Manager, Employment & Income Support

The Role

Manages the delivery of integrated employment and income services to social assistance clients, as well as administrative, financial, physical, and human resource requirements. 

Duties/Responsibilities

• Manages Supervisors and Social Planners. Indirectly supervises Caseworkers, Job Developers, Employment Facilitators, program and system trainers, administrative staff, and students. 
• Delegates authority for eligibility decisions under the Ontario Works Act.
• Manages daily operations including resourcing, training, eligibility determination, data and document management across the Division at multiple locations.
• Participates with the Director to develop annual operational plans, quality assurance frameworks, budget allocations, policy, and business/continuous improvement processes to ensure client satisfaction, service integration, and targets are met. Manages delivery of same. Participates in strategic and operational planning at divisional, departmental, and corporate levels.
• Manages escalated questions/issues related to client files, complaints, access, service, and eligibility (from staff, clients, elected officials). 
• Manages compliance with procedures, policies, directives, and legislation. Manages program audits. Manages on/off-boarding and access to provincial and federal databases.
• Manages internal and external appeal processes and training.
• Manages breach of confidentiality incidents. Ensures electronic and hard copy information is collected and stored according to policies and regulations.  
• Represents the Division and Director at Provincial meetings, workgroups, and committees, and provides backup during absences. 
• Participates on emergency response team as needed.
• Administers corporate and Provincial budgets. Manages and negotiates purchase of service agreements. Reviews and approves client expenditures. Monitors and controls cost centre expenditures. Has signing authority and a P-card. Ensures staff maintain resources and equipment in safe working order.  Manages the purchase of program supplies and equipment.
  Liaises with facilities management on landlord/tenant issues, and with other corporate partners including HR, finance, legal, ITS, risk management. Works with communications officers on promotions and branding.
• Collaborates, negotiates, and engages input from stakeholders, including community partners.
  Communicates with agencies, elected officials, and the public for information sharing and consultation. Explains legislation, policies, and procedures to elected officials, lawyers, doctors, hospitals, community agencies, and the public. Ensures flow of information with Ministries. 
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skill in social assistance delivery, and provincial outcomes including case management and employment programming; customer service standards; quality assurance, and evaluation methodology; policy and training development; financial and budget management; and legislative compliance, normally acquired through a university degree or college diploma, plus progressively responsible management experience in unionized social assistance environment.
• Knowledge and ability to comply with policies, procedures, collective agreements, and legislation (e.g., privacy, health and safety, provincial social service programs, duty to report). Ability to keep knowledge current regarding trends in the local and provincial labour market, local community issues, and resources.
• Analytical, research, problem solving, organizational, and continuous improvement skills to manage strategic and operational planning, program development, audit, evaluation, and service improvement to achieve targets; manage eligibility determination, policy and legislation interpretation, emergency situations, and budgets; and analyze statistical information and reports. 
• Leadership, human relations, and communication skills to manage, develop, motivate, and support staff; respond to political, client, and public questions and complaints; negotiate contracts; maintain positive working relationships with staff, clients, community/government agencies, and the public; collaborate with departmental staff on integrated client-focused service delivery; conduct presentations for internal and external audiences; de-escalate/mediate situations; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to read and interpret legislation, directives, policies, procedures, reports, and collective agreements, and conduct research. Ability to write reports/briefing notes for the Director, Commissioner, and elected officials; develop business processes; and prepare agendas, minutes, operational proposals, and correspondence to staff, clients, and community agencies.
• Computer skills using software such as Microsoft Office, provincial databases, and a computerized financial system (e.g., Oracle). 
• Ability to provide an acceptable Police Vulnerable Sector Check (Level 3).
• Ability to travel within and occasionally outside Waterloo Region. 
• Ability to implement and monitor compliance with the Departmental vision and philosophy for integrated customer service delivery within the division, across divisions, across departments, and within the broader community.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.