Service Manager – Truth & Reconciliation Team

OPPORTUNITY

(External – Non-union)

DATE OF POSTING:                         February 4, 2025 @ 4:30 pm

POSITION:                                          Service Manager – Truth & Reconciliation Team

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:         Full-time permanent, non-union

POSTING NUMBER:                        2025 – 05

START DATE:                                     To be determined           

HOME LOCATION:                           Brantford (Frequent travel within the agency’s jurisdiction is required) 

All applicants must have a First Nations, Metis or Inuit background and/or enhanced knowledge of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit culture including but not limited to the impact of colonization, residential schools and intergenerational trauma. This posting has been designated as a position to be filled by a candidate from an equity deserving group (Indigenous).

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:      

• M.S.W. or other qualifications deemed suitable by the Executive Director
• A minimum of five years’ experience in Child Welfare
• Authorized Child Protection Worker
• Demonstrated leadership and supervisory ability along with sound professional practice.

RESPONSIBLE TO:   Director of Service

Position Summary:

The Service Manager- Truth and Reconciliation team plans, coordinates, and manages the allocation of work to maintain acceptable service delivery standards for a diverse array of staff including CPW-Children’s Services and Family Connections and Jordan’s Principle coordination. The Manager is responsible for providing leadership for agency staff and ensuring uniformity of the Agency’s mission, vision, values, and goals. The Manager is also responsible for assessing risks identified in child welfare service delivery, and ensuring consistency of standards so that all programs and service express the policies of the Agency and are within the legal framework of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act.  This position plays an active role in disseminating information and decisions of management to direct service staff and providing relevant information to senior leadership to assist with successful execution of strategic initiatives, compliance with legislative, and service delivery standards

This position also has a dual accountability as a Truth & Reconciliation implementation lead which, under the Direction of the Director of Services, includes leadership of internal initiatives aimed to foster inclusivity, diversity, and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

As a  the Service Manager of child welfare services the Service Manager will:  

• Be responsible for the leadership and management of staff and services in the areas assigned, including oversight of child welfare and supporting staff in carrying out their functions to ensure effective delivery of service to the children, youth and families served by the agency
• Plan, manage, and coordinate the allocation of work to maintain acceptable service delivery standards in a manner that balances workloads and responds to service volumes and ensures minimal disruption to children and families,

• Assume supervisory oversite of cases assigned to direct reports, assess, address and/or escalate risks identified in service delivery

• Regularly review work completed by service staff and approve casework decisions including documentation, to ensure tasks are completed promptly and in accordance with the legislative requirements, Ministry standards and Agency policies and procedures.
• Use initiative and creativity in supervision and case conferences to dismantle bias, challenge barriers, and apply creative approaches to enhance services for families and children,
• Orient employees to the role, policies and expectations and evaluate performance, provide coaching, and build team cohesion and consistency of practice of direct reports
• Review and provide timely approvals for direct reports’ hours of work and financial expenditures
• Ensure Health & Safety and Wellness of staff is planned for and maintained in accordance with agency policies and the Occupational Health and Safety act.

As the Lead for Truth & Reconciliation, the Service Manager will: 

• Foster relationships with Indigenous communities
• Assist in creating and implementing best practices across service delivery and non-service delivery teams that help to address historical and systemic inequities
• Create meaningful partnerships that honour Indigenous rights, knowledge, and cultures,
• Advance reconciliation efforts in the communities we support,
• Act as an agency-wide role model and subject matter expert for Truth & Reconciliation
• Advocate for culturally appropriate practices and policies that prioritize the needs of Indigenous children and families.
• Provide leadership to the agency in incorporating traditional knowledge, values, and teachings into service delivery approaches.

