AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community-based organization providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to people living with HIV and hepatitis C and harm reduction clients. We take evidence-based action to prevent infection, provide support, and reduce stigma. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all. At the core of what we do is our ability, and commitment to, creating meaningful connections. Every day, we strive to create meaningful connections between clients and staff, between peers, between staff members, between organizations, between communities, and between funders and impactful programs. For more info see www.avi.org
SAFER is a flexible, community-based, harm reduction program that provides safer, pharmaceutical alternatives to the currently toxic drug supply. SAFER is located on the territories of the Lekwungen peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations). The SAFER Harm Reduction Workforce program provides dedicated access to prescribed safe supply for people who work in harm reduction services and otherwise meet the criteria for the service. The SAFER 713 Prescribed Safe Supply program provides access to prescribed safe supply for people who access the 713 drop-in who meet the criteria for service. SAFER is located on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).
JOB SUMMARY
Reporting to the AVI Senior Director, or designate, the SAFER Program Manager provides support and supervision of non-clinical SAFER staff and the daily operations of the SAFER Clinic and the 713 Prescribed Safe Supply (PSS) Program. The Program Manager has a strong relational practice of leadership in harm reduction healthcare to support and supervise staff in their roles providing psychosocial support to program participants. The Program Manager supports staff who hold multiple, intersecting identities including (but not limited to) people who use/d drugs, people with lived experience of HIV and hepatitis C, and LGBTQ2S+ people - from a sex positive and harm reduction-based approach. The Manager will work closely with the SAFER Coordinator, SAFER 713 PSS Coordinator, Clinical Nurse Lead and Clinical Nurse Educator, who oversees SAFER’s staff, and in collaboration with the Senior Director, to align with the program’s strategic goals and operational requirements.
The successful candidate embodies collaboration, works from a relational perspective, is supportive and empathetic, upholds AVI’s harm reduction, social justice, trauma-informed care and cultural humility values with staff and people accessing our services. They support and ensure that the SAFER Program promotes the dignity and respect of the people we serve.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Manages the SAFER Clinic and the SAFER 713 PSS Program
- Engages with SAFER Coordinators and staff (Support Workers, Systems Navigators, Medical Office Assistants/Administrators and other staff) to establish empathic supervisory relationships with clear and mutually-defined boundaries. Supervision will be grounded in harm reduction, understandings of the impacts of trauma, and include mentoring, feedback and skills development.
- Supports the SAFER Coordinators with regular one-on-one and team meetings, and problem-solves challenging situations that arise.
- Contributes to mentorship and modeling of practice for staff that is in line with principles of social justice, trauma-informed care and cultural humility.
- Supports the coordinator with scheduling program staff, to ensure appropriate staffing levels to ensure program operations, and manages payroll approval (Inclusion) and leave management
- Oversees leave management and payroll approval in Comvida.
- Works in collaboration with the coordinator and staff to ensure SAFER programs are supported to attend crisis on a daily basis. In instances of understaffing (i.e. due to illness), works in the SAFER Clinic to provide psychosocial support to program participants.
- Collaborates with SAFER Coordinator, Clinical Nurse Lead and Clinical Nurse Educators to schedule, coordinate and facilitate collaborative staff meetings and trainings.
- Leads recruitment and hiring while supporting SAFER Coordinators in the orientation of new staff
- Follows up on performance concerns and acts on disciplinary process when necessary.
- Maintains the safety of all program spaces by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents.
- Develops, implements and maintains administrative and operational policies and procedures.
- Attends SAFER Research and Evaluation Committee meetings to contribute to ongoing evaluative work.
- Develops and maintains relationships with community partners, including participating in relevant internal and external committees. Acts as representative for SAFER with the clinic landlord and co-tenants of the clinic building as well as with the neighbourhood association.
- Prepares statistical and program information in collaboration with the Operations team
- Tracks and responds to issues raised by the Occupational Health and Safety committee and implement recommendations.
- Reviews and authorizes credit card, petty cash, and monitors expenditures related to program budgets.
- Performs related duties as required.
