Probation and Parole Officer

As a public servant working in the Ministry of the Solicitor General, you will lead with integrity, demonstrate professionalism, champion inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and human rights, and strive for excellence. Probation and Parole Officers are entrusted by our fellow citizens to play a pivotal role in the justice sector, promoting community and victim safety through the assessment and effective case management of offenders on community supervision.

While supporting public safety, ensuring offender accountability, and enforcing compliance, Probation and Parole Officers are tasked with assisting vulnerable offenders who face significant barriers and require guidance navigating the challenges of living with issues such as mental health, addictions, historical and ongoing systemic discrimination (e.g., racism) and related barriers such as poverty, transiency and historical/intergenerational trauma. They are committed to evidence-based practice in response to the changing needs of diverse communities.

Probation and Parole Officers are honest, accountable, caring, ethical, respectful, inclusive, and passionate about reducing recidivism to support victim and community safety.

This is an exciting and intrinsically rewarding career within the Ontario Public Service, where you can assist the offender population in making significant changes in their lives.

This posting includes the following positions and locations:

• Two 12-month with possible extension full-time positions at the London South Probation and Parole Office (561 Southdale Road)
• One 12-month with possible extension full-time position at the London Core Probation and Parole Office (233 Wharncliffe Rd S)
• One 6-month with possible extension full-time position at the London Core Probation and Parole Office (233 Wharncliffe Rd S)
• One 18-month with possible extension part-time (18.13 hours/week) position at the Owen Sound Probation and Parole Office (611 9th Avenue East)
• One 6-month with possible extension full-time position at the Hamilton Centre Probation and Parole Office (119 King Street West, Suite 104)

Additional Information:

• If you have not completed the Ministry's Probation and Parole Officer basic training program and the experience requirement, you will be hired in the Probation Officer (PO1) salary range ($1,066.17 - $1,389.53) per week.
• This competition may be used to create an eligibility list of qualified candidates to fill potential future opportunities within the next 14 months following the closing date of the job ad posting. This may include opportunities at other Probation and Parole Offices within 125 km of the locations listed in this job posting.

OPS Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism:

We are committed to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to promote a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable workplace.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.

Visit the OPS Anti-Racism Policyhttps://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-public-service-anti-racism-policy > and the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprinthttps://www.ontario.ca/page/ops-inclusion-diversity-blueprint > pages to learn more about the OPS commitment to advance racial equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in the public service.

We offer employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of Ontario's Human Rights Codehttp://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/ontario-human-rights-code >. Refer to the application instructions below if you require a disability-related accommodation.

What can I expect to do in this role?

Working as part of a diverse and dynamic team, you will:

• Provide probation, parole and conditional sentence services to adult offenders
• Investigate and gather information to prepare reports ordered by the Courts and the Ontario Parole Board to support sentencing and parole decisions
• Enhance community safety by monitoring and enforcing conditions of court orders
• Assess criminogenic and other risks and needs, and develop and implement offender case management plans to address those needs
• Help offenders to make positive changes by guiding and supporting their efforts through meaningful interventions, skills building, cognitive-behavioural counselling, referrals, programming and motivational interviewing
• Liaise with victims and build relationships with diverse criminal justice system partners and stakeholders such as police, courts and community agencies (including Indigenous communities and organizations)
 
Voluntary Information Sessions

Voluntary information sessions will be conducted on January 27 and 31, 2023 to share additional information about this opportunity and the role. This is voluntary and will not impact the screening process. If interested, please attend a virtual information session via Microsoft Teams < https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting?rtc=1 > on:
 
Friday, January 27th at 11:00 a.m. Meeting ID: 264 284 580 177 Passcode: A5RARP OR
Tuesday, January 31st at 6:00 p.m. Meeting ID: 214 100 968 638 Passcode: EZV8Uc

Locations:  Hamilton, London, Owen Sound

How do I qualify?

Mandatory

• Degree (from an institution authorized by the Province to grant degrees) in one of the following disciplines: social work, psychology, sociology, and criminology OR a degree (from an institution authorized by the Province to grant degrees) and experience greater than five years in total, in a social services or correctional organization, in a role(s) that involves the formal assessment of human behaviour and the application of structured interventions aimed at supporting the changing of human behaviour.

