HEALTH AND HARM REDUCTION OUTREACH SUPERVISOR
Mission Statement: Homes First Society develops and provides affordable and stable housing and support services to help end homelessness for people who face the greatest barriers to quality housing.
Position type: Full-time, Permanent
Reports to: Assistant Director of Client Services
Location: 22 Metropolitan Road
Hours of Work: Thursday-Monday, from 2pm-10pm (5 days per week)
Salary: $67,500 (annual)
Submit Resume to: lavanya.sivakumar@homesfirst.on,ca
APPLICANTS MUST QUOTE “HHROS-E”
Reporting to the Assistant Director of Client Services, the Health and Harm Reduction Outreach Supervisor provides day-to-day supervision, guidance, and support to an outreach team serving people experiencing homelessness. The Supervisor supports staff in delivering health and harm reduction services, building relationships with clients, and connecting them with healthcare, mental health, harm reduction and community supports.
The successful candidate will help the outreach team put harm reduction, trauma-informed care, Housing First principles, health equity, and client-centered service delivery into practice. The Supervisor will coach staff, support responses to complex client situations, coordinate outreach activities, and strengthen community partnerships to reduce barriers to care and support clients’ health, well-being, and housing goals.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
- Lead, supervise, coach, and support the outreach team in delivering client-centered health and harm reduction services to people experiencing homelessness.
- Conduct regular staff check-ins, team meetings, and performance reviews to address concerns, monitor progress, and support staff development.
- Oversee staff schedules, outreach assignments, community routes, and program coverage to ensure services are delivered consistently and operational needs are met.
- Review and adapt health and harm reduction outreach plans, routes, and hotspot monitoring activities to support client engagement and respond to community needs, emerging trends, and safety concerns.
- Build and maintain partnerships with healthcare providers, hospitals, community agencies, local businesses, and community members to support the outreach team, reduce barriers to services, coordinate care, and address community concerns.
- Monitor recurring community concerns and coordinate follow-up with internal teams, community agencies, and relevant City services.
- Ensure staff follow workplace health and safety procedures when conducting outreach, responding to crises, and working in the surrounding community.
- Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of health and harm reduction outreach programming, and support staff in applying organizational policies and best practices.
- Provide case consultation and practical guidance to outreach staff supporting clients experiencing homelessness, substance use, mental health concerns, crises, and barriers to coordinated services.
- Support outreach staff in helping clients access healthcare, shelters, mental health and substance use services, and in coordinating hospital discharge planning and continuity of care with service providers.
- Identify staff learning needs and coordinate training on harm reduction, health navigation, overdose prevention, crisis response, and community outreach.
- Monitor program outcomes, harm reduction supplies, and reporting requirements, while maintaining accurate records of program activities, incidents, community engagement, and follow-up actions.
- Ensure compliance with organizational policies, applicable legislation, health and safety standards, and professional practices.
- Represent Homes First at community meetings, sector committees, and collaborative initiatives.
- Prepare reports, recommendations, and other required administrative documentation.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Use strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills to provide practical guidance and ongoing support to the outreach team.
- Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with community agencies, service providers, and other partners.
- Apply knowledge of community resources to help outreach staff connect clients experiencing homelessness with appropriate health, harm reduction, shelter, and community
- Adapt to changing priorities and service needs.
- Model harm reduction principles and support staff in applying them consistently, respecting clients’ choices and goals.
- Respond sensitively to the health needs of diverse communities and people experiencing marginalization.
- Recognize and address the effects of systemic oppression on marginalized individuals and communities.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Diploma or degree in social services, nursing, public health, health promotion, social work, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- At least two years of experience in community-based settings with people experiencing homelessness or marginalization, including people who use illicit drugs.
- At least one year of experience supervising staff.
- Ability to work independently, manage a varied workload, and collaborate across teams.
- Ability to identify and implement process improvements.
- Strong interpersonal, decision-making, conflict-management, critical-thinking, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Experience with overdose prevention and response, and knowledge of applicable legislation and government policies related to overdose and harm reduction services.
- Outreach experience is an asset.
- Demonstrated project management skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency with information systems and other digital tools used to support program and project delivery.
- Ability to travel between Homes First sites and work from home as required.
- Ability to lift boxes weighing up to 25 lb.
- Ability to work outside regularly scheduled hours for activities such as training and education events.
- A Homelessness Learning Hub certificate in Harm Reduction for the Homelessness Sector is an asset.
Ability to work in environments where smoke may be present.
Ability to work outdoors year-round in all weather conditions.
Working in a pet friendly environment.
The successful applicant must provide a criminal record check that is satisfactory to Homes First Society.
Homes First Society is an equal opportunity employer.
Homes First Society does not use Artificial Intelligence to screen, assess or select applicants for internal postings.
This is an existing open position.
Please no phone calls, only those people selected for interviews will be contacted.
Accommodation
Homes First is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization and providing barrier-free employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require Code-protected accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know, and we will work with you to meet your needs.
