Service Director, Indigenous Service

Location

Kitchener, ON | Canada

Job description

Service Director, Indigenous Service

The Organization

Family & Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region (FACS Waterloo) is legally known as The Children’s Aid Society of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. FACS Waterloo’s role is to respond and work together with families, their supports, and communities to protect and care for children who have been abused or neglected, or who are at risk of being abused or neglected.

Ontario`s 47 Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) are independent and board-operated agencies that carry out their work within their local communities and are responsible for providing child protection services in accordance with the Child and Family Services Act. The government funds 100% of Children’s Aid Societies’ approved budgets with respect to child welfare services.

The Family & Children’s Services Foundation relies on the generosity of individuals, families, businesses, and other foundations to help provide local children and families in need of support to heal, learn and grow that is not provided by government funding.

Governance
Family and Children’s Services has a volunteer Board of Directors made up of fifteen community members to provide oversight and leadership of the operations and performance of the organization based on the strategic plan while being guided by the mission and vision of the agency.

MISSION
Building relationships with families and communities for the well-being and safety of children and youth.

VISION
A caring community where children and their families thrive.

The Organization (cont’d)

Core Principles
Transparent
Being open and honest about the activities and actions of FACS Waterloo, including performance and outcomes related to service delivery.

Collaborative
Working together as a united organization, with partners, and with the community towards common goals that support the mission and vision.

Evolving
Consistently learning and growing while adapting and responding to a changing environment.

Respectful
Always treating others in a kind and fair manner.

Inclusive, Equitable, and Diverse
Creating an environment where all individuals with different abilities, races, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities and expressions are treated with the care that they require.

Accountable
Accepting responsibility and ownership of actions and being a dependable resource for the community.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Associate Director, FACS Waterloo’s Service Director role holds the accountability for FACS Waterloo’s strategic goal of providing a commitment to its reconciliation framework and the application of Indigenous representation and values on policy issues facing Indigenous families in Waterloo. With organizational goals surrounding the continued capacity building of its many programs and services, this new leader in FACS Waterloo will have the opportunity to build safe, engaging spaces for its staff and clientele while fostering cohesiveness within the organization.

This is a meaningful opportunity to bring the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) calls to action to life as they pertain to the delivery of services to families and children. FACS Waterloo recognizes the importance of Indigenous engagement while deepening Indigenous practices and values within the organization and is dedicated to the important work of Indigenous representation and decision-making. The Service Director will bring their own passion and vision and work alongside the heart-centred leaders at FACS Waterloo for the families, children, and communities in which they serve.

FACS Waterloo recognizes the importance of Indigenous relationships and bringing in recommendations from the TRC as well as other supporting documents, such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children report. FACS Waterloo requires and welcomes a leader willing to lend their strong voice and advocacy skills to work cross-functionally, identifying and resolving operational and environmental challenges.

Commitment to Reconciliation

Family and Children’s Services and Children’s Aid Societies in Ontario have committed to:

• Reduce the number of Indigenous children in care.
• Reduce the court cases involving Indigenous children and families.
• Increase the use of formal customary care agreements.
• Increase Indigenous representation and involvement at the local Board of Directors.
• Have mandatory Indigenous training for staff.
• Change their inter-agency protocol to include Jordan’s Principle.
• Consult with Indigenous communities to develop a plan to help children and families from the communities.
• Develop relationships between their agency and the local Indigenous communities.
• Help people who want to see their historical files by providing the information they want.

The Candidate

The candidate is an experienced and visionary leader who is highly adaptable to working with teams and other leaders through sensitive and complex environments. The candidate will showcase their experience and work produced in policy, unpacking how colonization has affected Indigenous families and how they can or have developed key recommendations that restore inherent rights. The candidate will have strong community-based experience as a leader.

