, Bridgewater/Lunenburg, Kentville or Halifax.

May be required to work overtime on occasion.

What We Offer

• Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career.
• Engaging workplace. Our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in. We have forward-thinking policies and strategies.
• Countless career paths.
• A dynamic, client-focused office environment where service excellence and teamwork are our focus.

Pay Grade: EC 14
Salary Range: $4,754.34 - $5,942.94 Bi-Weekly
Note: The salary rates shown are effective April 1, 2026. Should you start in this position before April 1, 2026, your salary will be based on the current rates until April 1.

The salary rates include an economic adjustment that has been approved. These rates are effective April 1, 2025. Implementation in our HR system will occur on March 5, 2026. Until then, the current rates will apply. Employees hired during this period will receive retroactive pay adjustments in accordance with the applicable policies.

Employment Equity Statement:

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

Accommodation Statement:

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Candidates may request accommodations based on any grounds protected by the Human Rights Act. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected].

Current government employees may access this posting through the link below: http://hcm17.sapsf.com/sf/careers/jobsearch?company=novascotiaP

PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to [email protected].