Manager, Employee Disability (Accommodation, Disability & Workplace Health)

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan • Toronto, ON

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Director, Benefits & Wellness, the Manager, Employee Disability will provide leadership and operational oversight for Teachers’ disability management program, workplace accommodation, ergonomics and health and safety initiatives across the organization. This role plays a critical part in supporting employee well-being, ensuring legislative compliance, and promoting a culture of safety, early intervention, and sustainable return to work. The successful candidate will bring expertise in disability case management, occupational health and safety legislation, and a demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with employees, managers, and external service providers. As a member of our People & Culture team, reporting to the Director, Benefits & Wellbeing, you will play a meaningful role in supporting employee well-being through inclusive, responsive, and effective disability management, workplace accommodation, ergonomics, and health and safety programs. In this role, you will partner with P&C colleagues and leaders across the organization, as well as employee representatives and external health, disability, and regulatory partners, to help create safe, supportive workplaces and sustainable return-to-work outcomes. This is a highly collaborative role for someone who enjoys building trusted relationships, influencing positive outcomes, and making a tangible impact on the employee experience.

Requirements

• Minimum five (5) years of progressive experience in disability management, occupational health and safety, or a related HR function
• Demonstrated experience managing WSIB claims, STD and LTD files, and complex workplace accommodations in a unionized environment
• University degree in a relevant field such as Human Resources, Occupational Health & Safety, Kinesiology, Nursing, or a related discipline
• Thorough knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, Ontario Human Rights Code, and related legislation
• Strong understanding of duty to accommodate principles and disability management best practices
• Proven ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism, empathy, and discretion
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage competing priorities
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to build trust and credibility with diverse stakeholders
• Experience working collaboratively with unions and navigating collective agreement language
• Proficiency with HRIS systems, case management tools, and Microsoft Office Suite
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being
• Candidates must be legally entitled to work in the country where this role is located.

Nice To Haves

• Post-graduate certificate or diploma in Disability Management, Occupational Health & Safety, or Human Resources is considered an asset
• Certified Return to Work Coordinator (CRTWC), Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP), and/or Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation is strongly preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all aspects of the employee disability management program, including Short-Term Illness Leave (STIL), Long-Term Disability (LTD), WSIB, and non-occupational illness and injury claims
• Provide guidance to employees, managers, and P&C Business Partners on complex accommodation requests consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the duty to accommodate
• Facilitate timely and sustainable return-to-work (RTW) and stay-at-work (SAW) plans in collaboration with employees, medical professionals, union representatives, and managers
• Monitor, track, and analyze disability-related data and trends to identify opportunities for early intervention and program improvement
• Liaise with insurance carriers, WSIB, third-party administrators, and medical professionals to coordinate effective claims management
• Ensure all accommodation processes are documented, equitable, and aligned with policy and legislative requirements
• Support employees through the accommodation lifecycle with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism
• Provide direction and operational leadership for the board's Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) program in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and applicable regulations
• Oversee the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) structure, ensuring effectiveness, legislative compliance, and meaningful worker participation
• Lead the development, implementation, and review of health and safety policies, procedures, programs, and safe work practices
• Coordinate workplace inspections, hazard identification, risk assessments, and incident investigations to drive a proactive safety culture
• Manage WSIB claims and reporting obligations, including employer submissions, modified work programs, and appeals as required
• Develop and deliver health and safety training programs for staff, managers, and administrators across the organization in each of our locations
• Analyze workplace injury and illness data to identify trends, develop preventive strategies, and report to senior leadership
• Act as the board's primary liaison with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) during inspections or investigations
• Stay current with regulatory and legislative changes across our global operations, best practices, and any sector-specific health and safety requirements
• Prevent work‑related injury at scale by embedding ergonomic risk reduction into role design, workplace standards, technology, and hybrid‑work practices.
• Improve stay‑at‑work outcomes through early ergonomic intervention and population‑level risk identification.
• Enable effective return‑to‑work by incorporating ergonomics into Disability Management to translate functional restrictions into sustainable work design and accommodations.
• Establish enterprise ergonomics governance through clear standards, education, and data to drive consistent, cost‑effective decisions.
• Planning and delivery of related events, training and initiatives
• Build and maintain effective working relationships including unions, employee groups, administrators, and external partners
• Collaborate with People & Culture colleagues to align disability and health and safety programs with broader HR strategies and organizational priorities
• Contribute to the development of board-wide policies and procedures related to employee health, safety, and well-being
• Accountable for operational leadership and continuous improvement of Teachers’ disability management, workplace accommodation, ergonomics, and health and safety programs, related processes, and external service providers.
• Provides subject matter expertise and guidance on complex disability, accommodation, return-to-work, stay-at-work, WSIB, and health and safety matters; oversees legislative compliance, program effectiveness, and consistent documentation; and manages relationships with external service providers.
• Contributes to policy development, training, reporting, data analysis, and prevention strategies, while influencing and supporting leaders and stakeholders across the organization to promote employee well-being, safety, and sustainable work outcomes.
• Provides coaching and guidance to employees, managers, internal P&C stakeholders, and influences a broad network of partners.
• The role exercises judgement and autonomy in the day-to-day management of disability and accommodation matters, including operational decisions, case coordination, process interpretation, and vendor-related decisions within approved limits.
• The Manager develops recommendations and resolves routine and moderately complex issues using established policies, precedent, stakeholder consultation, and external expertise as needed.
• Matters involving significant risk, policy exceptions, contractual changes, legal sensitivity, financial or broader organizational impact are escalated to the Director for review and approval.

Benefits

• Pay-for-performance with base salary and annual incentive based on individual and enterprise performance.
• Comprehensive employer paid benefits coverage
• Retirement income through a defined benefit pension plan
• The opportunity to invest back into the fund through our Deferred Incentive Program
• A flexible work environment combining in office collaboration and remote working
• Competitive time off
• Our Flexible Travel Program gives you the option to work abroad in another region/country for up to a month each year
• Employee discount programs including Edvantage and Perkopolis

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager