Job Posting - Director of Services

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region supports survivors of sexual violence. We listen, facilitate healing, and celebrate resiliency. Using an anti-racist, intersectional feminist approach, we work to transform systems which promote gender-based violence.

We’re recruiting for a full-time Director of Services! Reporting to our Executive Director, the successful candidate should feel inspired by our work and have a genuine desire to support our mission, vision, and values. We’re in search of a visionary, collaborative and empathetic leader, committed to ensuring survivors who reach out to us for support are wrapped in our community’s care.

Essential Requirements of Education / Experience:

• Related post-secondary degree/diploma in social services, related field or equivalent (preferably at the Master’s level)
• 5-10 years of relevant experience providing support and advocacy to survivors of gender-based violence
• 5+ years of senior management experience (preferably in the not-for-profit sector)

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Accountable to the Executive Director for performance management, training, and recruitment of staff, students and volunteers within our Direct Services Team.
• Provides support, coaching, training, and supervision to the Counselling Manager and the Coordinators in the following programs: Anti-Human Trafficking, Sexual Violence Legal Advocate, Family Court Support, Groups & Workshops, and Intake.
• Ensures that all Direct Service Programs have proper and consistent program design, needs assessments, and evaluation.
• Ensures our Direct Service Programs operate within an anti-racist and anti-oppressive framework.
• Oversees the management of the program wait lists, and develops strategies to reduce/eliminate waiting lists.
• Manages and ensures adherence to the budget for SASC’s Direct Services programs.
• Acts as the liaison between Direct Services and the Executive Director.
• Responds to client concerns and investigates related complaints.
• Accountable for the accuracy of data in our client database and related statistics.
• Acts an ambassador for SASC and is an active collaborator with community partners, representing SASC externally on committees or external meetings as requested by the Executive Director.
• Supports the Executive Director in liaising with funders and maintaining funded partnerships, including completing reports and supporting grant applications as needed.
• Keeps up-to-date on current processes, best practices, legislation, and information which relates to the management of SASC’s Direct Services.
• Liaises with post-secondary educational institutions regarding the recruitment of practicum students within our Direct Service programs. Ensures students are onboarded and supervised appropriately.
• Participates at a senior management level within the organization and provides input into strategic decisions, and moves related annual objectives forward.
• Completes reports, projects, etc., as assigned by the Executive Director.
• Participates on internal SASC Committees as needed.

Compensation and Benefits:

At SASC, all compensation ranges are grouped into pay “grades” and we base our compensation structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate’s previous, related experience will be taken into consideration along with where current staff, with similar experience, are currently paid within the relevant pay grade.

We are a Living Wage employer as defined by the Ontario Living Wage Network. We use a 3:1 ratio meaning that the highest paid team member is not paid more than 3 times than the lowest paid team member.

Note: Most new team members will start at or close to the entry point of the range. SASC has a 35-hour work week.

Pay Grade: 7

Min: $36.13 per hour; $65,748 per annum

Max: $42.30 per hour; $77,350 per annum

We have a health benefit plan including Extended Health Care (EHC), Dental, Employee Life Insurance, Dependent’s Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Long-Term Disability (LTD), and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). We pay 100% of health benefit premiums for our full-time staff and their families. 

Due to the nature of our work, our staff team start with four weeks of vacation. We also have 125 hours of paid time off per year. These amounts are pro-rated based on the team member's start date.

We offer RRSP matching after one year of employment.

Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Statement:

We recognize that sexual violence disproportionately impacts women, trans, and non-binary people. We particularly recognize the impact of racism and colonialism on Black, Indigenous, and racialized women, girls, gender-diverse, and two-spirit survivors. 

We acknowledge that the majority of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main office at 151 Frederick Street in Kitchener, Ontario is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on either side of the Grand River.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment. We adhere to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We strive to make our recruitment, assessment, and selection processes accessible and provide accommodations as requested for applicants with differing abilities. Only information required to facilitate the accommodation will be shared with those involved in the recruitment process, otherwise accommodation requests will remain confidential. If you require accommodations at any point during the application and/or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at or 519-571-0121 x102.

Given all of this, we encourage applications from women, trans, and non-binary candidates, especially those who identify as Black, First Nations, Metis, Inuit, racialized, as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and/or as a person with a disability. We invite candidates to voluntarily self-identify as a member of a diverse and/or disenfranchised group as part of their application. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Protocol:

To maintain the safety of our team, service users, and community, all new staff are required to provide proof of being Fully Vaccinated against COVID-19 as a pre-condition of their employment offer.

How to Apply:

This position requires the successful candidate to have a valid driver's license, access to a vehicle, and a Vulnerable Sector Police Check. A flexible schedule is required for evening and weekend work.  This position is set to begin as soon as possible. Please submit a current cover letter and resume as one PDF document to .