QUALIFICATIONS
The SAFER Program Manager has the following qualifications:
- University degree at bachelor’s level in relevant field (i.e. Social Work, Public Health, Social Sciences), or equivalent combination of related experience and education
- 3 - 5 years senior experience and demonstrated leadership with program management and supervision of diverse staff team, preferably within a non-profit or community-based organization
- Demonstrated experience in managing human resources in a union environment
- Experience delivering/managing harm reduction programming and services directly with program clients/participants with a harm reduction lens
- Strong knowledge of substance use disorder and opiate agonist treatment options.
- Commitment to harm reduction and social justice principles and experience working with individuals who experience intersecting systemic oppression.
- Demonstrated commitment to social justice principles and practices, including harm reduction, anti-racism, decolonization, combating stigma related to drug use, HIV, hepatitis C, and challenging gendered oppression, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia
- Experience working in solidarity with diverse populations including people who are criminalized for their mental health and/or drug use; people who are denied housing/precariously housed/warehoused; racialized identities; Indigenous & Metis persons; LGBTQI2S+ identities; sex workers; people with disabilities
- Relevant or applicable training/experience in anti-racism and a demonstrated commitment to anti-colonial learning/unlearning
- Strong analysis of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous People
- Knowledge of local Indigenous and non-Indigenous social services including housing, income and food security supports that may benefit persons served
- First Aid training and experience responding to critical incidents including overdose/toxic drug poisoning
- Employment subject to criminal record check for working with vulnerable populations
- To comply with current BC Public Health Orders, must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have an approved medical exemption. Proof of vaccination status will be required for successful applicants for positions covered by the order.
- Current Valid BC Drivers’ License an asset
- First Aid training and experience responding to critical incidents (eg. overdose/toxic drug poisoning)
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Demonstrated leadership skills in program management and supervision of diverse staff teams
- In-depth understanding of current systemic barriers and violence faced by people who use drugs and a working knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of anti-oppressive practice
- Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to coach and mentor staff, facilitate conflict resolution, foster empathic communication and demonstrate clear boundaries
- Demonstrated commitment to the policy and practice of harm reduction, cultural safety and trauma and violence informed practices in the provision of health and social services
- Demonstrated understanding of the continuing and on-going impact of colonization, and anti-colonial, anti-racist practices and principles
- Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them
- Positive approach, flexible, resourceful, and enjoys working in a dynamic, informal, and relational workplace.
- Excellent communications skills including in-person and also via technology (ie video calls, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams). Ability to quickly grasp fundamentals of new computer programs such as electronic medical record software.
- Excellent organizational, prioritization and time management skills
- Ability to work with diverse groups of stakeholders including people impacted by poverty, substance use, criminalization, people who use drugs, service providers, funders and other community members
- Experience managing hostile interactions, utilizing non-violent communication and diffusing techniques
- Strong project coordination skills, including time, budget, and workload management
- Demonstrated ability to be flexible and versatile in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency
- Ability to work in a variety of settings on a regular basis, including on-site at SAFER Clinic and the 713 PSS program, occasionally accompany staff on community outreach, and work off-site either from a home office or co-working space
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $41.79/hour per the HEABC paygrid for excluded managers.
- Hours and Schedule: 37.5 hours/ week. Full time position working Monday through Friday. Note: Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.
- Term: Starting as soon as possible and ending on April 15, 2024 or return of incumbent whichever is earlier.
- Location: SAFER Clinic and 713 Johnson, Victoria, BC
- Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2022-2025 and this role is an Excluded Position.
- Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D on the 1st of the month after this position begins. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.
- Pension: This position is immediately eligible to join the Municipal Pension Plan. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account.
- Other Perks: This position gets 8% vacation (equivalent of 4 weeks), receives a paid day off for eligible Stat Holiday, which includes Easter Monday, and accrues a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation Days are both available to be used after your first 3 months at AVI.
- Proof of Vaccination Required: AVI is under BC's Health Services Order and continues to require proof of vaccination.
- Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.
TO APPLY:
To apply please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@avi.org by 5pm on February 19, 2024.
AVI is committed to equity and diversity and we strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, folks who identify as Indigenous Persons, persons of colour, racialized, persons living with a disability, persons who use/d drugs, persons with experience of sex work, persons who live with HIV and/or hepatitis C, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
We would like to thank all those who apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.