Psychological Wellbeing and Equity Manager

At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo.  We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun

Sounds pretty great doesn't it? It is 

Reporting to the People, Culture and Equity Director, the Psychological Wellbeing and Equity Manager provides leadership and guidance and works to build capacity across the organization to advance the organization's Healthy Work Environment Strategy, including Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J&EDI) and Psychological Wellbeing.  This role serves as a subject matter expert for House of Friendship leadership and staff members with respect to J&EDI and related wisdom, legislation, best practices and organizational policies.  

The ideal candidate will have lived/living expertise as a member of an equity seeking group(s) along with a University degree in a related field (e.g., health studies including workplace wellness and health promotion, occupational health and safety, nursing, nutrition, human resources, organizational psychology or justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) and five (5) years of relevant experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating institutional programs, with a comprehensive knowledge of the current best practices around promoting justice, equity, diversity inclusion, psychological wellbeing, anti-racism, and anti-oppression in workplace settings. Certification in justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or human rights is also preferred.

This role embeds the practice of Circles as a tool for dialogue, reflection, and collective problem-solving, and aligns organizational equity and Psychological Wellbeing work with the Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) and The National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety (the Standard) respectively, to ensure accountability and measurable progress. The Psychological Wellbeing and Equity Manager is a member of the Management Team and as such has a shared organizational responsibility to work effectively as a member of the team and support the development and execution of the program level Annual Plan.

This is a permanent, salaried, full-time (37.5 hours per week) position with paid sick time, personal days, vacation time; group health benefits and defined contribution pension plan.

Valid G class driver's license and access to a personal vehicle required for frequent travel

throughout Waterloo Region.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and guidance to advance the organization's Healthy Work Environment (HWE) Strategy, including Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J&EDI) and Psychological Wellbeing (PW) goals, informed by the GDEIB and the Standard, coaching, and facilitation of Circles-based dialogue that fosters inclusion, belonging, and shared responsibility

• Provide leadership and support to various staff-led committees (i.e. Psychological Health and Safety team, J&EDI Operational Committee, J&EDI Advisory Group, Circles Community of Practice, etc.) to embed this work within the fabric of the culture

• Lead the operational establishment, implementation and assessment of J&EDI and PW efforts, ensuring alignment with the strategic objectives of the organization as well as the organization's people strategy

• Lead as the in-house subject matter expert for House of Friendship management and staff members with respect to J&EDI and PW-related wisdom, legislation, best practices and organizational policies

• Develop and deliver Emotional Intelligence EQ-I 2.0 leadership training, assessment tools and resource external training sources as needed to support the management competencies program

• Work in close collaboration with Human Resources team members, ensuring consistency with House of Friendship people practices

• Work with the People, Culture and Equity Director, managers and HR staff to identify trends that require J&EDI and/or PW supports or interventions

• Coordinate data collection and analysis to evaluate options and outcomes for new and existing projects that promote strategic initiatives. Organize and/or perform research, conduct data queries and analyze/interpret information to support recommendations for action informed by the GDEIB, the Standard and organizational priorities

• Collaborate with managers, operational committee members and staff to identify, develop, plan, implement and evaluate PW and J&EDI programs and initiatives arising from the Healthy Work Environment and J&EDI strategies as well as through internally and externally generated reports, staff surveys and focus groups

• Act as a conduit for communication regarding questions related to J&EDI and PW initiatives, and as an advisor for program and staff leads as they seek to incorporate J&EDI and PW into programming and community engagement opportunities

• Develop effective internal communication tools to support staff engagement with J&EDI and PW programs and initiatives

• Build internal capacity and capabilities to enable individual and organizational growth in the areas of PW and J&EDI

• Develop and deliver or source educational opportunities related to J&EDI and employee PW (e.g., debrief, mental health awareness, stress management techniques)

• Raise awareness, coordinate education, and drive action and meaningful changes across the organization through continuous improvement, leveraging GDEIB and the Standard frameworks to track progress and using Circles to create safe and supportive spaces for ongoing reflection and learning

