Human Rights and Equity Advisor

**To Apply**:
Posting: 2262

Issued: July 4, 2023

**INTERNAL/EXTERNAL POSTING**
**BLUEWATER DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD**
**INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITION**
**PERMANENT, FULL-TIME HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY ADVISOR**

**Reports to: Keith Lefebvre, Superintendent of Education**
**Location**: Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB)
**Commencing**: August 21, 2023

As one of the area’s largest employers, Bluewater District School Board has approximately 3,000 permanent and casual employees who serve 18,500 students and their families across 8,673 square kilometres within Bruce and Grey counties on the traditional lands of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. Come to experience the trails, sandy beaches, meandering rivers, and welcoming communities. Stay to experience a progressive career path with an employer that provides a positive working environment, along with competitive compensation and benefits.

In support of the strategic priorities of Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB), we are seeking members who reflect diverse identities, lived experiences, and perspectives to assist BWDSB in reflecting the community we serve. You will support the implementation of the Ontario Equity Action Plan by providing both centralized learning and training, building, and maintaining relationships with community partners and coordinating and facilitating learning events for students and/or staff. You will also provide advice and support to our internal human rights complaint process including supporting mediation, conducting investigations, with the goal of promoting and supporting our efforts to identify and address systemically based human rights and equity issues. You will also support the Human Resource Services department in recruitment, retention and succession planning for under-represented groups within the board.

**RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Collaborate in transformational work to expand cultures of respect for human rights and equity and champion the identification and elimination of systemic barriers with our staff, union, and community partners.
- Through leadership, education and training, relationship building, and participating in system level decision making, identify and address systemically based human rights and equity issues while building capacity to ensure compliance with the OntarioHuman Rights Code.
- Implement equity action planning in support of strategic priorities in areas of excellence in teaching and learning, equity, diversity and inclusion, community, and well-being.
- Build and enhance a culture of respect for the principles of human rights and equity through BWDSB.
- Provide leadership in the collaborative development of an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible strategy to fully integrate human rights and equity policy principles into every aspect of the work of the board through data collection, policy reform, building capacity of staff and students, improving outreach and engagement.
- Contribute to the development and design of educational programs and provide system-wide and customized training workshops and presentation on BWDSB workplace harassment prevention and human rights policies and procedures.
- Educate BWDSB staff about the workplace harassment prevention and human rights policies and procedures, as well as other policies/legislation aimed at addressing human rights and equity issues.
- Promote a positive human rights culture and educational programs designed to eliminate disadvantage caused by discrimination/harassment resulting in positive systemic changes.
- Provide leadership in fostering human rights, equity and inclusiveness in the development and implementation of programs and services.
- Implement, update, establish procedure to address claims of discrimination by students, families, staff, and other stakeholders.
- Work in collaboration to develop metrics, tools, surveys to assist us with measuring our success in our programming.
- Support equitable teaching and learning for all students, including promoting culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy.
- Other duties as assigned.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:

- University degree related to equity studies, diversity and inclusion, human rights, human resources, law, or social work.

**ASSETS**:

- Proven ability in promoting equitable practices which value inclusiveness and diversity within an organization.
- Strong cultural competence and demonstrated commitment to working in a diverse school community and/or work environment.
- Knowledge of Ontario’s publicly funded schools and education employment equity issues.
- Demonstrated experience working with external and internal stakeholders, including senior management, to develop human rights related policies and procedures.
- Experience designing and delivering human rights education and training programs, including conduction training on complaints resolution, investigation, report writing etc.
- Experience working with stakeholders, to develop human rights related