At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each
day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not
happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We
lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong
and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice,
Dignity and Hope. And we have fun!
Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? It is!
A shelter program that is following the ShelterCare model of providing a place
to stay and staff support 24/7. ShelterCare creates opportunities where
individuals experiencing homelessness have access to on-site, integrated housing
and health supports so they can become healthier and housed - exiting the cycle
of homelessness for good. The Supervisor, Health Initiatives will utilize their
passion for coaching and developing people and teams. They will provide
leadership and support for the ongoing operations of the program including the
development and implementation of health initiatives and a team of Care
Coordinators and Addictions counsellors. This role uses their strength in
partnerships to build and leverage relationships with community health partners.
They will provide leadership and support for the ongoing operations of the
program and the integration of health services at ShelterCare.
** This is a full-time contract from November 10, 2025 to February 1, 2027,
(37.5 hours per week) with personal days and vacation time.
Schedule generally Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm with flexibility for
participation in on-call supervisory rotation and a weekend schedule rotation
every six weeks to support the needs of the program.
Successful completion of a Police Records Check (Vulnerable Sector) is required.
**
Key Responsibilities:
• Lead, develop and support the staff, volunteers and students working
within assigned programs, including coaching and development, team dynamics,
conflict management etc.
• Responsible for all aspects of leading an interdisciplinary team (Care
Coordinators and Addictions Counsellors) including recruitment, retention,
training and onboarding, supervision and performance assessment, development and
management
• Supervisory responsibilities for health and safety within each program;
ensuring a physically and psychologically healthy work environment for all team
members
• Responsible for scheduling and the allocation of staff, students and
volunteers based on the needs of each program and/or site
• Maintain communication with staff team, perform regular check-ins and
reviews, and supporting staff professional development
• Attend and provide clinical supervision and case consultations for
assigned staff
• Responsible for, with guidance from the program managers, program design
and delivery ensuring timely and appropriate community-based programming to meet
the needs of those in the community experiencing housing loss and the social
impacts of homelessness (i.e low income, food insecurity, etc.)
• Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the assigned programs
including day to day operational budget and financial functions, coordination of
data collection, database management (i.e. HIFIS) staff and participant safety,
time sheets, and other applicable administrative duties
• Maintain high level of proficiency with respect to confidentiality in
compliance with Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA)
• Work with program manager and other addiction/housing services
management to evaluate programs and overall approach for addiction treatment and
housing outcomes
• Includes collecting and providing feedback about program development,
service changes, creation of new services based on participant and staff
identified need
• Support the manager with creating reports and proposals to support or
source funding by sharing program insights, collecting registration and
financial records, and coordinating program data collection
• Responsible for property management functions
• Provide timely and appropriate housing and sheltering programming to
meet the needs of those in our community who are experiencing homelessness
• Intentional performance development centered on an anti-oppressive,
trauma informed approach in supporting people experiencing homelessness
• Complete documentation and data entry in accordance with agency and
legislative requirements, including fulfillment of documentation requests from
participants or other professionals
• Support staff in assessing complex situations and making appropriate
decisions
• Review Assessments/Treatment Plans
• Establish strong rapport and maintain appropriate professional
relationships
• Designing and providing consistent quality programs through the lens of
justice, diversity and equity, supervisors will design and provide consistent
quality programs that will foster community while addressing the adverse impacts
of experiencing homelessness
• With the program manager, build and maintain solid and fruitful
relationships with health care partners and agencies to increase opportunities
for innovation and positively impact outcomes
• Participate in working with partners in community consultation and
community leadership development initiatives, taking a lead role when
appropriate
• Identify and collaborate with partners to ensure their presence at
ShelterCare aligns with our shared goals and priorities
• Build and maintain strong relationships with partners by establishing
open and ongoing communication channels
• Gather feedback and data from community partners, monitor progress
towards shared goals, and assess the impact
• Collaborate with partners to coordinate support and promote overall
well-being for participants.
Job Specific Knowledge/Skills:
• Knowledge of and experience serving in the area of housing and
homelessness with a passion to support those experiencing low income and/or
poverty and enthusiasm for preventing and reducing the related effects
• Sensitivity to and knowledge of issues relating to and impacting on all
genders and all marginalized populations
• Very strong leadership, team building and decision-making skills
required including demonstrated strength in coaching and developing people and
teams
• Ability to support the team to work with participants presenting with
concurrent disorder challenges, mental and physical health complexities,
withdrawal symptoms, and substance use challenges
• Strong desire to support men experiencing homelessness and enthusiasm
for assisting them to improve their circumstances
• Experience with coaching and mentoring for personal growth and
development, including the ability to coach others through conflict
• Commitment to work with and support training of students, volunteers and
new employees as required
• Demonstrated ability to calmly problem-solve in a fast-paced, sometimes
stressful environment
• Knowledge of local community agencies and resources is an asset
• Experience keeping financial records is an asset
• Demonstrated capacity for accurate and efficient documentation and
computer data entry
• Experience working within a non-profit and/or social services
environment may be an asset
• Experience working with student and volunteers considered an asset
• Ability to accept and apply feedback and take initiative
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and training
• Highly organized, with ability to develop, implement and streamline
administrative processes.