As a member of the Management Team, the Service Manager will:

• Demonstrate commitment to the Agency’s mission, vision, and values
• Demonstrate commitment to Anti-Oppressive Practice approaches including evidence informed, trauma informed, harm reduction, dismantling racism, including anti-Indigenous racism and anti-Black racism, and social justice, equity, inclusion, and respect of the beliefs and traditions of others
• Provide assistance in resolution of conflicts with internal and external stakeholders including the client complaints process
• Model and ensure uniformity of the Agency’s mission, vision, values, and goals and consistency of application of standards, policies, and procedures
• Authorize expenditures within delegated authority
• Authorize admissions to care and apprehensions of children
• Provide coverage to other managers
• Report on adequacy of the agency’s responses to client needs and compliance issues in service delivery

• Represent the Agency in the community when requested. Ensure the Senior Leadership team is informed of developments in the community, which may have important implications for the Agency.

• Actively uphold the principles identified in the Agency’s Code of Ethics.
• Other duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

• Excellent oral communication and professional writing skills
• Effective time management with demonstrated ability to plan, organize, and prioritize a varied workload in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Expert conflict resolutions skills
• Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidence and privacy
• Enhanced knowledge of equity, diversity, inclusion
• Enhanced knowledge of Indigenous culture and Truth & Reconciliation
• Personal integrity, responsibility and a commitment to the best interests of children.
• Understanding of one’s own personal identity, culture, and social location in order to recognize individual and cultural differences and provide oversight of services that are culturally proficient and identity affirming

• Recognition of the power and authority that Agency staff inherently hold and commitment to disrupt this power dynamic and work collaboratively alongside families, youth, and children
• Ability to identify personal biases, how they impact work in the child welfare sector and a dedication to challenging these biases and work from an anti-oppressive lens
• Awareness that overrepresentation, disproportionately and disparity for marginalized populations exist in the child welfare sector and a commitment to address this through equitable service delivery
• Commitment to understanding and addressing racism, including anti-Black racism and anti-Indigenous racism
• Commitment to understanding the impacts of colonization, residentials schools and addressing the continued over-representation of Indigenous families serviced by child welfare
• Strong leadership qualities that empower, motivate, and create shared ownership of successful plans and outcomes for children, youth, and families
• Comprehensive understanding of the Child, Youth & Family Services Act, its Regulations, the Eligibility Spectrum, Ministry Child Protection Standards, and Agency policies and procedures
• Comprehensive understanding of legislation impacting service delivery to indigenous communities including but not limited to C92
• Enhanced knowledge of Truth and Reconciliation commitments, the 5 principles for Truth and Reconciliation and the 9 Commitments to truth and Reconciliation made by the Child Welfare sector
• Advanced knowledge of the theory and practice of social work
• Strong clinical skills and the ability to transfer this knowledge through coaching and collaborative approaches
• Analytical and conceptual skills to evaluate service needs and programs and recommend effective policies and plans
• In-depth knowledge of human behaviour, child development, and family functioning especially families facing multiple barriers and complexities
• Use logic, sound reasoning and judgment (i.e., critical thinking) to identify, assess, evaluate, and resolve problems, make decisions, and recommend appropriate courses of action
• Help workers integrate their knowledge, skills, and practice using adult teaching methods in order that they may develop their full potential

ANNUAL SALARY RANGE             

In accordance with Level 7 – Child Welfare Manager salary grid

As a condition of hire, selected candidates will be required to provide:

• Consent for Police – Vulnerable Records Check – Results must be satisfactory to the employer.
• Consent for Child Welfare check – Results must be satisfactory to the employer.

• Must have a valid Ontario “G” class driver’s license and reliable vehicle.

Child and Family Services of Grand Erie is committed to working from an Anti-Oppressive and Equity practice and is dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live and serve.

If you don’t see yourself fully represented in each requirement of the job description, we still encourage you to apply. Research has shown individuals from underrepresented groups may only apply when they feel 100% qualified. We are committed to creating a more equitable, inclusive, and diverse organization and we strongly encourage all applicants with diverse identities and lived experiences to apply and to please self-identify in their cover letter.

We are committed to creating an accessible environment for all. Please let us know if you have any accommodation needs.

We thank all applicants; however only those considered for interviews will be contacted.

 APPLICATION PROCESS:               Please submit resume and cover letter electronically at:

                                                                     Email: [email protected]

 CLOSING DATE:                                   February 18, 2025, at 4:30 pm