As a Supervisor - Physiotherapy with the Department of National Defence, you will lead and manage a team of physiotherapy professionals providing rehabilitation and therapeutic services to Canadian Armed Forces members and eligible beneficiaries. You will be responsible for clinical supervision, performance management, and ensuring your team delivers high-quality patient care while maintaining professional standards and regulatory compliance. This role combines clinical expertise with leadership responsibilities, allowing you to directly impact the health and operational readiness of our military personnel.
Your day-to-day responsibilities include overseeing physiotherapy treatment plans, managing patient caseloads, conducting team assessments, and ensuring adherence to DND health care policies and procedures. You will collaborate with other health care professionals including physicians, nurses, and occupational therapists to provide integrated care. You will also be involved in staff training, scheduling, budgeting for your physiotherapy unit, and implementing quality improvement initiatives.
Physiotherapy supervisors work in military medical facilities, rehabilitation centres, and treatment clinics across Canada and internationally. The role offers the opportunity to work with diverse patient populations and contribute to the recovery and rehabilitation of service members returning from operations or managing chronic health conditions.
Key Responsibilities
Coordinate and oversee daily physiotherapy operations, Assign work, monitor progress, and provide guidance to team members, Review work products for quality and compliance with standards, Contribute to operational planning and process improvement
Required Skills
Clinical skills, Patient/client assessment, Empathy and communication, Record-keeping, Interdisciplinary collaboration, Team supervision, Work coordination, Quality control, Staff development
Typical Education
Post-secondary diploma or degree; experience in the relevant technical or functional area
Training
To qualify for this position, you must be a registered physiotherapist with a recognized physiotherapy credential. This typically requires a Master's degree in Physiotherapy from an accredited Canadian university. You must be registered with and in good standing with your provincial or territorial physiotherapy regulatory body (such as Physiotherapy Alberta, College of Physiotherapists of Ontario, or equivalent). Current CPR certification at the appropriate level is required.
Supervisory qualifications include demonstrated experience managing health care teams, staff development experience, and knowledge of health care administration and budgeting. While not always required at entry to a supervisory role, many candidates bring 3-5 years of clinical physiotherapy experience with the Canadian Armed Forces or in a similar health care setting.
DND provides professional development opportunities including management and leadership training, continuing education in physiotherapy practice, and access to military health care training programs. You will be encouraged to maintain and advance your professional credentials and stay current with evidence-based physiotherapy practices.
Entry Plans
Entry to the Supervisor - Physiotherapy position with DND typically occurs through advertised competitions posted on the Government of Canada's job board (jobs.gc.ca) and the DND Civilian Recruitment website. Competitions may be open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or current DND employees depending on operational needs.
You may enter this career through several pathways: as a new supervisor if you have physiotherapy credentials and supervisory experience, as a promotion from a Physiotherapist position within DND if you demonstrate leadership capability and meet selection criteria, or as a lateral transfer from another federal health care organization. DND also runs targeted recruitment campaigns for health care professionals, including physiotherapists.
Some candidates begin their DND career as clinical Physiotherapists and advance to supervisory roles through internal competitions and demonstrated performance. Student loan repayment programs and recruitment incentives may be available for physiotherapy graduates entering DND service. Regular competitions are held to fill vacant positions, so monitoring the recruitment channels is essential.
Part-Time Options
Part-time opportunities for Supervisor - Physiotherapy positions may be available depending on operational requirements and facility needs, though supervisory roles are typically structured as full-time positions. Some DND physiotherapy units offer flexible scheduling arrangements to accommodate personal circumstances while maintaining service delivery.
Remote work options are limited for this role due to the hands-on clinical and supervisory nature of physiotherapy services. However, administrative and managerial duties may occasionally be performed remotely. Your supervisor and the physiotherapy unit manager can discuss flexible work arrangements during your appointment.
DND is committed to supporting work-life balance and offers benefits including flexible work hours where operationally feasible, leave provisions, and employee wellness programs. The specific flexibility available will depend on your facility's operational requirements and patient care schedules.
Related Careers
No related military careers on file for this position.
