Friends of Ruby is dedicated to the journey and well-being of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, aged 16-29 through mental health services, social services, and housing. Friends of Ruby offers Youth Mental Health services, a Youth Drop-In Centre, and a Transitional Home. The Centre provides access to barrier-free counselling and therapeutic groups, case management and a drop-in space with hot meals, community, and comprehensive programming. The Home provides transitional and emergency housing, mental health, and life-skills to support youth moving towards independent living.    

Friends of Ruby recognize that a diverse work force is critical to accomplishing our mission. Our goal is to attract and develop incredibly talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. We strongly encourage applicants from the 2SLGBTQIA+, Black, and ACB communities, and diverse backgrounds that meet the requirements of the role. 

Position Summary 

The Housing Team Lead role involves providing day-to-day supervision and mentoring to housing staff, ensuring effective teamwork, high service delivery standards, and staff development. The Housing Team Lead will play an integral role in contributing to and executing the strategic direction of Friends of Ruby, setting, and delegating clear priorities in the development of initiatives and programs. 

The Housing Team Lead’s focus will be providing oversight of the facility, services and programs using a youth-centered, trauma-informed, and harm-reduction approach. The Housing Team Lead will also be required to collaborate with various internal and external stakeholders.  

Note: Preference will be given to BIPOC candidates with lived experience as a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.  

Responsibilities 

Strategic:

• Oversee and assume responsibility for direct and indirect deliverables of housing staff.
• Support the Director of Transitional Housing in facilitating staff meetings, recruitment, and training.
• Plan, engage, and sustain processes for housing intake assessments.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, legislation, and City Standards.
• Manage programming and the department's budget and all financial tasks.
• Develop therapeutic working relationships with youth to support individualized youth-led plans.
• Model and mentor a relentless engagement approach, incorporating anti-oppressive, youth-centered, trauma-responsive, harm reduction, and housing-first for youth frameworks.
• Coordinate with internal and external service providers to collaboratively meet the clinical and practical needs of youth.
• Develop effective strategies to engage residents in housing activities and chores.

Operational:

• Direct and maintain all participant program and administrative operations for the House.
• Support case workers with logistics of moving participants in and out of the Friends of Ruby Home.
• Manage and oversee staff scheduling and payroll submissions for relief and ensure adequate coverage.
• Ensure program expectations and philosophy are maintained through direct involvement with participants and staff.
• Support the efficient day-to-day operation of Friends of Ruby’s Transitional House.
• Address crisis situations, manage on-call responsibilities, and determine staffing requirements.
• Ensure compliance and reporting with all FoR policies and procedures.
• Lead the Occupational health and safety compliance and filing.
• Provide monthly reports with program outcomes and recommendations to Leadership.
• Implement all City of Toronto and Ministry of Health protocols and ensure the protocols and guidelines are followed at the House.

Mental Health Support:

Collaborate with the Director of Transitional Housing and with our Mental Health and Youth Services (MHYS) team: 

• Ensuring staff complete applicable clinical assessments, safety plans and service plans with/for residents, in accordance with Housing and MHYS policies.  
• Supporting service care planning from development and implementation to monitoring service care plans (i.e., applicable clinical assessments, safety plans, care plans and service plans).  
• Ensuring resident electronic record entries and data entries are accurate and entered promptly. 
• Liaising with relevant community health services to identify partnership opportunities and engage the appropriate resources to deescalate crises.  
• Working with residents by applying knowledge and experience with: 
• Recovery Principles and their application to people with mental illness.
• Clinical issues related to the target population being served within the transitional housing program.
• Supporting people with substance use challenges from a recovery and harm reduction approach.

People Management:

• Supervise shift staff, relief workers, volunteers, and students.
• Assign tasks, responsibilities, clear deliverables, timelines, and ensure employees take accountability for their work.
• Monitor, coach, and maintain performance standards of Residential Housing Workers staff, recommending improvements in youth care and staff performance.

ARAO and DEI:

• Serve as a role model in maintaining a culture that reflect our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression practices.
• Ensure the facility and services adequately meet the physical, social, and development needs of all residents and the protection of each participant’s health, safety, comfort, and well-being.
• A champion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & ARAO, including but not limited to:
• Ability to navigate and communicate effectively in diverse environments.
• Understanding of the broader social and cultural contexts that impact DEI efforts.
• Understanding of equity issues and a commitment to promoting fairness and equality.
• Excellent communication skills with an emphasis on inclusive language.

Qualifications 

• Minimum undergraduate degree in Social Work/Social Science or related field. 
• 5+ years of supervising/managing transitional home/housing/shelter facility. 
• Minimum 3 years full-time experience in management in mental health, addictions, and homelessness. 
• Knowledge of 2SLGBTQIA+ community, mental health, criminal justice system, concurrent disorders, and supportive housing. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Trauma-informed, anti-racism, anti-oppression approach required. 
• Satisfactory clearance under Police Background Check and vulnerable sector screening. 
• Ability to work onsite in downtown Toronto Monday to Friday, with flexibility for evenings and offsite work. 
• Must be qualified to legally work in Canada. 

Core Competencies:

• Crisis Management: Ability to effectively manage crises and provide appropriate interventions.
• Program Development: Skills in planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating in-house programming.
• Supervision: Experience supervising staff, providing guidance, support, and ensuring accountability.
• Relationship Building: Capability to develop therapeutic relationships with youth and maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences.
• Adaptability: Capacity to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and on-call duties, to meet the needs of the 24/7 operational setting.
• Leadership: Demonstrated leadership qualities, including the ability to lead by example and foster a positive organizational culture.
• Conflict Resolution: Proficiency in addressing conflicts directly, respectfully, and effectively.

Physical Requirements:

• Physically Active Duties: The role may involve physically demanding tasks such as setting up facilities, assisting with chores, and ensuring the safety and security of the residence.
• Crisis Intervention: The Housing Team Lead must be capable of managing and intervening in crisis situations effectively, which may involve physically restraining individuals if necessary.
• Emotionally Demanding Situations: The position requires the ability to handle emotionally challenging circumstances with resilience and composure, providing support and guidance to youth in distress.
• Travel with Youth: There may be occasions where the Housing Team Lead needs to accompany youth for appointments, outings, or other activities requiring physical mobility and flexibility.
• Episode Management: The role necessitates the capacity to manage episodes of crisis and conflict promptly and effectively, ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants and staff.

Friends of Ruby is dedicated to fostering an inclusive selection process and work environment, guided by the Employment Equity Policies. If selected for an interview, please inform the People and Culture team of any accommodation you may require during the interview process.