Head of Clinical Support

Location: This hybrid role requires 3 days on-site at our Burnaby, BC office and 2 days remote per week. Relocation support may be available for the successful candidate.

Welcome to Specsavers – where we’re not just about eyecare and eyewear, but changing lives through better sight. Ranked the 5th Best Workplace™ in Canada and 12th globally by Great Place to Work®, we’re proud of our optometrist-owned model that makes high-quality, eyecare and eyewear accessible to all Canadians. 

Founded 40 years ago in the UK by visionary husband and wife optometry duo Doug and Mary Perkins, Specsavers has remained privately owned since day one. Today, we are a $7.8 billion global business with over 45,000 colleagues across more than 2,700 retail optical locations.

In Canada, our support office is based in Burnaby, BC. Since entering the market in 2021, we’ve been scaling rapidly, now with over 270 locations nationwide. With advanced clinical equipment and a wide range of affordable, high-quality eyewear, we’re transforming the way Canadians experience eyecare.

If you’re passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a values-driven organization, join us as we continue to grow. Together, we can change lives through better sight.

What the Clinical Support Team Does

Specsavers is a rapidly growing provider of optometry care in Canada, with increasing market share and influence. As we expand, we are committed to advancing the profession, elevating clinical standards, and partnering with the healthcare system to improve access to high-quality eye care for patients across Canada. The Clinical Support team is an essential, field-based function with primary responsibility for executing initiatives that improve clinical and commercial outcomes.

Delivering on our organisational purpose requires timely access to care for every patient, enabled by high-performing, productive clinics. It also depends on creating a clear pathway for doctors in optometry to grow their careers—from early practice through to clinical leadership and business ownership within Specsavers. This is enabled by a strong clinical support function.

What You’ll Do

The Head of Clinical Support is a visible and influential senior leader who has exceptional people leadership skills and can inspire doctors across the network to continually improve the clinical and commercial outcomes they deliver. They are responsible for setting the clinical performance strategy, executing measurable improvements through the CSC team, enabling efficient, high-quality care that expands patient access, growing clinical revenue for optometrists, and strengthening clinical outcomes for patients.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Clinical Performance strategy: Develop and execute a field support strategy that strengthens clinical productivity, improves patient access to care, and strengthens commercial return for Optometry Partners and Associates.
• Lead, coach, and develop the CSC team: Lead CSCs fostering a high-performance, growth-oriented culture that delivers on the objectives of the business by ensuring consistent, high-quality support to store teams
• Build trust and influence with Partners: Build strong partnerships with Optometry and Retail Partners and in-store teams to influence clinical operations, ensuring every location has clear plans for efficiency, capability, and growth.
• Optimise clinical productivity: Use data to identify clinical, operational, and commercial opportunities to improve performance across clinic locations - leading and scaling effective change management initiatives to deliver sustainable results.
• Collaborate effectively across the business: Partner cross-functionally with Retail Support, Optometry and Opticianry leadership, and broader support teams to successfully deliver initiatives and ensure clinical priorities are embedded.
• Deliver learning and engagement Initiatives: Design and deliver targeted capability-building programs (workshops, clinic visits, and events) that drive measurable performance improvements in patient care, and strengthen Partner and Associate engagement.
• Own clinical performance outcomes and standards of care: Be accountable for key clinical performance metrics and standards of care delivered to patients, using data and insights to continuously optimize outcomes, improve standards of care, and protect against professional risk.
• Engage Optometry Partners: Actively gather and act on feedback from the clinical community, ensuring strategies reflect frontline needs, and lead initiatives to recognize and celebrate clinical excellence.
• Influence and inspire leadership: Engage leaders at all levels to build understanding and advocacy for the clinical support agenda, ensuring alignment and effective communication.
• Model values and leadership behaviours: Champion Specsavers’ values, demonstrating credibility, influence, and authentic leadership, while investing in personal and team development.

What We’re Looking For

• Doctor of Optometry (OD), Bachelor of Optometry, or equivalent qualification.
• 10+ years' experience as an Optometrist, Optometry Partner, or clinical leader; alternatively, 5+ years in a corporate clinical support or clinical operations role.
• Proven senior leadership experience within clinical, healthcare, or multi-site retail environments, with accountability for clinical, operational, and business performance outcomes.
• Demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams across geographically dispersed networks.
• Experience leading field-based teams and influencing diverse stakeholder groups to achieve strategic objectives.
• Strong strategic and commercial capability, with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans that drive growth, performance, and patient outcomes.
• Deep understanding of clinical operations and the key drivers of productivity, efficiency, quality of care, and patient outcomes.
• Knowledge of, or ability to quickly develop expertise in, Canadian optometry regulations and provincial insurance frameworks.
• Proven ability to lead change initiatives and embed sustainable improvements across teams, systems, and ways of working.
• Highly effective relationship builder with the ability to influence, collaborate, and build credibility across all levels of an organization, including senior leadership and Partners.
• Strong communication, presentation, and facilitation skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear and compelling messages for diverse audiences.
• Data-driven decision-maker with the ability to use metrics and insights to identify opportunities, solve problems, and optimize performance.
• Demonstrated alignment with organizational values, with a commitment to continuous learning, innovation, technology adoption, inclusion, adaptability, resilience, and leadership growth.
• Ability to foster engagement, build trust, and create a high-performance culture within a fast-paced and evolving environment.

Compensation: Competitive base salary determined based on experience, plus quarterly bonus, profit sharing, and benefits.

Speccies’ Benefits

• 5 weeks of vacation and 1 paid volunteer day per year
• 1 extra paid day off plus an eyecare voucher to celebrate your birthday.
• Health and dental benefits, RRSP matching and a Healthcare Spending Account active from your first day.
• Mental health and wellbeing support, including $3,000 annually for practitioner care and access to our Employee Assistance Program.
• Quarterly bonuses, based on your performance.
• Annual Profit Share program to recognize your part in Specsavers’ success.
• Free parking, access to the building gym, and a fully stocked kitchen with snacks and coffee/tea.
• On‑site wellness offerings in-office, including RMT and yoga sessions.
• Team and company social events, including holiday and annual celebrations. 

Behaviours We Value 

• Collaborative: We work together as one Specsavers to deliver on our purpose
• Curious: We question, explore, and seek out diverse perspectives to develop our knowledge and understanding
• Courageous: We challenge the status quo, we experiment with good ideas, and we are brave, bold, and fast in our decision making
• Compassionate: We care, support, and help each other
• Commercial: We treat money wisely and make decisions that are good for our customers, our partners, our people and for the long term

We hope that in applying with us, you value these things as well!

Our Hybrid Work Model

Experience the best of both worlds. At Specsavers, we embrace a hybrid approach that balances in-office collaboration with the flexibility to work from home. We come together in office three days a week to connect, innovate, and keep our culture thriving.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Specsavers, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that a diverse team enriches our work environment and enables us to achieve our goals. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. If you believe you can contribute to our mission and vision, we welcome your application, even if you don't meet every qualification listed. We value the unique skills and perspectives each individual brings to our team.

Accessibility and Accommodations

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you require accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know by contacting us at careers.ca@specsavers.com . We will work with you to meet your needs and ensure a fair and equitable experience.