Applied social work expertise:

• Demonstrated counselling and motivational interviewing experience
• Relationship-building skills to counsel, and provide offenders with guidance and support
• Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, monitor, update and evaluate offender-focused case management
• Experience in the delivery of structured individual and group interventions
• Demonstrated ability to effectively gather data to support the completion of a comprehensive assessment
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and analyze assessment information gathered through identification of offender risk, need and responsivity

Strong decision-making expertise:

• Demonstrated use of professional discretion to make timely and appropriate decisions that are aligned with offender supervision strategies, individual needs, critical analysis, policy and legislation
• Demonstrated ability to set clear and consistent expectations for accountability or to initiate corrective action to address risk mitigation and offender rehabilitation

Communication and interpersonal skills:

• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to contribute to a respectful workplace that values human rights, diversity, inclusion and equity
• Skills and ability to ensure completion of the administrative components of case management (including documentation, data entry, meeting deadlines and managing multiple priorities)
• Verbal communication skills to work effectively with colleagues, offenders, victims, stakeholders and justice partners with diverse needs and perspectives
• Demonstrated ability to gather and present information verbally and in writing in a clear, accurate, concise and professional manner

Experience working with Indigenous offenders:

• Demonstrated insight into the impacts on offenders, victims, and communities who have experienced the effects of systemic barriers and intergenerational trauma
• Demonstrated understanding of Indigenous peoples' histories, the impacts of colonization, systemic discrimination and barriers, and intergenerational trauma, and of the unique needs of Indigenous offenders, victims and communities
• Demonstrated ability to integrate culturally appropriate, relevant and meaningful services and methods of intervention for offenders in their healing journey, and to support reconciliation
• Creativity, flexibility and respect for Indigenous perspectives and traditional approaches to achieving and maintaining change

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS**

As part of the application process, please respond to the following question:

Probation and Parole Officers work with offenders and victims from all walks of life, including groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion. What challenges or barriers might clients from marginalized groups face that may make it difficult for you to build rapport or establish trust with them?

Your response should be written in full sentences instead of bullet points and be as clear and concise as possible, limited to 500 words or less. Please include your response within your application and submit as one document when you apply via ONLINE (i.e. along with your cover letter and resume). Only applications submitted ONLINE and including a completed response to this question will be considered.

Salary Range: $1,358.44 - $1,678.85 Per Week

Additional information:

  • 1 Temporary, duration up to 12 months, 233 Wharncliffe Rd S, 1st Floor, London, West Region, Vulnerable Sector Check, Driver's Licence History
  • 1 Temporary, duration up to 12 months, 119 King St W, Suite 104, Hamilton, West Region, Vulnerable Sector Check, Driver's Licence History
  • 2 Temporary, duration up to 12 months, 561 Southdale Rd E, London, West Region, Vulnerable Sector Check, Driver's Licence History
  • 1 Temporary – Part-Time, duration up to 18 months, 611 9th Ave E, Owen Sound, West Region, Vulnerable Sector Check, Driver's Licence History
  • 1 Temporary, duration up to 6 months, 233 Wharncliffe Rd S, 1st Floor, London, West Region, Vulnerable Sector Check, Driver's Licence History

Note:

In accordance with the Ontario Public Service (OPS), Employment Screening Checks Policy (ESCP), the top candidate(s) may be required to undergo a security screening check. Refer to the above to determine the screening checks that are required for this position.
 
Required security screening checks along with your written consent, will be sent to the Transition and Security Office (TSO), Corporate Talent Programs Branch, Talent and Leadership Division to evaluate the results. If applicable, the TSO, with your written consent, will request and obtain any additional employment screening checks that were not obtained directly by you.
 
A record under the Criminal Code and/or other federal offence record(s) does not automatically mean you will be ineligible for the position. The employment screening check(s) will only be reviewed and evaluated by the TSO for the purpose of making a security clearance decision. The details of an individual's employment screening check(s) will be considered in specific relation to the duties and responsibilities of the position being filled. Employment screening check records will be maintained by the TSO and kept strictly confidential.

  • Less qualified applicants may be considered on an underfill basis.

Please apply online, only, at www.ontario.ca/careers, quoting Job ID 193488, by Friday, February 10, 2023. Please follow the instructions to submit your application. Faxes are not being accepted at this time.

If you require accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please contact us at www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/ContactUs.aspx to provide your contact information. Recruitment Services staff will contact you within 48 hours. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Ontario Public Service is an inclusive employer. Accommodation will be provided in accordance with Ontario’s Human Rights Code.

www.ontario.ca/careers