The Role:

Reporting to the Director, Homelessness Initiatives and Prevention Services (HIPS), and working in close collaboration with the HIPS Senior Management Team, the Division, and the broader Toronto shelter services sector, the Manager, Operations and Support Services is responsible for leading a team to provide oversight of emergency shelter, respite sites, warming centres and related services operated by community agencies funded by the City of Toronto.

You will provide leadership in the areas of:

Team Management and Development: Manages, motivates and ensures the professional development of the unit's non-unionized and unionized staff to achieve effective teamwork, high standards of work quality, organizational performance, continuous learning and innovation in service delivery. Focuses on team development and championing a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion and respectful workplaces.

Demonstrates a commitment to team and client wellness. Creates a safe, healthy and inclusive workplace culture.

Community Engagement: Develops and implements consultation processes to engage community partners, services users, sector representatives and other relevant stakeholders. Commitment to working with Indigenous partners and communities towards reconciliation, to supporting Black staff and clients to confront anti-Black racism, and to championing communities of inclusion within the City of Toronto.

Service Delivery and Customer Experience: Ensures provider compliance with Toronto Shelter Standards and related performance metrics; ensures provider capacity, sustainability, and risk mitigation for the continuity of services; develops and implements plans, process and budgets to open, relocate and decommission operations, including specialized services (e.g., winter programming); and ensures all providers meet service levels set by the Division to achieve intended client outcomes. Leads strategic projects aligned with the Division's service plans, or as required by Council direction or service improvement reviews.

Policy and Procedure Development: Develops and reviews policies and procedures to guide the delivery of 24-hour shelter and support services including emergency shelter, respite services, and warming centres. A systems thinker in leading complex operations with requirements to collect, collate and analyze financial and programming data, as well as lead engagements and consultations with a wide variety of service providers, interest groups, and public agencies.

Key Qualifications:

1. Post-secondary education in a social services or public administration discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Considerable experience in people management, operations management, and policy development in the public sector or not-for-profit organization.
3. Considerable experience in the operation of large-scale emergency, front-line human service delivery.
4. Considerable experience in managing, coordinating, developing and motivating staff, as well as in handling day-to-day labour relations matters in a unionized environment.
5. Experience with service delivery models and programming in the homelessness sector, including experience with emergency shelter and related services, as well as social services and housing policies.
6. Experience managing complex projects from inception through to implementation with minimal direction, including the delivery of change management strategies.
7. Experience in administering third party funding programs including procurement, contract development, compliance, audit and managing performance.
8. Experience with developing and managing budgets, financial analysis and the review of financial statements.
9. Ability to initiate, lead and implement proactive and progressive change to facilitate operational improvements.
10. Superior written and oral communication skills, with an ability to communicate with a broad range of stakeholders including community leaders and groups, senior City staff, clients, political representatives, media, and the general public.
11. Ability to prepare reports, presentations and briefings for senior management.
12. Political acumen and insight, as well as advanced skills and judgement, including the ability to negotiate and achieve consensus among parties having different objectives.
13. Advanced strategic analytical and conceptual thinking skills with the capacity to understand complex operating and policy issues, evaluation frameworks, program inter-relationships and the potential consequences of intended policy action.
14. Familiarity with, and ability to interpret and apply relevant employment legislation including Employment Standards Act, Human Rights Act, and the Occupational Health & Safety Act.