Program Manager

Summary

With a strong leadership team in place and a growing organization, BridgeNorth Women’s Mentorship & Advocacy Services (BridgeNorth) is seeking a Program Manager to work closely with our President (RSW)/ Clinical Lead, Founder & Executive Director, Peer Mentorship Team and External Agency Partners to build and execute our best-in-class anti-human trafficking (AHT) direct service program delivery.

Location

This role will be located from our Newmarket ON location with some flexibility to occasionally work from home.   Through Covid-19 this role is fully a work-from-home role.

Organizational Profile

BridgeNorth’s mission is to restore the inherent dignity and value of sexually exploited women and girls by meeting their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. We help individuals experience freedom from sex trafficking in Canada through survivor-led support, prevention, education, and advocacy.  We provide direct service to individuals and families impacted by sex trafficking, create public education and awareness, and advocate on behalf of trafficked persons for systemic change. We lead out of lived experience and trauma-informed care.  We work with all people. We are an inclusive community dedicated to representing and supporting the diverse needs of the individuals whom we serve. We are especially focused on ensuring that BridgeNorth is a safe place for participants and partners who are part of vulnerable communities and/or marginalized identities, which are sadly over-represented in sex trafficking in Canada, such as LGBTQ2+ and BIPOC populations. Our agency’s value-based framework is committed to the socially just approach of being trauma-informed, person-centred, strengths-based, feminist, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and culturally sensitive.

Our Values
We are trusted. At BridgeNorth, you belong first. No matter where you are on your journey, we will meet you there. We start by creating an environment of trust so that you can safely belong in this community of bridge builders.

We are hopeful. We help individuals believe in themselves again with the type of support that can only be provided by a peer mentor with lived experience. We believe that meaningful and lasting change is possible in the lives of individuals and systemically.

We are bridge builders. We empower individuals to become who they want to be, helping people navigate a new way forward. We help build bridges between resources, systems, leaders, and governments, and the people they exist to serve.

Purpose:

This role as a full-time position.  What is important to us is finding a talented individual for this role who is also a great fit for our growing team.  We particularly welcome application from women with lived experience of human trafficking.  Reporting to the President (RSW)/Clinical Lead, you will be the person that helps to create, build, execute and measure the day-to-day operations of our peer mentorship program and direct front-line service to help support and sustain our unprecedented growth in supporting women and girls being sex-trafficked and at risk of being sex trafficked.

The Role

This is a role for someone who has strong front-line and management experience in the social service sector.  You are a caring, empathetic leader with a deep understanding of trauma-informed-care (TIC) and anti-oppressive practice (AOP).  You have the capabilities to lead program development from the ground up and see it through to completion, including the ability to measure and report to government funders and other regulatory stakeholders.  You are familiar with current social sector legislation and operate under the ethical guidelines of a registered professional association (i.e. Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, OCSWSSW).  You understand how to build a team, including working with persons with lived experience.  You also understand the dynamics of working within a registered charity and the leadership of a volunteer Board of Directors. You don’t hesitate to learn from a mistake or to help others around you see the possibilities that can come from unexpected outcomes or challenges.  You like to build meaningful relationships, you know how to deliver excellent service, and you care about authenticity and transparency. 

Responsibilities:

