Job Description

Who we are

Friends of Ruby is a registered charity dedicated to the progressive well-being of LGBTQI2S youth through housing and social services. A trusted source of counselling and tangible solutions such as crisis intervention, warm meals, and housing support. We offer multiple programs and support groups, including dedicated spaces for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Trans youth. Since 2014, Friends of Ruby’s front line workers have met with and supported over 900 youth, averting almost 500 mental health crises.

Friends of Ruby is a welcoming space for LGBTQI2S youth. We believe that every person is a gem – perfectly unique and precious – and we go above and beyond to ensure that the youth who come to our doors feel embraced, accepted, and empowered with the social and wellness tools they need to thrive.

This is a mission that is a genuine part of who we are as individuals and as an organization. If you are a member of the LGBTQI2S community or an active ally for equality, diversity, and the needs of our community’s youth, please consider joining us as a Housing Manager.

The opportunity

Friends of Ruby is preparing to open its Home in October 2020. The Home will provide transitional and emergency housing to 33 LGBTQI2S youth, as well as mental health and independent living support services. To support this essential and exciting project, we are seeking a Housing Manager. Under the direction of the Youth Services & Housing Director, the Housing Manager will supervise the housing staff, ensuring effective teamwork, handle program development, provide excellent customer service, performance management, and execute the planning, delivery, and evaluation of the day-to-day housing activities. You will also provide coaching and mentoring to your team.

We need an ally of the community who is compelled to support our youth through continued efforts and initiatives and offering compassionate support. This is a vital position for our expansion, as you will outline procedures and protocols required for youth to participate in this program, creating a safe and supportive environment for all residents and staff in the House.

Who you are

You have previous housing and supervisory experience and are someone who can think outside the box and quickly learn and readjust procedures as you go. You are excited to help us start creating new processes for our organization, and are eager to get started and help us provide support and resources to LGBTQI2S youth. You are a great communicator with the ability to address service inquiries, work effectively with staff, residents, partner agencies, the City of Toronto, internal and external stakeholders, handle requests and/or complaints in a timely manner, and can apply verbal de-escalation and crisis prevention techniques in order to defuse potentially challenging and volatile situations.

What’s in it for you

Impact and fulfillment. Your role will be actively ensuring the safe, secure, and well-coordinated operations of a much-needed housing solution for LGBTQI2S youth. This is a life-altering offering for the youth, and you will be making a real impact. You are playing a vital role in the success of this program by helping us hire and develop procedures as we expand, ensuring the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of Friends of Ruby’s House, its programs and services.

Challenges and rewards. You will lean into the demands of managing a staff and a facility while ensuring the needs, safety, comfort and well- being of our youth are anticipated and met. You are helping us to open a house in the middle of a pandemic and will help us to ensure we are following protocols, and safety measures.

How you will make a difference

Performance management, professional development. You will facilitate regular staff meetings on organizational updates and program-specific matters and coordinate staff participation in meetings. Support the Director with recruitment, orientation, and training of staff; and in determining appropriate staffing requirements for housing services. You will establish clear goal-setting with employees and outline expected outcomes and time frames. You will assign tasks, responsibilities, clear deliverables, timelines, and ensure employees take accountability for their work.

Supporting and managing staff. You will coordinate the day-to-day supervision of assigned staff and have regular check-ins with your team while offering support. You will be in charge of scheduling the housing staff, ensuring an even distribution of hours for the 24/7 operation of the house between all staff in accordance with their full/part-time or relief status. You will track availability, enter payroll data, schedule shifts, find last-minute coverage, and submit hours worked. You will foster a positive, healthy, and safe work environment while implementing new protocols set by the City of Toronto Shelter & Housing office and the Ministry of Health in relation to COVID-19 safety measures.

Planning and management. You will ensure that intake assessments for shelter and housing referrals are undertaken including screening youth to assess the appropriateness and fit of our services in addition to supporting the youth in their transition to sustainable housing. You will ensure staff are following organization policies, and are operating consistently within legislation and city standards. You will support the effective planning, implementation, and evaluation of Housing services, overseeing the delivery of activities in the House, while providing monthly reports with program outcomes and recommendations to the Leadership team. You will manage the department’s budget, process housing services invoices, oversee the effective and efficient procurement and supply control procedures, and support managing the payroll responsibilities in the House.

Coordinate and support programming. You will attend all required internal/external partnership meetings and agency’s community projects and program-related community, collation, and committee meetings. You will work directly with the City of Toronto Shelter and Housing office as it relates to intake and turnover of rooms, and seek opportunities to be involved in and contribute to Shelter and Housing Networks in the Community and the City of Toronto. You will coordinate with the Youth Services Supervisor for programming between the Drop-In and the House. You will manage crisis, recognize and provide appropriate intervention as needed, and address youth conflict directly and respectfully. You will teach and model effective problem solving and conflict negotiation, and manage the on-call crisis line.

What you bring to the team

• The education and experience. Undergraduate degree in a relevant field or discipline (Social Work, Public Administration, Social Services) and/or comparable work experience. You have at least 2-3 years of supervisory experience in social services. You have Operational Housing or Shelter experience and knowledge of the critical programs needed to support youth homeless challenges is an asset.
• Program management skills. You have the ability to manage and take on housing programs that assist youth in building personal life skills to enable independent living. You also have experience working with homeless and at-risk youth, preferably in residential services, housing, or a shelter system, and knowledge of the critical housing programs to support youth homeless challenges. You have excellent supervisory and leadership abilities.
• Passion and compassion. You have an understanding of substance use, mental health, and harm reduction gained through direct experience working with individuals, preferably youth. You have experience working directly with LGBTQI2S marginalized populations and with employing community development, harm reduction, or recovery approaches to service development and delivery.
• Additional requirements and knowledge. You have satisfactory clearance under the Vulnerable Sector Police Check Program. You must be eligible to legally work in Canada. You are willing to work at a flexible schedule to accommodate the needs of the House that operates 24/7, working evenings, and weekends (on occasion). You need to be flexible and prepared to offer support at all hours through a rotative on-call crisis line. You have the ability to travel to other community-based settings as needed. Having knowledge of relevant laws, standards, and guidelines; including the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Act and Residential Tenancies Act; the Toronto Shelter Standards, Occupational Health and Safety regulations, and Public Health guidelines as they pertain to emergency shelters and transitional housing programs is an asset.

How to Apply

Job Categories: LGBT. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: Not Disclosed.

764 total views, 0 today

Apply for this Job