Senior Manager, Access, Prevention and Supports in Edmonton

The Senior Manager, Access, Prevention and Supports plays a pivotal leadership role within the organization, leveraging extensive experience in homelessness services to drive innovation, enhance program effectiveness, and align operations with the agency's strategic vision. This position is essential for fostering cross-functional collaboration, mentoring emerging leaders, and engaging with key stakeholders, including the CEO, community partners, and funders.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Programs, the Senior Manager leads the Sector Supports stream and is responsible for the oversight and strategic leadership of the Coordinated Access system, including its redevelopment; prevention and diversion as a system, to reduce inflow to the By Name List (BNL); Landlord Relations; and Sector Training and Capacity Building.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Coordinated Access
  • Own the Coordinated Access system in Edmonton: BNL governance, shared prioritization including Indigenous prioritization, standardized screening tools, the network of 60+ partner agencies, and data-sharing.
  • Maximize effectiveness and efficiency of individualized prioritization and matching to housing support programs for all individuals and families in need of housing intervention across our community.
  • Lead the Coordinated Access Redevelopment Project through the Project Lead, Coordinated Access (1-year contract), to a defined end state.
  • Integrate Coordinated Access with the province's mental health and addiction mandate.
  • Design one access system that serves both recovery-oriented housing and low-barrier Housing First.
  • Lead the Coordinated Access operational team through the Team Lead, Coordinated Access.
  • Ensure the impact of BNL data reflects efforts, opportunities, and gaps for individuals and families in need of housing support planning.
  • Create new partnerships and pathways for the community to benefit from and work within the Coordinated Access system.
  • Lead Coordinated Access reporting efforts to community, funders, Homeward Trust senior leadership, and Board of Directors.
  • Plan and develop Coordinated Access policies, procedures, and program guidelines.
  • Ensure excellence in collection of client outputs and outcomes as recorded by Coordinated Access system partners.
  • Investigate complaints and work to create resolutions that meet the needs of all affected parties.
• Prevention and Diversion
  • Build prevention and diversion into a system that reduces inflow to the BNL.
  • Implement a standardized diversion protocol at every Coordinated Access entry point.
  • Develop a network of agencies delivering prevention and diversion programs in the community.
  • Establish one eviction prevention pathway across Landlord Relations, the Housing Team, and municipal partners.
  • Advance a standing no-discharge-to-homelessness commitment.
  • Use BNL data to identify who is entering homelessness and from where.
  • Coordinate with the Manager, Housing Projects on relocation, eviction prevention, and the Youth Homelessness Prevention program.
• Landlord Relations
  • Oversee the Landlord Relations Team, refocusing its work on tenancy retention and eviction prevention.
  • Lead an investigation of returns to the BNL after housing.
  • Lead specialized efforts to equip the sector with knowledge and expertise in working with market Landlords.
  • Refine and execute the Landlord Engagement Operating Strategy.
  • Maintain relationships with key property management companies and high-volume Landlords.
• Sector Training and Capacity Building
  • Lead the design and delivery of sector-wide training.
  • Develop training modules matched to each new program standard.
  • Expand the curriculum in recovery-oriented practice and transitions from treatment into housing.
  • Deliver specialized training for supportive housing operator teams.
  • Identify emerging training and capacity gaps across the sector.
  • Build and maintain relationships with training partners and post-secondary institutions.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of training and capacity-building initiatives.
  • Sustain training funding, including provincial funding.
• Organizational and Sector Leadership
  • Provide direct leadership, supervision, development, and performance management to the team.
  • Work with the Manager, Data and Analytics and the Chief of Staff on cross-system data.
  • Develop and target key departmental priorities and lead the workplan execution.
  • Represent Homeward Trust on committees, meetings, conferences, and workshops.
  • Prepare reporting for the CEO, Senior Director, Programs, management team, and stakeholders.
  • Prepare reports on the operations and results of programs within the portfolio.
  • Accept other duties as assigned.

Measures of Success and First Year Deliverables

• Deliver the Coordinated Access Redevelopment design within the Project Lead's 12-month contract.
• Implement a standardized diversion protocol at every Coordinated Access entry point.
• Define one eviction prevention pathway across Landlord Relations, the Housing Team, and municipal partners.
• Complete the scoping of returns to the BNL after housing.
• Develop a matching Sector Training module within three months of each new program standard's approval.
• Maintain consistent Coordinated Access intake throughout the redevelopment.
• Establish BNL governance and a data-quality baseline agreed with partner agencies.
• Fill the Team Lead, Coordinated Access and onboard the Project Lead, Coordinated Access.

Education & Experience

• University degree or diploma, preferably in the social sciences or human services.
• Minimum 3 years of related experience in a program management or supervisory role.
• Prior work in the non-profit sector, preferably with organizations working on homelessness or housing.
• Experience in housing-related programs is preferred.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• In-depth understanding of homelessness and housing, as well as the needs of particular vulnerable populations.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the systems, supports, resources, and linkages available for successful delivery of access to housing services.
• Demonstrated experience leading system-level coordinated access, intake, or prevention and diversion initiatives.
• Knowledge of privacy, consent, and information-sharing frameworks.
• Strong understanding of the core concepts and service orientation of the Housing First philosophy.
• Thorough working knowledge of Evidence Based Practice techniques.
• Understanding of business processes associated with non-profits and government.
• Ability to work with comprehensive client data systems, analyze outputs, and track outcomes.
• Strong writing skills to prepare written reports and develop communication materials.
• Impeccable interpersonal skills and the ability to engage with stakeholders.
• Maturity and experience managing complex issues.
• Proven ability to teach and coach others.
• Experience working independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated excellence in leadership and management of teams.
• Valid driver's license and vehicle, First Aid certificate, and provide a satisfactory Child Welfare Intervention Record Check and Criminal Record Check.