  • Ensure that effective BridgeNorth programs, policies and procedures are in place to meet the direct service and peer mentoring requirements and standards in accordance with legislation and other provincial and municipal directives, regulations, policies and procedures while meeting the physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual needs of each program participant
  • Maintain excellent and up to date knowledge of all applicable legislation and guidelines and communicate changes and updates to staff and BridgeNorth Board
  • Assist with recruitment, hiring and retention of BN program and clinical staff, to build a high performing case management team, providing strengths-based supports to participants, and increase credibility of the agency’s services within the local community, particularly York Region (including South Simcoe)
  • Work collaboratively with BridgeNorth program and peer mentoring staff and community partners to ensure delivery of a wrap-around support program for participant needs for front-line service as well as program delivery within the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) Collaborative Relationships for Extended Services (CRES) Partnership Agreement and Caring and Safe Schools
  • Use of case management software for confidential record-keeping in compliance with all privacy and related legislation with ability to support, guide and  train staff, peer mentors and clinical team in use of technology
  • Provide leadership, mentoring and coaching to the staff team by fostering teamwork, encouraging goal setting, delegating responsibility, requiring accountability, and providing regular feedback
  • Work with the President/Clinical Lead, Founder & Executive Director, Board, Finance Committee of the Board and Bookkeeper, to assist in annual program budget preparation and make recommendations considering previous year performance, and local priorities
  • Provide assistance to the agency for program funding and grant applications and contracts to ensure allocated funding is expended per any government, corporate, foundation or donor grant funding and assist with all required funding reporting
  • Work with staff and/or external agencies to assist in developing a sound Measurement & Evaluation (M&E) framework for quantitative and qualitative program measurement
  • Ensure any community partnership contracts for service and/or facilities agreements with service providers are current and up-to-date, including insurance policies for property assets and programs 
  • Facilitate BN agency-awareness and inclusion with key decision-makers, including government, region and municipal decision makers, and participate on local committees and planning tables, including education, advocacy and awareness of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation
  • Ensure communication of agency referral, intake and participation guidelines; grow community awareness of the program to ensure participant alignment with BN’s unique program offerings and values; and address any program complaints and concerns as required
  • Work with the communications and marketing team, including social media, to ensure appropriate marketing of BN’s services, particularly with an appropriate lived-experience voice when communicating with lived-experience audiences and remain current on anti-human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation issues and advocacy initiatives, including legislation, regional, provincial and national statistics, etc.
  • Work closely with the administrative staff to organize and support smooth completion of day-to-day organizational tasks, including submission of direct service and clinical staff expense reports, payroll timesheets, human resource documentation, etc.
  • Other projects as needed

Knowledge & Experience

  • Minimum 5-7 years direct social service experience, with 3-5 years front-line experience and 2-3 years staff management experience
  • Experience in the Anti-Human Trafficking (AHT) or Violence Against Women (VAW) sectors a plus
  • Experience and/or understanding of program delivery for trauma-informed, person-centred, strengths-based, feminist anti-oppression, anti-racist, culturally sensitive, and values-based services
  • Bachelor Degree in Social Work (BSW) or other accredited degree
  • Masters Degree a plus (i.e. MSW)
  • Registration in good standing with an Accredited Professional Regulatory Body – i.e. Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)
  • Experience working within the public school system a plus
  • Experience working with peer mentorship programs a plus

Skills & Abilities

  • Strong organizational skills
  • Ability to lead and execute on projects involving multiple stakeholders and multiple time-limited priorities
  • Ability to build strong team engagement across staff and volunteers, including Board members
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, including grant and report writing, presentations, etc.
  • Strong computer skills, particularly with MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point, Teams)
  • Experience with case management software
  • Experience with government compliance and legislation for social sector best practices
  • Ability to promote and maintain strict agency confidentiality
  • Current Criminal Record Check with vulnerable sector screening required
  • Valid Ontario Driver’s Licence
  • Adherence to BridgeNorth agency values 

Compensation

Starting compensation is $60,000 annually (full-time equivalency).  As a small agency, BridgeNorth does not currently have a medical and dental employee health plan, but does offer supportive benefits across vacation, sick leave, etc.

Equity and Diversity

BridgeNorth is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations and will work with you to meet your needs. If you are a person with a disability and require assistance during the application process, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We celebrate our inclusive work environment and welcome persons of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply.

Application

To apply for this unique opportunity, please send a cover letter and resume to office@bridgenorth.org with subject line: Program Manager.  The closing date for applications is Friday, August 13, 2021 at 5 pm EST.  We will not be able to take phonecalls regarding the position and request that all communications regarding this role occur through email to office@bridgenorth.org.  We thank you in advance for your interest in joining the BridgeNorth team but advise that only persons selected for an interview will be contacted.