Chris Collett
Waverley
Summary
Experienced professional with a strong background in community guidance and support. Proven success in inspiring and motivating teams, fostering alignment with organizational objectives. Proficient in conflict resolution, public speaking, and strategic planning. Recognized for adaptability and unwavering dedication to achieving impactful results.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Deputy Minister
Department of Justice
01.2022 - 12.2024
- One of two Associate Deputy Ministers assigned to the Department of Justice
- Strategic oversight and guidance within the department including preparing and briefing ministers, approving and presenting cabinet and treasury board submissions, developing budget plans, implementing directions of government also managing and developing a team of 8 Executive Directors and staff
- Ensuring legislative and regulatory compliance, including corporate policies
- Strategic decision making involving all levels of government to identify pathways for improved services for Nova Scotians while seeking and creating efficiencies
- Areas of responsibility: Public Safety and Security, Correctional Services, Medical Examiner, Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT), Police Complaints Commission
- Budget oversight responsibility $471M
- Engaging with Federal government, other provinces and territories with respect to policing contracts, public safety, correctional programs and services
- Relationships with various levels of policing both RCMP and Municipal
- Instructing on legal matters pertaining to class action and other litigation, labour arbitrations and human rights complaints
- Oversight for the delivery of significant government initiatives e.g Police Review
- Daily interaction with Ministers and Deputy Ministers to ensure properly briefed regarding pertinent matters and occurrences- also providing sound advice
- Chairperson of the ADM Inquiry response working group related to the implementation of the Mass Casualty Commission and Desmond Fatality Inquiry
- Manage all media related inquiries- gather and approve media responses. complete media interviews as required.
- Act as Deputy Minister as required
- Security Clearance: Secret
Executive Director, Correctional Services
Department of Justice
02.2016 - 12.2022
- Reporting to the Deputy Minister of Justice-Oversight and strategic leadership of the Correctional Services division within the Department of Justice providing services, supervision and custody to support the Criminal Justice system
- Three separate directorates for adult custody, Community and youth Corrections and Policy/Programs.
- Creating an environment of innovation that allows for development of others, inclusion and diversity and improved outcomes for all we serve and those who work within the Division
- Budgetary responsibility: S75M
- Four adult correctional facilities, one youth centre, twenty-two Probation offices
- 752 staff
- Head office: 22 staff re-distribution of resources to support adult custody to move from reactive to a proactive unit that creates forward thinking vision to support an environment of improved strategic outcomes
- Strategic leadership to embed change management functions: redeploying management structures within custody facilities to provide specific accountability within a facility and improved outcomes e.g.: Deputy Superintendent assigned units; Assistant Deputies assigned to a Deputy – increased accountability
- Addressing systemic accountability: quality assurance program implemented March 2017 to address core functions of a correctional facility
- Created positions for Manager of Audit and Inspector, Correctional Services
- Outcomes of 25-30 per cent compliance were improved to 95-100 per cent in 15 core functions
- Improving outcomes for those within correctional services: increased re-integration strategies including new case management strategy and positions, new program officer, teacher and social work positions: e.g
- Limitless program - improve quality education and educational attainment
- Improving employment attachment through new vocational training and certifications
- Integrating custody and community programs and services to improve outcomes for inmates and those under supervision.
- Community partners to support individual needs of those within the correctional system to support safe and connected communities and specific needs of a multi-cultural and multi-need population
- Initiatives to provide affordable housing to those exiting the system e.g.: Elizabeth Fry Holly House for women; multi-departmental initiative lead by Justice also John Howard Society housing for men with wrap around services
- Member of several FPT groups providing supports and consistent approaches to jurisdictions to share best practices, support and promote programs and services for Nova Scotians
- Co-Chair of the Heads of Corrections FPT (2017-2022)
- Labour relations: Significantly improved labour relations through transparent ongoing communication as well as issue identification and resolution
- Closed communication gaps and improved relationships with front line staff
- Addressing diversity and inclusion through creation of a dedicated unit with African Nova Scotian and Indigenous Liaison supports
- New initiatives to increase diversity within the division and accelerating opportunities and training for individuals from a diverse population
- Created 3 diversity officers to improve diversity training for staff and clients and improve diverse recruitment. Manager of training awarded the Premiers Award for Excellence for diversity recruitment program.
