Primary Care Connection Lead

About Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo ("The Health Centre").

The Health Centre provides a broad range of services aimed at improving the health of individuals and the wider community. Our services include medical and dental care, health promotion, illness prevention and outreach programming. Our expertise and resources are focused on working with those who experience health inequities and barriers to accessing health services. Collaborating as an interdisciplinary team, we provide services and supports that address the social determinants of health including factors and barriers such as poverty, inadequate housing, food insecurity, substance use, language and culture, as well as stigma and social exclusion.

The Health Centre works with the most complex client population served by primary health care professionals within Waterloo Region. Our highly skilled and diverse team works from a strength-based approach with individual clients as well as the broader community. We collaborate with many partner agencies and organizations within Waterloo Region. Our team consists of Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Social Workers, Dietitians, Chiropodists, Pharmacists, Psychiatrists, Health Promoters, Community Health Workers, Administrative Staff and Volunteers.

We invite you to consider this opportunity to join our team and contribute to this important work.

The Health Centre is currently recruiting for the following position:

Primary Care Connection Lead

Full-Time Permanent Role (FTE 1.0)

Salary: $64, $77,640.41 per annum

37.5 hours/week

Job Summary:

The Primary Care Connection Lead is meant to collaborate with the primary care network/KW4OT Health team and work collaboratively with healthcare connect partners along with overseeing the triage and placement of our primary care connection clinic.  

Responsibilities:

1. Oversee and manage primary care connection clinic intakes, facilitate internal referrals while ensuring timely review, triage and processing.
2. Conduct intake triage to determine client needs, eligibility, and required level of service.
3. Prioritize intakes based on urgency, clinical indicators, and program capacity.
4. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of available internal programs and external partner resources.
5. Ensure intake documentation is complete, accurate, and aligned with organizational standards including properly scored intake forms.
6. Respond to all inquiries, including setting up initial interviews and gathering information related to the patient medical history.
7. Serve as the organizational lead for Healthcare Connect/ PCN, supporting client linkage to primary care providers.
8. Coordinate weekly meetings with healthcare connect representatives to ensure meeting expectations and find solutions to any issues that arouse.
9. Collaborate with HCC, clinicians, administrative teams, and program leads to coordinate smooth client transitions.
10. Track and follow up on referrals to ensure clients successfully initiate services.
11. Coordinate with external partners, primary care networks, and community agencies to improve access pathways.
12. Provide clients with clear, supportive guidance on navigating health services.
13. Identify gaps or challenges in the intake and connection process and propose solutions.
14. Determine gaps, problem solve and develop solutions with Healthcare Connect representatives.
15. Contribute to the development of intake guidelines, workflows, decision trees, and triage tools.
16. Monitor and report key indicators such as intake volume, response times, and program match success rates.
17. Engage with Healthcare Connect representative and the broader health system and provide information to support the onboarding & discharge of clients.
18. Facilitate accepted new intakes.
19. Maintain accurate health records and up to date notes in the Electronic Medical Record in a timely manner and adheres to all CHCKW policies and Privacy legislation.
20. Facilitate the transfer of knowledge across the team to foster growth and development.
21. Maintain a valid driver's license, access to a reliable personal vehicle and adequate insurance for work-related travel in accordance with Community Healthcaring KW.
22. Work during both regular and extended hours (evenings/weekends) within Kitchener as determined by the Health Centre. A minimum of one evening per week will be required.
23. Work from a Social Determinants of Health perspective to improve health outcomes for individual clients and/or for the development of community health and well-being, and to reduce health inequities.
24. Participate in team and staff meetings and other meetings and committee work as appropriate to support both service delivery and organizational goals.
25. Work individually and collaboratively in the development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives and activities.
26. Work in a manner that preserves privacy and confidentiality.
27. Work in a manner that ensures client safety and minimizes risk to clients, volunteers and the Centre.
28. Work in a manner consistent with the Health Centre's Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles.
29. Work in a manner consistent with the Health Centre's policy and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in all processes and practices.
30. Work in a manner that demonstrates self-reflection and personal accountability for work performance.
31. Adhere to all Health Centre policies.
32. Build strong interpersonal relationships across the organization to effectively support program delivery and enhance client care.
33. Adhere to appropriate infection control practices.
34. Perform any other duties as assigned by your supervisor.

Accountability

This position reports to the Manager, Primary Care.

Qualifications

1. Current registration as a Registered Nurse or Registered Practical Nurse in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
2. A minimum of two years employment experience as a Registered Nurse or Registered Practical Nurse, including in a primary care or community setting.   A combination of primary care, community and acute care experience will be considered.
3. Experience in triage assessment and decision-making, leading in evaluating cases and implementing efficient intake strategies.
4. Highly motivated self-starter with strong organizational skills and a proven ability to take initiative and follow through on tasks efficiently.
5. Knowledge of available resources accessible to clients (e.g. food banks, local shelters, mental services).
6. Experience working with Refugee & Marginalized populations is considered an asset.
7. Current and ongoing CPR certification.
8. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in English, both written and verbally.
9. Second language is an asset.
10. Competency in MS Office Suite programs
11. Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite.  Experience with electronic health records and other databases is an asset.
12. Ability to work independently as well as an effective member of an interdisciplinary team.
13. Ability to work collaboratively.
14. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
15. Experience working sensitively with culturally and economically diverse populations. 
16. Ability to obtain a Police Vulnerable Sector Check satisfactory to the Health Centre.
17. 2-Factor Authentication for Outlook is App based (Microsoft Authenticator Application) and used to ensure the security of our online accounts. 2-FA requires the use of a personal mobile device with a recent operating system.

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9:00am – 5:00pm

Wednesday 9:00am – 5:00pm, &/or 12:00pm – 8:00pm

Friday – 8:00am – 4:00pm 

Benefit package

Paid Vacation Leave: 3 weeks to start, 4 weeks after 1 year

Paid Public Holidays & Sick Leave

Defined Benefit Pension Plan (HOOPP)

Extended health and dental insurance

Life, Accidental Death and Long-Term Disability Insurance

Employee Assistance Plan

Application Deadline: February 16th, 2026

The Health Centre values the diversity of its staff and welcomes applications from people of all races, ethnicity, religions, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity and those with disabilities.

Individuals with a disability requiring accommodation during the application and/or the interview process should advise the recruitment contact noted above so that suitable arrangements can be made.

Personal information submitted will only be used for the purposes of this recruitment process.

We appreciate all expressions of interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted. This job posting is for an existing vacancy.

Location

Kitchener, Ontario

Department

Primary Care

Employment Type

Full-Time

Compensation

$64, $77,640.41 per annum