Health, Safety and Absence Management Specialist

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada • Ottawa, ON

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Manager, HR Operations, the Health, Safety and Absence Management Specialist serves as the organization’s subject matter expert in occupational health and safety, disability management, and employee absence programs. This role is critical in ensuring compliance with legislative requirements, supporting safe and healthy workplace practices, and leading both occupational and non-occupational claims management. This position plays a key role in guiding early and safe return-to-work initiatives, managing workplace accommodations, and providing expert direction related to long-term disability (LTD), and medical leave processes. In addition, the role contributes to fostering a proactive safety culture through the development and administration of health and safety programs and delivery of tools and training that promote continuous improvement.

Requirements

• College diploma or equivalent training in Occupational Health and Safety, Disability Management, Human Resources, or a related field
• Five (5) or more years of experience in occupational health and safety and disability/absence management, including WSIB, return-to-work, and accommodation processes
• Experience supporting health and safety committees and/or conducting incident investigations
• JHSC Certification (worker representative), First Aid and CPR, WHMIS training, and an Occupational Health and Safety Certificate
• Strong working knowledge of Ontario occupational health and safety legislation
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail
• High level of judgement, discretion, and professionalism when dealing with confidential information
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and experience working with databases and reporting tools
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across the organization

Nice To Haves

• French language skills considered an asset
• Experience using UKG as a learning management system (LMS), an asset

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end disability and absence management processes, including WSIB, short-term disability, long-term disability (LTD), and non-occupational medical leaves
• Provide expert guidance to managers and employees regarding workplace accommodations, functional abilities, modified duties, and return-to-work planning
• Coordinate individualized return-to-work plans that align with medical restrictions, operational needs, and duty-to-accommodate obligations
• Act as a primary liaison with insurance providers, WSIB, healthcare practitioners, and internal partners to support timely and effective claim resolution
• Support and administer occupational health and safety programs, ensuring compliance with applicable legislation and organizational policies
• Facilitate and support the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC), including workplace inspections, audits, training, and documentation
• Maintain health and safety postings, training records, certifications, and compliance documentation
• Support incident investigations and ensure corrective actions are completed within legislated and organizational timelines
• Administer the organization’s ergonomics program to reduce risk and prevent musculoskeletal injuries
• Monitor legislative changes and advise leadership on emerging occupational health and safety requirements

Benefits

• Support a hybrid work environment which includes a combination of working both onsite in Ottawa and from home.
• Support in its recruitment processes for applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that considers an applicant’s accessibility needs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree