ICS - Senior Manager (Mon - Fri Days)

RainCity Housing operates on the stolen, unceded, ancestral, traditional homelands of the Xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ Nations in so-called Vancouver, the q̓íc̓əy̓, qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, qiqéyt, SEMYOME, Stó꞉lō, and sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ Nations in so-called Lower Mainland, and the shíshálh in so-called Sunshine Coast.

About Us – A home for every person
RainCity Housing is an organization that makes a difference in people’s lives. Our mission is to advance social equity by building upon the strengths of our community and of each individual. With a goal of providing a home for everyone, RainCity’s programs sustain relationships, strengthen communities, and make change for people experiencing homelessness, mental health, trauma, and substance use issues.

RainCity Housing has been developing emerging and promising practices for over 40 years in social services and healthcare, providing Housing First, harm reduction and supports for community members who access our services. To learn more, check out our innovations page. You can visit our Indeed page and click on the “Follow” button to be notified of new job openings: ca.indeed.com/cmp/Raincity-Housing-and-Support-Society/about. 

You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Benefits: 

• 5 days of paid leave for Indigenous Employees for Ceremonial, Cultural, and Spiritual events per year 
• 8 weeks of paid leave for gender affirming care for medical procedures for transgender and gender diverse employees, cumulative total 
• Employee and Family Assistance Program available to ALL employees, including 24-hour helpline, Personal counselling, Life Coaching, Financial Coaching, Legal Referral and Advisory Services, and Health Coaching: https://www.fseap.ca/
• Municipal Pension Plan with guaranteed lifetime monthly pension when you retire: https://mpp.pensionsbc.ca/
  
• Employer-paid benefits for regular Part-time and Full-time employees:
• Core Gender Affirmation services
• $1,000/year coverage for Massage
• $500 per paramedical service Physiotherapy, Naturopath, Acupuncture, Chiropract, and more
• Vision Care, Dental Care, Prescription Drugs, Group Life Benefit (1 x annual salary,) Long Term Disability, and Unlimited Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country Emergencies.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Manager, Indigenous Cultural Services Department (ICSD), champions Indigenous cultural knowledge and practice throughout RainCity Housing with a particular focus on strengthening cultural work within all housing and support programs. The Senior Manager, ICSD, also works within RainCity’s mission, principles, and values internally within the organization and externally in the community. The Senior Manager works to ensure that Indigenous Cultural Services Work through RainCity programs adopt a continuous quality improvement approach focused on Indigenous resident/participant experiences and outcomes. They have a strong social analysis with a deep understanding of various experiences of marginalization and champion anti-oppressive service delivery within RainCity programs. 

Overseeing the Department, the Senior Manager contributes to the ongoing development and evaluation of the Department’s work at a program and a whole of organization level. The Senior Manager provides strategic and operational support and direction to the Department. The Senior Manager works to ensure Indigenous Cultural programs are maximally integrated and coordinated throughout RainCity programs. They communicate with a wide variety of people including members of Host Nations, Elders, Indigenous agencies and organizations, representatives from health authorities, municipal government, agency representatives, and other social service organizations, staff, clients and families, and union representatives. 

COMPETITION#:          job2024.456

POSITION TITLE:         Senior Manager, Indigenous Cultural Services Department

DEPARTMENT:             Indigenous Cultural Services Department

PROGRAMS:               Program oversight is to be decided

POSITION TYPE:         Full-time, 1.0 FTE, 40 Weekly Hours

EMPLOYEE GROUP:   Excluded

SALARY:                     $93,808.00 annually                 

START DATE:              As soon as possible

SCHEDULE:                 Monday- Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Schedule must be flexible to meet organizational needs. The Senior Manager will participate in the on call schedule.  

 * Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Metis, Native American) ancestry/identity is a bona fide occupational requirement for this position.

*A clear British Columbia Vulnerable Sector Criminal Record Check for working with vulnerable adults and/or children is a condition of employment with RainCity Housing. Applicants must be willing and able to receive a clearance under the Criminal Record Review Act.

 * A valid B.C. Driver's License, an acceptable drivers abstract, and use of a reliable personal vehicle is required.

PROGRAM SUMMARY
The Indigenous Services Department oversees the growing body of Indigenous work within the organization. It provides support and leadership to Indigenous Cultural Liaisons (ICL’s) as well as their programs. It assists in the integration of cultural safety, support and Indigenous programming that focuses around bridging cultural knowledge, teachings, and ways of being/knowing into the organization. Their outlook is based on the history and impacts of cultural disruption/colonization, and the tenements of de-colonial practice, cultural awareness/sensitivity/safety, and every system that has disproportionately affected Indigenous peoples in which they have and continue to resist. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Metis, Native American) ancestry/identity is a bona fide occupational requirement for this position.  
• Minimum of 7 years of related experience working from an Indigenous Cultural perspective in harm reduction informed housing and support settings.
• 3 years of leadership experience managing programs including oversight funding, budgeting, program planning, policy making, labour and employee relations.
• Leadership experience incorporating Indigenous Cultural practices and introducing decolonial frameworks in a non-Indigenous led agency/organization.
• Experience working alongside and supporting Elders.
• Experience in grant writing, overseeing of budgeting, and program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Formal training in leadership and/or project management and/or program development and evaluation an asset.
• An undergraduate degree in a relevant health or social discipline is an asset.
• Class 5 driver’s license
• Knowledge of/experience in
• Practices for populations with complex needs related to mental health issues, substance abuse, and homelessness including strengths-based recovery model.
• Harm reduction and relapse prevention and intervention strategies.
• The context of oppression and marginalization for equity seeking groups.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.
• B.C. health care and social services system.
• Or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience

COMPETENCIES

Strategic Thinking

• Able to effectively manage, and provide oversight to, multiple bodies of work (ICL development and gatherings; Host Nation engagement; Elder engagement and support; fund development for the Department).
• Makes strategic planning decisions crucial to formulating and achieving Departmental objectives.
• Translates theory and principles into workplace systems that ensure alignment of daily practices.
• Understands, interprets, explains, and applies strong Indigenous cultural practice and approaches.
• Ability to continually analyze and evaluate Department practices to create innovative and strategic improvements.
• Ability to connect and contribute to broader Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work within the organization.