We thank all candidates for their interest; however,

only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Unless you require accommodations, no phone calls or email inquiries please.

Job Description – Director of Services

Job Purpose:

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Services is responsible for the overall development, management, administration, operation and assessment of the Counsellor/Advocate Program, the Family Court Support Program, the Anti-Human Trafficking Program, the Sexual Violence Legal Advocate Program, the Groups and Workshops Program and Intake services.

This position ensures that all SASC Direct Services adhere to SASC’s Mission, Vision and Values, and seeks to ensure that survivors who reach out to us are wrapped in our community’s care.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Supervision

• Has final accountability to the Executive Director for all performance management, training, and recruitment of staff, students and volunteers within SASC’s Direct Services team.
• Provides support, coaching, training, and supervision to the Counselling Manager and the Coordinators in the following programs: Anti-Human Trafficking, Sexual Violence Legal Advocate, Family Court Support, Groups & Workshops, and Intake.
• Supports the health and wellness of our staff members in our Direct Service Programs, and ensures the both the Centre and the individual staff members have plans in place to reduce/mitigate vicarious trauma and burn-out.

Program Management

• Ensures that all Direct Service programs have proper and consistent program design, needs assessments, and evaluation.
• Ensures that program targets are met, in service to survivors, and in alignment with funding contracts.
• Ensures our Direct Service Programs operate within an anti-racist and anti-oppressive framework.

Administration

• Oversees the management of the program wait lists, and develops strategies to reduce waiting lists.
• Accountable for the accuracy of data in our client database and related statistics.
• Responds to client concerns and investigates related complaints.
• Manages and ensures adherence to the budget for our Direct Services.
• Completes reports, projects, etc., specific to our Direct Services Programs.

Partnerships

• Acts an ambassador for SASC and is an active collaborator with community partners, representing SASC externally on committees or in external meetings.
• Liaises with post-secondary institutions regarding the recruitment of practicum students within Direct Services, ensuring students are onboarded and supervised appropriately.
• Supports the Executive Director in liaising with funders and maintaining funded partnerships, including completing reports as needed.

General

• Acts as the liaison between Direct Services and the Executive Director.
• Participates at a senior management level within the organization and provides input into strategic decisions and goals/objectives for Direct Services Programs.
• Is an active member of SASC’s management team, working with a spirit of collaborative and cooperation with colleagues.
• Keeps up-to-date on current processes, best practices, legislation, and information which relates to the management of SASC’s Direct Services.
• Participates on internal SASC Committees as needed.

Critical Incident and Crisis Management

• Responsible for all escalated assessment and intervention with clients who present a risk of harming themselves or others.
• Takes the lead in responding to critical incidents involving clients, and other serious occurrences within our Direct Services Program, working with the Executive Director to collaborate internally with other SASC programs and externally with community partners, police services, etc.

Additionally, in a small agency, it is often the case that work of a nature similar to that in each job is either assigned or known to be necessary to be done. As well, from time to time, work that is not similar in nature to the job may also be required to be done by individuals in any job in order to accomplish SASC’s purpose.

Qualifications:

Educational Requirements:

• Related post-secondary degree/diploma in social services, related field or equivalent, preferably at the Master’s level.
• 5-10 years of relevant experience providing support and advocacy to survivors of sexual violence.
• 5+ years of senior management experience preferably in a not-for-profit work setting.

Identified required skills/competencies:

• Extensive knowledge of sexual and domestic violence, trauma, recovery within an intersectional feminist framework
• Knowledge of the impact and dynamics of structural inequality and the ability to apply a feminist, anti-racial, anti-oppressive, decolonizing approach to counselling, leadership and overall workplace culture
• Demonstrates diplomacy, tact, empathy and understanding of sensitive/confidential issues and concerns
• Aware of the risks and vulnerabilities associated with front-line work. Possesses the personal awareness, community supports and skills to monitor, foster and protect front-line workers mental and physical health.
• Excellent sense of judgment, particularly in relation to management of staff, finance, community partner relationships and risk management.
• Proven record of strong, clinical supervision with staff members
• Exceptionally organized

Note: Incumbents to this role must attend and successfully complete volunteer training upon initial employment.

Working Conditions

This job is usually performed in a comfortable office environment; however, is currently mainly performed remotely with some need to come into the physical office. Proof of full Covid vaccination is required to enter any SASC premises.  This job requires intense concentration during both individual and group meetings. This role is extremely demanding and fast-paced. Often work is required outside of regular work hours and employees are encouraged to flex their hours as appropriate to accommodate workloads. Repeated exposure to details of violence and assault can lead to vicarious trauma. The need for debriefing, self-care and balance is critical for incumbents in this position.

Direct reports

Counselling Manager

AHTP Coordinator

Family Court Support Workers

Groups & Workshops Coordinator

Sexual Violence Legal Advocate

Intake & Database Coordinator