The ideal candidate will be able to navigate the complex, fast-paced and challenging aspects of this work. They are responsible for the development of a policy portfolio strategy and framework that aligns with the agency’s vision, purpose, mandate, and long-term strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensures FNIM (Indigenous) service model implementation through coaching supervisors on applying culturally safe practices and interventions in their supervision model
• Enhances and develops community relationships though collaboration and ensures case practices adhere to policies and procedures that fall under the FNIM (Indigenous) Service Model and Agency
• Collaborates with TRC Director and relative areas of the organization to ensure a wholistic service model, providing workers with a collaborative approach to service
• Ensures service compliance with Ministry standards and all relevant legislation, including the CYFSA and an Act Respecting First Nation, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families Ensures that the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Report and the Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children are implemented in all services to families
• In consultation with QA, interprets data to inform programming and services for Indigenous children, youth and families

The Candidate (cont’d)

Key Responsibilities (cont’d)

• As a member of the Senior Leadership team, works collaboratively with Senior Leadership colleagues and the Executive Team
• Accurately assesses the level of risk for children, youth and families involved with the Agency to ensure safety and well-being
• Ensures children, youth and families are connected to culturally relevant services required to eliminate the need for protection Service users receive a service response which:
  • is within a timeframe that is helpful
  • reflects the voices of the family
  • is clearly communicated
  • assists them in achieving the goals identified in the case plan
• Provides supervision to staff and completes performance appraisals according to Agency policy
• Demonstrates leadership by being a positive collaborator within and external to the Agency, actively participating on internal and external committees
• Contributes to the recruitment and selection of staff who meet established qualifications and who demonstrate an affinity for the vision and mission of the Agency
• Completes required documentation, including case-specific and employee-specific documentation, according to Agency policies and procedures
• Attends supervision as required by Agency policy and reports to the supervisor regarding
• the discharge of his/her duties and, where circumstances require, the worker consults
• with the supervisor on an emergency basis
• Follows direction given by the supervisor
• Attends training as described by supervisor/senior manager and demonstrates the transfer of new learning into practice
• Provides services to clients outside of regular office hours as necessary and works flexible hours where required
• Complies with Provincial and Agency Health and Safety requirements

Knowledge and Skills Required

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area such as Social Work, Public Policy and/or Public Education, Indigenous Studies or relevant work experience leading an organization; Master’s degree preferred
• Lived experience of the issues facing Indigenous people of Canada required and self-identification as Indigenous will be given preference
• A recognized MSW degree is preferred or substantially related degree e.g. MA in Family Studies, MA in Psychology, BSW or a Bachelor’s Degree combined with child protection experience
• Alternatively, an equivalent combination of education and experience working with Indigenous peoples

The Candidate (cont’d)

Knowledge and Skills Required (cont’d)

• Sound foundation of clinical practice and experience in child welfare Supervisory/Management experience within child welfare
• It is anticipated that applicants will demonstrate advanced knowledge in the following areas:
• Understanding of Truth and Reconciliation Child Welfare Calls to Action
• The Act Respecting First Nations Inuit and Métis children, youth, and families
• The calls for justice from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry Understanding cultural attachment and permanency through an Indigenous lens
• An understanding of the issues impacting at-risk Indigenous families within the urban environment
• Familiarity with provincial child welfare legislation considered an asset Understanding of the Ontario Human Rights Code Effective written and oral communication skills
• Ability to manage competing demands and meet strict deadlines
• Valid G Ontario Driver’s License with access to reliable vehicle
• Acceptable Vulnerable Persons Criminal Record Check and Driver’s Abstract

To Apply

For more details or to further explore this strategic leadership opportunity, please contact:

To apply, please submit a Cover Letter and Resume directly to Pathways Executive Search outlining your interest, qualifications, and experience.

Pathways Executive Search is a national recruitment firm offering Indigenous-focused professional services. With a mission to make recruitment and career journeys less challenging and more equitable, Pathways is guided by Indigenous values and principles of Indigenous inclusion, which underscore the capacity to build an inclusive process for all racialized and equity-deserving professionals.

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