- Addressing cultural and systemic change through external and internal supports
- Royal Roads University Organizational Culture Inventory and open forums for staff
- Legislation and policy within an environment that provides supportive enforcement in the public interest for safe and connected communities
- Responsible for over one hundred policies and utilizing legislation to guide practice
- Guest presenter at the International Corrections and Prisons Association annual meeting Sept 2022 Orlando Florida
- Awarded the Lieutenant Governor's Exemplary Service Medal for Corrections 2019 (20 years) the 30 year bar March 2021
- Awarded the Queens Platinum Jubilee Medal 2022
- Security clearance: Secret
Director, Correctional Services
Department of Justice
09.2013 - 01.2016
- Directing the Provincial Correctional Service related to Community Corrections and Youth Custody
- Providing direction for all components of Correctional Services as required
- Direct the administration, operation and management of youth correctional facilities and Community Corrections offices to provide safe, secure and efficient operations and effective programs by establishing, implementing and monitoring the Division's annual plan and by developing and implementing policies/procedures and approving local standard operating procedures
- Expansion of the Restorative Practices practice throughout the youth facility
- Budget Forecasting: $18M combined budget with Youth custody and Community Corrections
- Strategic partnerships to meet Departmental goals
- For example: police partnership, collaborative youth services with Education, Community Services and Health/IWK
- Lead the new Youth Integrated Service model engaging Health, Education and new resources to create seamless custody to community support base
- Diversity: through identifying positions for restricted competitions for example: Indigenous PO for Colchester area and African NS casual roster for HRM probation offices
Manager, Community Corrections
Department of Justice
05.2009 - 09.2013
- Provide oversight and leadership to Community Corrections provincial operations
- Provide leadership and overall direction to 22 Senior Probation Officers and provide oversight to all Divisional programs such as Fine Options, Adult Restorative Justice, Adult Diversion and youth services
- Lead teams in projects such as: Provincial radios, Pre-Sentence Report policy and conditional sentence supervision
- Overall budget management of $5M
- Manage the business continuity of Corrections division, leading facility and community emergency exercises, developing and maintaining emergency plans for community and facility operations
- Corrections lead for emergency management and Joint Emergency Operations Centre (JEOC)
Provincial Program Officer
Department of Justice
10.2010 - 09.2011
- Developed and implemented strategic provincial programs that directly enhanced adult and youth custody operations
- Managed and lead 10 divisional projects including: Direct Supervision in facilities, Guard Tour Rounds in facilities, Community drug testing program/Shoker Bill C-30 implementation for facilities, sentence calculation for conditional sentences, Correctional Services Radio online training for facilities and community, facility drug dog detector service, Correctional Services fleet radio management
- Completed, administered and evaluated request for proposals (RFP's) and managed project funding for the Guard Tour system
- Culture change: Completed focus groups with facility staff using video technology linking with British Columbia facilities to review practices for staff deployment on direct supervision units
- Create an environment to introduce new concepts of direct supervision and address staff concerns with change
Senior Probation Officer
Department of Justice
05.2004 - 05.2010
- Field office manager within Community Corrections
- Mentored and ensured staff were able to meet organizational targets
- Supervision of three Probation Offices, Truro, Shubenacadie and Dartmouth
- Chairperson on several work committees
- Selection training and retention of staff
- Developed a new initiative with local police for supervision of conditional sentences
- Project lead: Adult Bail Supervision program, implemented the Provincial protocol for House Arrest supervision through provincial stakeholder meetings and continued collaboration
- Project lead for the Provincial Radio System (TMR) for use by community and facility corrections along with the associated provincial policies
- Development team for Electronic Supervision and voice verification systems for the province
- Project Work recognized by Minister of Justice at the Safer Communities Conference
Probation Officer
Correctional Services
05.1994 - 09.1997
Youth Worker
Nova Scotia Youth Centre
05.1994 - 09.1997
Assistant Probation Officer
Correctional Services
12.1992 - 09.1997
Developmental Worker
Nova Scotia Hospital
09.1988 - 12.1994
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Saint Mary's University
Halifax, Nova Scotia12.1988
Courses - Systems Approach
Royal Roads University
05.2018
PSC Executive Leadership Program -
04.2015
Policy Development for Public Administrators -
09.2014
PSC Manager Program -
04.2012
PSC Frontline Manager Program -
01.2009
Skills
- Strategic leadership
- Strategic Media Relations
- Crisis management
- Leadership Growth Strategies
Publications
Loneliness & Sense of Community in Adolescents, Journal of Community Psychology, 11/94
Timeline
Associate Deputy Minister
Department of Justice
01.2022 - 12.2024
Executive Director, Correctional Services
Department of Justice
02.2016 - 12.2022
Director, Correctional Services
Department of Justice
09.2013 - 01.2016
Provincial Program Officer
Department of Justice
10.2010 - 09.2011
Manager, Community Corrections
Department of Justice
05.2009 - 09.2013
Senior Probation Officer
Department of Justice
05.2004 - 05.2010
Probation Officer
Correctional Services
05.1994 - 09.1997
Youth Worker
Nova Scotia Youth Centre
05.1994 - 09.1997
Assistant Probation Officer
Correctional Services
12.1992 - 09.1997
Developmental Worker
Nova Scotia Hospital
09.1988 - 12.1994
Courses - Systems Approach
Royal Roads University
PSC Executive Leadership Program -
Policy Development for Public Administrators -
PSC Manager Program -
PSC Frontline Manager Program -
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Saint Mary's University
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