Manager, Housing Support Services

Are you an experienced, innovative, and participatory leader ready to support a dedicated team focused on delivering community based, recovery-oriented services and supports in West Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhoo? Do you believe strongly in the critical importance of social inclusion, lived experience, harm reduction, and community capacity building? Do you want to work for an organization that puts people first, values your expertise, invests in your future through professional development opportunities and offers robust benefits including a defined benefit pension plan? Then consider joining us as our new Manager, Housing Support Services!

ABOUT PARKDALE ACTIVITYRECREATION CENTRE (PARC)

Since 1980, PARC’s mission has been to create “a community where people rebuild their lives”.Our dedicated team works collaboratively with over 30 other agencies across the Greater Toronto Area to effectively support Members on individual issues of poverty, mental health, problematic substance use, homelessness, and food security. At PARC, Members access services and develop relationships with our employees, and one another, through five main areas of operation: Drop-In Centre, Peer Support Program, Outreach Program, Supportive Housing and Community Engagement.

OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Director of Housing and Property Services, the Manager, Housing Support Services is responsible for the overall management, day-to-day operations, and leadership of all PARC’s Housing Services. The services are focused on effectively supporting and addressing the needs of adults experiencing homelessness, through the provision of supportive housing, responsive community-based programming, referrals, and on-site housing support and case management. This role ensures a quality service and programs are provided to tenants in a manner that reflects PARC’s values, culture and standards, and is aligned with PARC’s mission, vision and strategy.

The Manager, Housing Support Services will also be an active member of PARC’s leadership team. This includes engagement in cross organizational projects, ensuring our work aligns with our strategic goals and guiding principles, and developing partnerships and engaging with stakeholders to advance PARC’s mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Operations and Leadership

• Provide leadership direction and management of day-to-day Housing program operations, including support in managing tenant crisis, property management issues and community concerns.
• Identify service gaps and support the development of new or enhance programs to address the emerging needs of the community and tenants.
• Monitor on an ongoing basis the progress of operational and strategic goals for the team.
• Support the fund development team by providing data, narratives, and reports as required.
• Ensure a Risk Management Plan is developed, implemented, and regularly reviewed for all the housing sites.
• In conjunction with the Director of Housing and Property Services, lead the development and implementation of the housing program in support of the Strategic Plan.
• Identify improvements to housing related processes, and implement them.
• Work collaboratively with other PARC functions, partners and suppliers to ensure that housing standards (internal standards and legislative requirements) are established and maintained.
• Lead the implementation of all data management systems, ensuring that the team is trained and utilizing it in accordance with the policy and funding requirements.
• Ensure the necessary resources (human, financial, physical, technological) are identified and requested in order to complete the work of the housing program in an efficient and effective manner.
• Play a lead role in developing standards, guidelines and providing education of specific operating standards and guideline manuals.

Staff Management and Supervision

• Directly manage the Housing team including Housing Support Workers, Case Managers, Peer Support Workers, volunteers and students.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, training, supervision, performance management and professional development of staff.
• Conduct regular supervision meetings, annual performance reviews, and support individual learning goals.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to the Housing team, and ensure effective teamwork, high standards of work quality and organizational performance.

Community Partner Relations and Outreach

• Act as the primary contact for all housing referrals sent by the different agency partners and ensure all referrals and assessments are completed and responded withing the agreed timeframes.
• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with community partners, suppliers, housing providers and the general public in all dealings.
• Represent PARC at meetings, community events, committees and taskforces, etc. that support our objectives as an organization.
• Respond and resolve community complaints, inquiries, concerns and partnership related issues in a timely and collaborative manner.
• In partnership with the Director of Housing and Property Services, lead the housing community engagement plan.
• Develop partnerships and collaborate with external agencies, including but not limited to the City of Toronto, Habitat and CAMH.

Finance, Administration and Compliance

• Provides input and administers assigned budget, ensuring expenditures are controlled and maintained within the approved budget.
• Ensure accurate maintenance of client records and databases (TREAT) and compliance with program funders and legislative regulation and requirements.
• Provides input in the capital budget requirements for housing services, and collaborates in the implementation of the housing state of good repairs plan alongside Property Management Services.
• Ensure incident reporting and health and safety protocols are followed at all times.
• Maintain organized program, supervision and operational records.
• Ensure the development, implementation, ongoing monitoring and continuous improvement of policies, standards and processes for the housing program.

Education and Experience:

Skills and Abilities:

• Degree/Diploma from a recognized University or College in social work, sociology, psychology or other related discipline.
• Strong clinical skills with at least five years’ experience providing community-based services or working in the housing services sector with homelessness, and/or individuals with serious mental illness.
• Minimum of three years of experience supervising or managing employees and teams, preferably in a unionized environment
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, mentor and develop staff to achieve team and organizational goals.
• Experience in effectively working with other partners and groups.
• Extensive experience in the planning, development and implementation of supportive housing for marginalized and/or vulnerable communities using a client-centered and trauma-informed approach.
• Experience with project management, data tracking, reporting and program evaluation is an asset.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated understanding of the housing and homeless services in Toronto.
• Practical knowledge of the housing sector best practices, Housing First model, the Residential Tenancies Act, Mental Health Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and other relevant legislation.
• Excellent decision making and judgement skills in public relations with the ability to work and communicate effectively with tenants, community members and government agencies.
• Strong knowledge of, and experience in, the application of recovery principles, client-centered, harm reduction, trauma-informed and anti-oppression practices.
• Ability to work with competing priorities, work independently and support staff in managing tenant crisis.
• Understanding of community development frameworks, and eviction prevention tools.
• Well-developed interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to work and communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations and cultures.
• Ability to maintain a positive, solution focused-approach when responding to conflict or issues.
• Familiarity with TREAT, OPOC and OCAN reporting is an asset.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office tools: SharePoint, Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.

Other:

• Flexibility and willingness to work varied regular work patter to suit the needs of the program. Evenings and weekends shifts may be required, and the ability to work one-two weekends a month.
• Member of the organization’s Manager on Duty/ On Call system on a rotating basis.

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN US

We are an organization that puts people first, values your expertise, invests in your future through professional development opportunities and offers robust benefits, including a defined benefit pension plan.

We have a generous total compensation and benefits package, which includes:

• Base salary of $68,114– $76,527 (based on qualifications)
• 15 days paid vacation
• 18 days paid sick leave
• Pension Plan membership
• Employer paid health insurance(includes access to psychotherapy supports)

Your growth and development are important to us:

• Paid training and development opportunities
• Paid time off to participate in learning and development sessions
• Development conversations and roadmaps for growth available

PARC is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people who are reflective of the diverse communities we serve. We strongly encourage applicants with lived experiences, from Aboriginal communities, people of all races, colours, ethnic origins, religions, disabilities, and sexual orientations to apply. We recognize that equitable access to employment is an agent in social change.

We thank all applicants for their interest and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

If you have any requirements for accommodation due to disability, please advise Human Resources during the recruitment and selection process. We will work with you to best meet your needs as per resources available to us.