• Main point of contact for Employee and Family Assistance Program contract and resources

• Contribute to the Human Resources and organizational annual planning process for House of Friendship

• Attend management team meetings and actively participate as a team member

• Support and promote the mission, vision, values and equity commitment of House of Friendship and positively represent the agency to our constituencies and the community

• Support and model the Equity and Psychological Wellbeing commitments for HOF

• Act as a change agent by contributing to continuous improvement and the successful implementation of change initiatives

Job Specific Knowledge/Skills:

• An authentic, bold and creative leader with a passion for and proven results in leading, coaching and developing psychologically healthy and safe workplaces

• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and programs with multiple interest-holders

• Demonstrated ability to effectively influence organizational leadership, lead managers and staff, applying coaching, conflict resolution and   negotiation skills

• Clear evidence of leadership in J&EDI and PW and a record of working collaboratively with a wide range of constituencies with diplomacy, empathy, and tact

• Ability to introduce and implement change within an organizational structure, enable others, and to operate at the strategic, policy and operational levels

• Collaborative, open and creative approach to problem solving and a willingness to address challenging issues

• Strong public speaking skills with a desire and ability to lead workshops or other learning opportunities

• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills, including demonstrated ability to interact, lead and participate in consultative decision making that respects people with a diversity of backgrounds, experiences and styles, while working collegially with a high degree of tact and diplomacy

• Broad knowledge of current and evolving wellbeing approaches, global trends, issues, and leading practices in workplace health promotion and programs

• Strategic innovative thinking and decision-making skills, analytical and problem-solving skills, and a customer-focused mindset to develop simple, practical solutions

• Leadership, communication, human relations, and facilitation skills to motivate and develop staff; build trust and credibility across the organization and participate as an effective team member

• Business acumen and political acuity to understand and communicate business strategies, competitive challenges, and the financial impact of decisions

• Computer skills with the ability to effectively use MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and work in a SharePoint environment

• Ability to design and facilitate Circle processes that support dialogue, team learning, and healing

• Demonstrated collaborative approach that values open and honest communication, integrity, respect, consistency and fairness

• Must be able to meet deadlines, handle multiple tasks with interruptions, and effectively adapt to changing priorities

• Must be detail oriented, analytical, problem solver and creative thinker. Resourceful, self- motivated and organized

Education/Experience:

• Lived and/or living expertise as a member of an equity seeking group(s) preferred

• University degree in a related field (e.g., health studies including workplace wellness and health promotion, occupational health and safety, nursing, nutrition, human resources, organizational psychology or justice, equity, diversity and inclusion)

• Certification in justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or human rights is preferred

• Five (5) years of relevant experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating institutional programs, with a comprehensive knowledge of the current best practices around promoting justice, equity, diversity inclusion, psychological wellbeing, anti-racism, and anti-oppression in workplace settings

• Comprehensive knowledge of applicable employment legislation including Employment Standards Act, Human Rights Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act; Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, etc.

• Experience developing policies, procedures and program development (i.e. health and safety, wellness, equity etc.)

• Progressively responsible experience developing and implementing Justice & EDI, and/or employee health and wellbeing programs from inception/planning to implementation

• Experience working with equity deserving communities and demonstrated knowledge of the racialized communities and equity deserving groups, including their histories, traditions, knowledge systems and contemporary issues

• Experience facilitating Circles as a method for engagement, reflection, conflict transformation, and community building and/or restorative practice approaches is an asset, or willingness to become trained and provide leadership in this area

• Experience creating and implementing short-and long-term project plans; effectively lead resources and cultivate strong collaborative relationships

• Experience developing/sourcing and implementing Justice and EDI and Psychological Wellbeing related curriculum and programs

• Demonstrated ability to use frameworks such as GDEIB and the Standard to design, measure, and advance equity and psychological wellbeing strategies

Critical Skills:

