The BC Coalition of Organizations By/For People Who Use Drugs

 Provincial Coordinator/ Organizer

•                Job Summary

The BC Coalition of Organizations By/For PWUD (aka. the BC Coalition) is a coalition of over 30 Organizations from across British Columbia. These groups represent over 15,000 people who use drugs  (PWUD) in BC and work regionally on improving the lives of PWUD.  This coalition was formed in 2021 and has had informal support to conduct our work for the past 3 years. The BC coalition has secured a grant to support our work. This grant will be used to hire a coordinator to work on the development, coordination, management and fundraising responsibilities of the BC coalition.

Impact Abby will be the lead fiscal agency for this grant and the provincial coordinator will be employed by Impact Abby. The coordinator will have a working group of representatives from the BC Coalition of Organization By/For PWUD to help guide their work. The coordinator will have regularly scheduled meetings with the BC Coalition working group to establish work priorities but will often be working alone and needs to be someone who is accountable and a self starter.  

The coordinator will support the BC Coalition to go from an informal network of groups that currently runs off the side of our collective desks to have a sustainable formalized system of how our 30 + groups work together and generate effective drug policy in BC.

The coordinator will be responsible for reporting, administrative and organizational responsibilities with an emphasis on relationship building. This role will promote and facilitate meaningful engagement with peers and partner organizations and will work closely with the BC Coalition’s working group, which is composed of drug use group representatives from all 5 health regions to guide their work.

The position is part time for a maximum of 30 hours per week with a wage 62k- 65k a year depending on education and experience. This position will have a 3 month probationary period after which the person will have a 2 year contract. Position may become full-time with the possibility for a longer term, dependent upon coordinator securing funding.

Reports to:  Impact Abby Executive Director and BC Coalition working group weekly in either a virtual meeting or an e-mail correspondence.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee BC Coalition projects & programs, train & provide ongoing leadership & support to coalition partners

• Responsible for financial management including budget submission & management, program delivery - liaising with the IMPACT leadership and their accountant
• Responsible for grant management including submitting timely reports to the OERC and government agencies as required by contract. The funding source for this position is time limited and finding new granting opportunities to support BC coalition’s work priorities is important
• Responsible for organizing, implementing and sustaining the governance structure of the BC Coalition. This includes gathering and developing source documents, reports and research that the BC Coalition can use to guide operational and governance structure. This includes working with coalition members to develop policies and procedures manuals that serve as guidance procedures for the BC Coalition.
• Attend and participate in monthly BC Coalition meetings supporting the development of capacities of governance and self determination with coalition members. Collaborate with BC Coalition members to liaise between coalition and other community groups that deal with issues relevant to membership.
• Identify workshops, training and resources that will build the capacity of BC Coalition members. Assist in planning and execution of ongoing work including in-person BC Harm reduction strategy meetings and provincial drug policy advocacy.
• Be informed of harm reduction and drug policy research, consultation reports, city, provincial and federal studies and policies, in the areas of community development, illicit drug use and health. Assist in knowledge translation of these materials to the BC Coalition.
• Liaise with relevant government bodies related to the BC Coalitions advocacy goals including the BC Ministry of Health, MMHA, OERC, CAI, BCCSU and BCCDC.
• Engage with individual groups across all regions to establish BC Coalition and identify regional needs.
• Responsible for administrative duties like scheduling meetings, communications with groups, membership lists, etc. Possibility of creating system of
• Planning for the future of the coalition to help create long term structure of this coalition. related to governance, and operations of future advocacy.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education, Training, and Experience:

Preference will be given to someone with a minimum of (1) year of recent related coordination experience. Experience with Drug user organizing is desirable; and experience managing programs and overseeing personnel or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

• Competent knowledge around best practices in drug user peer engagement and/or ongoing willingness to learn and increase skill level
• Experience supervising peer staff, maintaining strict and prudent confidentiality
• Maintain work principles and ethics
• Competent computer and administration skills
  • This position will be online predominantly, google drive, zoom etc. are necessary.
• Ability to identify and avoid conflicts of interest
• Empathetic and skilled with delivering trauma informed programming and care
• Ability to effectively evaluate work-related situations and identify barriers and opportunities, relevant facts, resources required and possible resolutions
• Practice and promote effective verbal and nonverbal communication
• Demonstrate good work habits, including but not limited to maintaining the expected hours of work with conscientious application to tasks during work hours
• Experience working with peers in community and providing health promotion and harm reduction activities in relation to substance use
• Criminal record check: Having a criminal record may not exclude an applicant from being hired for long term or ongoing employment with Impact Abby
  • If a person has a Vulnerable Sector Criminal Records Check. A person whose criminal record suggests they present a risk of physical or sexual abuse to children or a risk of physical, sexual, or financial abuse to vulnerable adults may have further barriers to employment

Skills, Abilities and Assets:

• Knowledge of harm reduction principles and practices with willingness and interest to learn of peer-driven initiatives and interventions
• Knowledge BCCDC Peer Engagement Principles and Best Practices Guidelines.
• Knowledge of the Indigenous communities and cultural safety
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system and prohibition
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communications skills, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to reflect on the way their lived experience influences their work
  • Demonstrate a fitness-for-duty approach to employment if using substances (use of substances to be well and alert during work time is permitted, intoxication is not)
• Ability to maintain non-violent communication in work-related environments and correspondence
• Ability to be self motivated and be a self starter, this is a new project and will require innovation
• Ability to manage time effectively based on workload and to practice humility
• Ability to problem solve and provide guidance and work direction
• Demonstrate understanding of the current community specific context and evidence related to peer engagement, culturally relevant practice, harm reduction, and associated best practices
• Ability to be creative and flexible, to work well under pressure with interruptions and change
• Ability to present information based on audience
• Ability to maintain self care
• Ability to access the internet from home
• Ability to travel to various locations of drug user groups.

Preference will be given to candidates with lived experience (e.g.Person of colour including  Indigenous, person who uses drugs, etc.)

Email cover letter and resume to: <>,  with the title of email to “Job application- ______(Name)”

Job will be posted until End of Day Friday August 2, 2024