Manager- Harm Reduction

AVI HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community-based organisation providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to people living with HIV and hepatitis C and harm reduction clients. We take evidence-based action to prevent infection, provide support, and reduce stigma. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all.

At the core of what we do is our ability, and commitment to, creating meaningful connections. Every day, we strive to create meaningful connections between clients and staff, between peers, between staff members, between organizations, between communities, and between funders and impactful programs. For more info see

VICTORIA HARM REDUCTION SERVICES TEAM provides services for people who use drugs and may be impacted by criminalization, systemic injustice and stigma. Harm Reduction services provides supports in various locations as we continue to look for a home for publicly accessible harm reduction services for all. Victoria Harm Reduction Services is located on the territories of the Ləkwəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Director of Harm Reduction Services, the Manager of Harm Reduction Teams provides support and supervision of staff and the daily administration and operations of harm reduction services in Victoria, including the Housing Overdose Prevention and Support Team, the Drop-In Team, and associated programs. The Manager of Harm Reduction Teams has a strong relational practice of leadership based in the principles of harm reduction, community care and solidarity.

The Manager of Harm Reduction Teams will support staff who hold multiple, intersecting identities including (but not limited to) people who use/d drugs, people who navigate their own mental wellness daily, people with lived/living experience of HIV and HCV, and LGBTQ2S+ people - from a sex positive, person centered and harm reduction-based approach. The Manager of Harm Reduction Teams will work alongside the Community-Led Crisis Response Team Manager to align programs strategic goals and operational requirements.

The successful candidate embodies collaboration, is supportive and empathetic, and upholds AVI's harm reduction, social justice, trauma-informed care and cultural humility values with staff and people accessing our services. They support and ensure that Harm Reduction Teams all promote the dignity and respect of the people we serve and the people providing services.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Leadership and Team Management:

• Provides strong leadership and direction to team members and contributes to mentorship and modeling of practice including conflict resolution.
• Engages with staff to establish empathetic supervisory relationships that are grounded in trauma informed practice and the principles of harm reduction
• Fosters a team culture that values diversity, inclusivity, and collaboration.
• Manages staff recruitment, interviewing and hiring, work assignments, orientation, training, performance supervision, and discipline according to work rules, regulations, and collective agreement.
• Conducts regular team meetings, 1-on-1 check ins, and facilitates trainings to support collaboration, growth, and the wellbeing of staff.
• Provide one week of on-call manager coverage every 5 weeks

2. Program Oversight and Development

• Ensures that programs are operating in alignment with AVI's principles of social justice, trauma-informed care, and cultural humility, and provides direct support to program participants alongside staff members.
• Works with leadership team members to identify and respond to staff needs, participant concerns, and issues related to programming and occupational health and safety.
• Develops, implements, and maintains administrative and operational policies and procedures.
• Reviews and authorizes credit card expenses, petty cash, and monitors expenditures related to program budget.
• Prepares statistical and program information narratives for reporting to funders
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with community partners and stakeholders
• Other duties as assigned.
• University degree in Health or Social Services, (Public Health, Social Work etc.) or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3-5 years management experience and demonstrated leadership with program management and supervision of diverse staff team, preferably within a non-profit or community-based organization.
• Experience delivering/managing programming and services directly with program clients/participants with a harm reduction lens.
• Demonstrated knowledge and working relationships with local service care providers including housing, income and food security supports that may benefit persons served.
• Experience and capacity for debriefing critical incidents with the team.
• Experience working in solidarity with diverse populations including people who are criminalized for their drug use and/or mental health; people who are denied housing/precariously housed/warehoused; racialized identities; Indigenous & Metis persons; LGBTQI2S+ identities; sex workers; people with disabilities.
• Able to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma informed and decolonial lens
• Relevant training/experience in anti-racism and a strong analysis of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous People
• Demonstrated understanding of union dynamics in the workplace.
• First Aid training and experience responding to critical incidents including overdose/toxic drug poisoning.
• Employment subject to criminal record check for working with vulnerable populations.
• To comply with current BC Public Health Orders, must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have an approved medical exemption. Proof of vaccination status will be required.

QUALIFICATIONS

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• In-depth understanding of current systemic barriers and violence faced by people who use drugs and/or experience mental health distress, and a working knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of anti-oppressive practice
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to coach and mentor staff, facilitate conflict resolution, foster empathic communication and demonstrate clear boundaries.
• Demonstrated commitment to the policy and practice of harm reduction, cultural safety and trauma and violence informed practices in the provision of health and social services.
• Experience managing hostile interactions, utilizing non-violent communication, and diffusing techniques.
• Demonstrated understanding of the continuing and on-going impact of colonization, and anti-colonial, anti-racist practices, and principles
• Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them.
• Positive approach, flexible, resourceful, and enjoys working in a dynamic, informal, and relational workplace.
• Excellent communications skills including in-person and via technology (ie video calls, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams). Ability to quickly grasp fundamentals of new computer programs.
• Strong project coordination skills, including budget and workload management.
• Ability to work in a variety of settings on a regular basis, including at different worksites, occasionally accompany staff on community outreach, and in shared office spaces.

POSITION DETAILS:

• Pay: $83,947.50 annually (equivalent to $43.05 hourly rate) per the HEABC paygrid for excluded managers.
  
• Hours and Schedule: This is a full-time position working Sunday to Thursday, 37.5 hours/week; within the hours of 12:00pm to 8:00pm with flexibility as needed based on operational needs
• Location: 713 Johnson, Victoria, BC
• Start and End Date: As soon as possible and ending on March 31, 2025, or return of incumbent whichever is earlier.
• Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association and this role is an Excluded Position.
• Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D on the 1st of the month after this position begins. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.
• Pension: This position is immediately eligible to join the Municipal Pension Plan. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account.
• Other Perks: This position gets 8% vacation (equivalent of 4 weeks), receives a paid day off for every Stat Holiday and Easter Monday and accrues a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation Days are both available to be used after your first 3 months at AVI.
• Proof of Vaccination Required: AVI is under BC's Health Services Order and continues to require proof of vaccination and masking.
• Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.

TO APPLY:

To apply, please click on Apply to Position send your resume and cover letter (optional). This role is open until filled.

AVI is committed to equity and diversity, and we strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, folks who identify as Indigenous Persons, persons of color, racialized, persons living with a disability, persons who use/d drugs, persons with experience of sex work, persons who live with HIV and/or hepatitis C, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.

It is beneficial to identify in the cover letter if you are Indigenous and/or have lived/living expertise relevant to the position.

Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

As AVI is a union environment, internal staff will be prioritized in the hiring process.

We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.