• Commitment to understand and uphold the mission, vision, values, equity commitment and service standards of House of Friendship is expected

• Exemplary emotional intelligence, interpersonal, resilience, communication, conflict management, mediation and problem-solving skills required

• Able to model effective problem solving by recognizing the human, interpersonal and technical sides of a problem, show flexibility and explore possible solutions in an innovative and creative way

• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain a positive work environment including the ability to navigate change with diplomacy, creativity, and collaboration

• Act as a change agent; contributing to continuous improvement and the successful implementation of change initiatives

• Excellent project, timeline and deadline management skills including skills in logistics, planning and detailed record keeping

• Sensitivity to and awareness of Indigenous, Black, racialized, gender, and disability-related issues and their intersection(s) with other identities including socio-economic status, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, etc. with experience and willingness to work with and support individuals across the spectrum of diverse populations including marginalized and under-represented groups and sensitivity to their needs

• Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive and trauma informed approach in consultation, program design, evaluation processes and service delivery

• Strong intercultural awareness, with the ability to recognize and respect cultural diversity, able to be diplomatic and sensitive to the dynamics of a culturally diverse workplace

• Respectful, approachable, supportive and engaging approach to persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental health and other life challenges

• Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, participants, volunteers and community members

• Knowledge and application of the Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) and the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety to guide strategy, evaluation, and reporting

• Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a positive attitude

Compensation:

At House of Friendship, we know that our team members are the key to the success of our organization and our ability to provide essential services to the community. In support of our mission and in alignment with our values, House of Friendship is committed to ensuring fair, market competitive, and rewarding compensation practices for all of our team members. We aspire to support our team members to create a great work environment where our team is able to thrive, succeed, and have positive work experience.

House of Friendship compensation practices, including our pay grid, have been developed using documented leading pay practices in the not-for-profit sector including Pathways to Decent Work (Ontario Nonprofit Network) and Ontario Living Wage Network. We value the experience that new team members bring to the organization and have a process in place to review previous related experience for placement on our pay grid.

We value the work that you do with fair pay and benefits:

• Time off includes four (4) weeks of vacation, 5 personal days and sick credits totaling approximately 12 days per year

• Full-time benefit plan including Extended Health Care (EHC), Dental, Group Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Account and Employee & Family Assistance Program

• We believe strongly in supporting the mental health of our team members, including providing access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program, $2,000 for counselling services and our workplace Wellness and Psychological Health and Safety programs

• We help you save for the future by providing a retirement plan that includes a matched Group Pension Plan as well as a Group RRSP and a Group Tax Free Savings Account

Rate of Pay:

At House of Friendship all compensation ranges are categorized under a series of "grades" and we base our payment structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate's past related experience will be taken into consideration.

Grade: Manager I

Min: $33.94

Mid: $38.58

Max: $43.23

Working Conditions: 

• 37.5 hours per week; generally daytime, weekday hours with flexibility for very occasional evening and weekend hours to support program and organizational needs 

• Travel throughout the Region of Waterloo – access to a reliable vehicle and driver's license is required 

• Hybrid work option – Regular in-person and online meetings with the ability to perform some work from a home office

• Encountering participants at program sites who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and/or experiencing symptoms of mental illness can be expected

House of Friendship is open and inviting to qualified candidates with lived experience.

House of Friendship supports justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace. We strive to be a workplace free of harassment and discrimination and we are committed to removing barriers and being an inclusive, work environment. House of Friendship is a place where each person can bring their true selves and feel that they belong. We aspire to be an organization that is anti-racist and anti-oppressive so that our team, and therefore our community, can truly belong and thrive.

We invite applications from all qualified candidates and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to accessing employment including, but not limited to Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

If you require accommodations to be able to participate fully at any stage in the recruitment process, including applying for this position, please let us know so that we can discuss accommodation options.  Accommodations will be provided upon request.

If you are as passionate as we are about serving the community, and ready to make a huge impact,

let's talk.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter here:

https://house-of-

By end of day December 29, 2025.