Problem Solving/Judgement

• Decisions require extensive analysis of complex issues to ensure good judgement.
• Strong problem solving and conflict resolution skills; can consult effectively to develop solutions to complex organizational, financial, people management, and systems issues.
• Effective decision maker, able to assess situations to determine the importance, urgency, and risks; able to make clear and timely decisions in the organization’s best interests.
• Proven ability to make, and be accountable for, tough decisions.
• Exercises sound, expert, independent judgement within policy guidelines.
• Ability to set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details, data, information, and activities.

Communication

• Champions positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve the goals of the department and the organization.
• Influences and builds commitment to strong Indigenous cultural services, supports and approaches; ensures a cohesive and collaborative Department.
• Listens well and encourages open exchange of information and ideas using appropriate communication media.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate strategic vision into common language; present proposals and recommendations clearly, logically, and persuasively; and to prepare clear, concise, and comprehensive correspondence and other written materials.
• Displays high emotional intelligence; uses tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive, complex, and confidential situations.

Leadership

• Skills to contribute to safety in the workplace, including: 
  • Demonstrated anti-racism knowledge and skills to support racialized communities, including knowledge of Canada’s historical and ongoing colonialism and its impact on Indigenous peoples. 
  • Demonstrated anti-discrimination knowledge and skills to support equity-seeking groups, including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, people who use drugs and alcohol, people living with mental health conditions, and sex workers. 
• Creates connections, trust and shared meaning with diverse individuals and groups.
• Inspires strategic vision in others by identifying, establishing, and communicating clear and meaningful expectations and outcomes.
• Models core qualities such as honesty, integrity, resilience, and confidence.
• Focuses on stakeholder needs; ability to anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters.
• Demonstrates leadership using positive reinforcement, strengths-based feedback and coaching to direct team members, stakeholders, and partners.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to facilitate collaboration, cooperation, and coalitions among diverse groups, aimed at improving programs, services and goals.
• Self aware; understands personal assumptions, values, principles, strengths, and limitations.
• Understands the need for ongoing personal and professional development; actively seeks opportunities for personal learning, character building and growth.
• Takes responsibility for personal actions, performance, and health.

Financial Acumen

• Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing, monitoring, and amending budgets.

Please submit both a cover letter and resume to apply, describing your suitability for this position. We thank all applicants in advance for their interest. As part of the application process, you may be asked a short set of questions to provide further information about your experience and availability. Please note, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

Diversity
RainCity Housing serves a diverse group of people, and we need a staff group that reflects this diversity. People of diverse backgrounds and cultures are encouraged to apply.

As we work towards building a diverse staff team, we are particularly seeking applicants who identify as being Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, applicants with personal lived expertise, and 2SLGBTQ+ identified people.

Inclusion and creating a safer space
We are committed to making our organization a safer place for our staff, with steps taken to create space for learning and unlearning. RainCity’s department of Indigenous Cultural Services was created with the purpose to acknowledge the unique history and service needs of our Indigenous staff and tenants in respect to accessing culturally relevant and culturally sensitive care and support. RainCity’s Black Affinity Group was formed to provide support for Black staff by creating a safe space to support each other, network, debrief, and to heal from the impact of harm endured. Candidates are welcome to self-identifying in their cover letters as Black, First nations, Métis, or Inuit.

All of our employees are expected to develop and exhibit skills to contribute to safety in the workplace, including demonstrating anti-racism knowledge and skills to support racialized communities, including knowledge of Canada’s historical and on-going colonialism and its impact on Indigenous peoples, and commitment to learn and uphold the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Employees are also expected to demonstrate anti-discrimination knowledge and skills to support equity seeking groups, including the 2SLGBTQA+ community, people who use drugs and alcohol, people living with mental health issues and sex workers.

Inclusivity and support for people with differing abilities
In our efforts to provide a barrier-free workplace, we invite you to let us know of any adjustments or accommodations that might be needed for you to participate in the interview or selection process by sending an email to hr.inbox@raincityhousing.org.

If you're having any difficulty creating an account or submitting your resume: Please email dfrecruitingsupport@raincityhousing.org for assistance.

Do you want to improve your chances of joining RainCity? Be sure to include a cover letter letting us know why the work that we do is important to you, and how your experiences make you a good fit for this role.

Do you need additional support with your application? Connect with our partners for assistance:

• ACCESS Futures provides free employment support for Indigenous people and can assist with career advising, resume and cover letter writing, and funding for training: https://www.accessfutures.com/employment-services
  
• PRISM Employment Support Service (ESS) provides free strengths-based, trauma-informed employment support program for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, including coaching sessions, workshops, personal counselling sessions, and financial assistance for transit, occupational training, clothing, and childcare: https://qmunity.ca/employment/
  
• WorkBC provides free employment services to all job seekers, providing with support in resume and cover letter writing, training, and financial support for childcare and transportation costs: https://www.workbc.ca/discover-employment-services/workbc-centres/employment-services
  
• MOSAIC provides free employment support for refugees, immigrants, and racialized women, with services in career readiness training, mentoring, and peer groups: https://mosaicbc.org/our-services/employment-services/

We are a Union

RainCity Housing is a unionized workplace. Along with the union, we support the principles of the Human Rights Code of BC. We promote a workplace that treats both staff and the people accessing services with dignity and respect.