Wellness and Equity Advisor

About Us! The Region of Waterloo is a thriving, diverse community committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations. Home to over 674,000 residents and expected to grow to nearly one million by 2051. Guided by our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, “Growing with Care,” we focus on equity, inclusion, and sustainability. Our mission is to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all residents, while our core values emphasize caring for people and the land we share. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.

Dish with One Spoon Wampum: Waterloo Region is part of the Dish with One Spoon wampum, a treaty guiding our commitment to:

• Recognizing our shared humanity and land
• Taking only what we need
• Leaving some for others
• Keeping the dish clean

This agreement underpins our vision, mission, and core values, and reinforces our dedication to meaningful reconciliation and equity.

The Role

Leads strategic planning, research, analysis, development, evaluation, and implementation of wellness programs that support the psychological and physical health of Seniors Services staff. Provides expertise, and develops and recommends standards, policies, and practices that will have positive impacts for Seniors Services and employee health outcomes. Coordinates and delivers wellbeing training and education programs, provides administrative support to the peer support program, and collaborates on proactive and preventive measures and programs, ensuring alignment with legislative requirements for psychologically healthy workplaces. Participates as a key member of the team that leads the Department’s initiative on reconciliation, decolonization, equity, anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion with the community.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Provides expertise, advice, and support to senior management in sustaining effective wellbeing programs, policies, and practices, including resources, culture, and leadership commitments.
• Develops operational plans for mental health and wellbeing programs and initiatives, including the peer support program.
• Develops and maintains mental health, post-traumatic incident response, and wellness education programs, including training and resources. Coordinates and/or delivers training to staff and management.
• Provides advice and recommendations to management and staff on issues related to the needs and experiences of Indigenous, African, Caribbean and Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+ as well as other groups that experience systemic barriers, from an anti-racism/anti-oppression framework.
• Leads research, development, implementation, continuous promotion, and evaluation of employee wellness and mental health programs, projects, and initiatives, specifically for Seniors Services. Collaborates with departmental and divisional supports for research, data analysis, communications, and related activities.
• Develops project plans, communications strategy, and materials for programs and initiatives, and leads projects to completion. Works collaboratively with stakeholders to draft and approve key messages and materials for a variety of channels/mediums to raise awareness, engagement, and impact (e.g., shift report, messages, posters, presentations). Speaks to, represents, and champions programs, initiatives, and goals.
• Conducts analysis and assessments to identify trends and determine psychological needs and areas requiring planning and support.
• Works closely with other program areas and the corporate health, safety and wellness team to exchange information, develop program changes, and collaborate on efforts for integration with other systems and programs.
• Develops and maintains mental health and wellness education programs, including training and resources. Coordinates and/or delivers training to staff and management.
• Provides administrative and other forms of support for the peer support program in alignment with program goals and mandate. Chairs meetings, facilitates discussions and agenda, and provides information, expertise, and guidance to the committee as requested.
• Collaborates with Disability Management Advisor(s) and Return to Work Coordinator(s) on capacity building for resiliency and other proactive and/or preventive measures including safe return to work procedures. Ensures procedures and practices comply with legislation.
• Acts as a resource and consults on workforce transition plans for employees returning to work from an occupational stress injury. Recommends and implements/facilitates measures, and provides guidance and support to employees as part of the reintegration process.
• Develops, maintains, and monitors databases to identify needs and trends, and prepares reports.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Researches workplace wellbeing issues, health promotion, and psychological health and safety standards and best practices.
• Maintains and coordinates resources for program delivery. Maintains partnerships with organizations supplying resources for mental health support (e.g., CAMH).
• Assists to administer contracts with vendors and consultants (e.g., education, research, clinical psychologist). Provides input for program resources, and makes purchases per approval.
• Acts as the centralized point of contact for divisional staff as it relates to equity-funded projects.
• Liaises with management, Human Resources, community colleges, regulatory bodies, government and external agencies, vendors, contractors, and the public to research and develop education manuals and materials, and strengthen educational programs.
• Promotes, develops, and maintains linkages with program partners and stakeholders to foster development, maintenance, and support for programs and activities. Responds to inquiries from staff and/or resolves difficult or highly sensitive issues.
• Participates on and/or leads committees, meetings, task forces, working groups, and special projects, as directed.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills are normally acquired through a related bachelor’s degree and experience supporting healthcare workers experiencing occupational stress and trauma, with an understanding of the long-term care, seniors and geriatric field.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience working with workplace and psychological wellbeing issues, principles, approaches, best practices, and services, and health promotion principles and practices.
• Ideally incumbents bring a lived experience and personal understanding of the issues and concerns of equity-seeking groups and the challenges that come with systemic racism, discrimination, and inequity as an Indigenous or racialized individual, person with disabilities, and/or member of the 2SLGBTQ+ or another under-represented community.
• **Please note that other combinations of education and experience may be considered equivalent.
• Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality regarding employee information.
• Knowledge of the principles of adult learning.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, legislation, standards, and best practices including occupational stress prevention strategies, CSA Standard for Psychological Health and Safety, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Ability to keep knowledge current.
• Project management skills to develop scope, plans, and requirements, including communications and resources. Ability to turn plans into action, see projects through to completion, and achieve program goals.
• Research and analytical skills to identify needs and develop, plan, maintain, and evaluate programs and projects that support psychological and physical health for paramedics. Ability to coordinate and collaborate with internal and external partners, including on delivering specialized wellbeing training and education.
• Leadership skills to build and maintain trust, cultivate engagement, and drive vision and purpose.
• Human relations, communications, facilitation, presentation, and collaboration skills to maintain effective working relations with stakeholders; facilitate discussions, leveraging diversity and differences; deliver training; and present information and promote programs and initiatives.
• Ability to write/draft clear, concise correspondence, reports, policies, resources, grant proposals, and recommendations, including evaluations and summaries of research and analysis to guide program development, strategic planning, and continuous improvement.
• Computer skills with the ability to use software such as Microsoft Office.
• Must have a tuberculosis test and all required immunizations.
• Must provide an acceptable vulnerable sector police records check.
• Ability to participate in an official standby/on-call rotation to respond to legislated or time-sensitive demands beyond regularly scheduled work hours.
• Ability to work flexible hours to accommodate training for different shifts. Ability to work variable shifts, including evenings, holidays and weekends, as required.
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

The Region of Waterloo is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process. The Region of Waterloo invites applications from all qualified individuals. We are strongly committed to employment equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourage applications from Black, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons.

The Region of Waterloo is committed to providing accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require an accommodation, please notify us and we will work with you to meet your needs. Alternate formats of this document are available upon request. Please contact the Service First Contact Centre at phone number (519) 575-4400, TTY number (519-575-4608) to request an alternate format.

Please note: candidates will be provided an update on their application. Please check your spam or junk folder occasionally as some candidates have noticed our emails in those folders (Gmail and Hotmail in particular).