AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community based organisation providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to more than 500 people living with HIV and hepatitis C and more than 3000 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 Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).
JOB SUMMARY
Reporting to the SAFER Project Director and the Executive Director, as required, the SAFER Program Manager provides support and supervision of non-clinical SAFER staff and the daily operations of the SAFER Clinic. 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 SAFER 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 Clinical Nurse Lead, who oversees SAFER’s clinical services and staff, and in collaboration with the Project 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 daily operations of the SAFER Clinic, including spending time in the clinic space to support to frontline staff, monitoring and ordering supplies, monitoring workplace safety and facilities.
- Engages with staff (Support Workers, Systems Navigators, Medical Office 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 staff through 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.
- Schedules program staff, including collaboration with the Clinical Nurse Lead and Nurse Team Lead, to ensure appropriate staffing levels to ensure program operations, and manages payroll approval (Inclusion) and leave management
- In instances of understaffing (i.e. due to illness), works in the SAFER Clinic to provide psychosocial support to program participants
- Collaborates with Clinical Nurse Lead to schedule, coordinate and facilitate staff meetings and trainings
- Leads recruitment, hiring and orientation of staff, in collaboration with Clinical Nurse Lead
- 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.
- 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 with the Project Director
- Prepares statistical and program information in collaboration with the Project Director
- 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 in collaboration with Project Director
- 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. Education, Social Work, 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
- Experience delivering harm reduction programming and services directly with program clients/participants
- 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 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 intergenerationally
- Knowledge of local Indigenous and non-Indigenous social services including housing, income and food security supports that may benefit persons served
- Demonstrated experience in managing human resources in a union environment
- 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, occasionally accompany staff on community outreach, and work off-site either from a home office or co-working space
POSITION DETAILS:
Schedule of Work: 37.5 hours per week
Salary: Excluded position with a salary range set by Health Employees Association BC
Start Date: ASAP
End Date: March 31, 2023
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@avi.org by 5pm on February 10, 2022
We strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, Indigenous Persons, persons of colour, persons living with disabilities, 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.
It is beneficial to identify in the cover letter if you are Indigenous and have lived/living expertise relevant to the position.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.