• Experience navigating team discussion and disagreement in high crisis
situation with confidence and able to make decision with confidence when there
are disagreement on best next steps; while balancing a trauma informed lens with
the safety of the program
Education/Experience:
• University degree in Social Work, Counselling or a related field of
study
• Professional registration, in good standing, as either a Social Worker
or Social Service Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social
Service Workers (OCSWSSW) or a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of
Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
• At least 3 years of experience in a counselling role required, ideally
within a team environment in a social service setting
• At least 1 year of leadership experience required (ie. Leading people,
projects, teams, volunteers, students)
• Clinical Supervision experience and training preferred
• Demonstrated innovative approach to providing supports and programming
in a residential setting or services for persons experiencing homelessness is
required
• Experience working with people who have a history of: trauma, mental
health, addiction, poor health, poverty and/or homelessness is preferred
Critical Skills:
• Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of
Friendship is expected
• Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict
management and problem solving skills required
• Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, participants
and community members
• Build solid and fruitful relationships with community partners and
agencies to increase opportunities for innovation and positively impact outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain a positive work environment
including the ability to navigate change in a positive and productive manner
• Experience or strong interest in working with diverse populations
including people from various cultural background, income levels, and
sensitivity to their needs
• Strong intercultural competency, with the ability to recognize and
respect cultural diversity, able to be diplomatic and sensitive to the dynamics
of a culturally diverse workplace
• Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive
and trauma informed approach in consultation, program design, evaluation
processes and service delivery
• Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a
positive attitude
• Respectful, supportive and engaging approach to persons with physical
and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental health and other life
challenges
• Excellent project, timeline and deadline management skills including
skills in logistics and planning and detailed record keeping
• Able to model effective problem solving by recognizing the human,
interpersonal and technical sides of a problem, show flexibility and explore
possible solutions in an innovative and creative way
• Act as a change agent; contributing to continuous improvement and the
successful implementation of change initiatives
Compensation:
At House of Friendship, we know that our team members are the key to the success
of our organization and our ability to provide essential services to the
community. In support of our mission and in alignment with our values, House of
Friendship is committed to ensuring fair, market competitive, and rewarding
compensation practices for all of our team members. We aspire to support our
team members to create a great work environment where our team is able to
thrive, succeed, and have a positive work experience.
House of Friendship compensation practices including our pay grid, have been
developed using documented leading pay practices in the not-for-profit sector
including Pathways to Decent Work [https://theonn.ca/decent-work-pathways/]
(Ontario Nonprofit Network) and Ontario Living Wage Network
[https://www.ontariolivingwage.ca/]. We value the experience that new team
members bring to the organization and have a process in place to review previous
related experience for placement on our pay grid.
We value the work that you do with fair pay and benefits:
• Time off includes four (4) weeks of vacation, 5 personal days and sick
credits totaling approximately 12 days per year
• Full-time benefit plan including Extended Health Care (EHC), Dental,
Group Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Long Term Disability
(LTD), Flexible Spending Account and Employee & Family Assistance Program
• We believe strongly in supporting the mental health of our team members,
including providing access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program, $2,000
for counselling services and our workplace Wellness and Psychological Health and
Safety programs
• We help you save for the future by providing a retirement plan that
includes a matched Group Pension Plan as well as a Group RRSP and a Group Tax
Free Savings Account
Rate of Pay:
At House of Friendship all compensation ranges are categorized under a series of
“grades” and we base our payment structure on internal equity. When determining
rate of pay, a candidate’s past related experience will be taken into
consideration.
Grade: 5 (Supervisor II)
Min: $30.04
Mid: $34.47
Max: $38.91
Working Conditions:
• 37.5 hours per week; daytime hours, flexibility as required to meet
program needs
• Rotating on-site supervisory responsibilities for the ShelterCare and
Safer Use program on the weekend
• Required to assess situations and make decisions under pressure with
minimal supervision or working alone
• Travel throughout the Region of Waterloo for required meetings and
community engagement
• Encountering participants at program sites who may be under the
influence of alcohol or other drugs, and/or experiencing symptoms of mental
illness can be expected
• Observation of safe consumption takes place at this location
House of Friendship is open and inviting to qualified candidates with lived
experience.
We strive to remove barriers that may prevent qualified applicants from fully
participating in the recruitment and selection process. Accommodation in
accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and other applicable legislation
is available throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.
Accommodations will be provided upon request.
If you are as passionate as we are about serving the community, let’s talk.
https://house-of-friendship.hirehive.com/health-initiatives-supervisor-kitchener-Pr4QoO
[https://house-of-friendship.hirehive.com/health-initiatives-supervisor-kitchener-Pr4QoO]
To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter here:
By end of day October 30, 2025.
