• Full Time, Permanent
• Virtual First Organization; Work from home-based office and regular in-person work and travel required throughout Northern Ontario (i.e., communities north of Lake Huron, Lake Nipissing, and Algonquin Park).
• Salary Range: $72,000 – $80,000
• Applications accepted on a rolling basis. The position will remain open until filled.

We are recruiting for a Regional Lead, Northern Ontario – Community Engagement (Bilingual – English / French). This is currently a vacant position. Please note the successful candidate will reside in the Northern Ontario Region for program delivery requirements.

The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) exists to improve the lives of Ontario’s estimated 4.2 million caregivers; ordinary people who provide physical and/ or emotional support to a family member, partner, friend, or neighbour. OCO provides caregivers with one point of access to information, services and supports that empower and help enable caregivers to be successful in their role. OCO works in collaboration with caregivers, health care providers and other organizations to address the challenges that caregivers face so that all caregivers – regardless of age, condition, or geographic location – have access to the support they need.

Come join our team!

The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) is looking to hire a bilingual Regional Lead to build connections and collaborate with caregivers, health/social service providers, and organizations at the community level. This position will have a strong focus on growing local engagement and support of caregivers, including those that have unique needs or who face barriers to inclusion, including but not limited to Francophone, Black, Indigenous or Persons of Colour, or on the basis of national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, age or mental or physical disability or socio-economic status.

This role represents an exciting opportunity for someone who is eager to join a team that aims to have a big impact on the caregiver experience in Ontario. We are looking for someone who will enjoy working in a fast-paced environment where they will help to improve caregiver access to support, grow the number and diversity of caregivers we serve, and build partnerships to help address caregiver needs.

Community engagement is at the heart of our work at OCO and is the main purpose of our Regional Team. Understanding of and experience working with diverse communities and those facing barriers to inclusion is critical for this role as we seek to enhance well-being and support for allcaregivers in the province.

Key Responsibilities

Reporting to the Manager, Regional Engagement, the Regional Lead will:

• Develop and deliver a plan for community engagement and regional implementation of OCO goals and priorities
• Identify and engage organizations with high potential to address local caregiver needs and advance OCO’s goals and priorities
• Build and sustain collaborations with organizations across multiple sectors including health care, education, non-profit, social services, housing and others
• Organize and facilitate in-person and virtual presentations, workshops, education sessions, and events for caregivers, care/service providers and organizations
• Create opportunities for caregivers to connect with peers, learn, access support, and inform OCO plans and priorities
• Build relationships with community organizations that can help OCO to reach, understand and support caregivers, with a special focus on those with unique needs or who may be facing barriers to inclusion, in particular Francophone and rural/remote communities in Northern Ontario
• Inform the development of OCO’s strategies for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility
• Lead projects to spread and scale proven models for caregiver support and recognition within the region
• Lead partnerships that result in increased community capacity to support caregivers, new opportunities for OCO program delivery, and new channels for caregiver referral to OCO
• Act as a local resource and point of contact for caregivers seeking support
• Develop and implement a plan for local/regional promotion of OCO programs and services
• Increase recognition of caregivers and awareness of OCO within the region
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of data and performance indicator and maintain regional stakeholder information in database system
• Influence marketing and communication strategies for the focused region
• Participate as a member of the Caregiver Support Team, supporting team members with referral suggestions for caregiver services in Northern Ontario, at times providing direct support to caregivers by making referrals to services that meet their unique needs
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in community and stakeholder engagement in health care, non-profit, community support, and/or social service sectors
• Strong preference will be given to candidates with a social work or social services background
• Exceptional communication skills in both English and French – verbally, in writing and in virtual environments
• Excel at facilitation of interactive workshops, presentations, and meetings (online and in-person)
• Understanding of and experience in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility with proven ability to build relationships with organizations and individuals from diverse communities or those facing barriers to inclusion
• Established network with relevant organizations is an asset
• Compassionate style and good listening skills, ideally with experience engaging caregivers and/or people with lived experience
• Ability to foster relationships with professionalism, diplomacy, and trust
• Ability to develop and deliver action plans with clear goals and timelines
• Results-oriented, with ability to anticipate and solve challenges or barriers
• Self-starter with high degree of initiative, resourcefulness, and productivity
• Highly developed organizational skills and attention to detail
• Knowledge of caregiver needs, the role of caregivers in the health care system, and/or experience as a caregiver is an asset
• Driver’s license and ability to travel by car for meetings within Northern Ontario
• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Ability for occasional work after hours or on weekends to accommodate meetings or events
• Fluent in verbal and written English and French. Proficiency in additional languages is an asset.

Education

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline. Post-secondary education in social work or social services is an asset
• Education and training related to diversity and inclusion is an asset

How to Apply

We invite qualified applicants to submit a cover letter and resume to OCORecruit@ontariocaregiver.ca. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. The position will remain open until filled. Please quote the title Application: Regional Lead, Northern Ontario and your name in the subject line of your email.

We do not use AI or automated systems to screen applications. Every application is reviewed by our HR team.

We thank all applicants for their interest; we will contact only those applicants selected for further consideration. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and therefore early submission is encouraged.

OCO’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

OCO is an equal opportunity organization, committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in today’s workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We encourage applications from people representing all communities including persons with disabilities, Black, Indigenous, racialized people, individuals from 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and others who reflect the diversity of our province. We are committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment, selection process, and work environment in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We are happy to work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of the hiring process.