Program Analyst, Encampment Response

Regional Municipality of Peel

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of Peel Region's encampment response. Serves as a subject matter expert on unsheltered homelessness and encampment response, ensuring service delivery alignment with the Peel Housing and Homelessness Plan, Council-approved encampment response policies and protocols, and the Region of Peel’s strategic vision. Provides client service-based policy and program analysis, prepares reports, and coordinates integrated responses with internal departments, local municipalities, service providers, and community organizations. Analyzes trends, conducts research, develops new processes, implements process improvements, determines financial impacts, and develops communication strategies regarding client service policy and program changes in Housing and Homelessness.

Requirements

• Minimum of 2 year college diploma in the Human Services field, combined with a minimum of three years work experience in housing and homelessness, encampment response, program or policy development and research,/analysis.
• Specific knowledge of housing and homelessness programs and services, encampment response, human services programs, planning, levels of government, community resources and services.
• Good knowledge of the Housing Services Act, Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) , and other applicable social legislation and ability to explain same.
• Working knowledge of encampment-related legal frameworks such as the Trespass to Property Act, Safer Municipalities Act, local by-laws, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Knowledge and experience working and building trusting relationships with vulnerable populations including people experiencing homelessness, including an understanding of trauma-informed approaches and Indigenous-led engagement and cultural safety practices
• Experience in non-violent crisis intervention and de-escalation practices
• Understanding of systemic and historical challenges that contribute to homelessness
• Coordinating responses during extreme weather alerts
• Supporting emergency evacuation of unsafe encampments
• Participating in municipal emergency operations when needed
• Knowledge of occupational health and safety responsibilities
• Knowledge in process improvement methodology, program evaluation, and performance measurement
• Experience with MS Office Applications, specifically Excel, Project, Visio.
• Experience with Housing and Homelessness enabling technology.
• Valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle
• A clear Vulnerable Sector Check.
• Ability to consistently use a human rights-based approach that supports voluntary relocation of encampment residents to safer alternatives, duty to minimize harm when relocations are required, and active participation and engagement with encampment residents
• Ability to lead case conferences with encampment response team members as needed
• Ability to attend various sites throughout Peel Region on a regular basis in all weather conditions
• Strong research, analytical skills and proven ability to synthesize diverse information from many sources and develop recommendations.
• Strong communication skills - written skills to prepare reports for a variety of audiences and verbal skills to present findings.
• Strong facilitation skills and proven ability to lead groups through various forms of discussions and stakeholder engagement processes.
• Time management, organizational skills to prioritize a variety of different projects and manage multiple portfolios.
• Interpersonal skills for effective liaison with others in a sensitive and effective manner.
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias

Nice To Haves

• Preference will be given to qualified applicants who are currently in the bargaining unit.

Responsibilities

• Identifies, analyzes and evaluates the impacts of current and emerging policies, programs, legislation, and service delivery models impacting individuals experiencing homelessness and residing in encampments.
• Develops, implements and maintains policies, procedures, operational protocols, and service standards related to encampment response, housing stabilization, and unsheltered homelessness.
• Collects, analyzes, maintains and evaluates client services related from different sources to support Housing, Homelessness and encampment response.
• Provides information and analytical reports to the Commissioner of Human Services, Director of Housing, Manager of Client Services and other Leaders and partners, as required for use in planning and developing service responses, and reports to Council on matters related to Housing, Homelessness, and encampment response.
• Tracks, monitors, and evaluates statistical reports, service outcomes, trends, and key performance indicators related to homelessness, unsheltered populations, encampments, and housing stability programs.
• Prepare contracts, letters of agreement, and funding agreements with external partners and manage programs and contract compliance to ensure appropriate use of Regional, Provincial, and Federal funding
• Provides direction, interpretation of policy and operational guidance to Housing Client Services staff, service providers, and community partners
• Lead and facilitate the development of Divisional and/or Departmental work groups to ensure coordinated and integrated policy development, program planning and evaluation, and process improvement for areas affecting housing and homelessness clients directly.
• Manage program work plans and report on progress such as activity reporting internally and externally.
• Identify areas of concern, manage communication plans, operational risks and budget plans.
• Coordinate and support encampment response portfolio in collaboration with local municipalities, service providers, outreach teams, emergency shelters, Peel Regional Police, and other stakeholders to support coordinated service delivery and housing-focused outcomes.
• Responds to inquiries, concerns, and complaints from internal and external stakeholders and provides information related to homelessness, housing stability, and encampment response initiatives.
• Ability to consolidate, analyze and summarize program budget, investigate causes of budget variances, prepare regular budget updates and projections, accruals and recommend future investment strategies.
• Represents the Region as a liaison in the community and participates in internal and external committees, working groups, and networks that align with housing, homelessness, and encampment response supports.
• Maintains a thorough knowledge of government policy, programs and legislation relevant to Housing and Homelessness, encampment response, client administration, coordinated customer service and monitors and analyzes new initiatives and processes.
• Housing and homelessness program management including the development, implementation and ongoing analysis and evaluation of program standards, processes, outcomes, and service delivery models.
• Works collaboratively to maintain close and effective working relationship with other Regional staff, other levels of government, service providers, users, the community, and other stakeholders to support coordinated responses to homelessness and encampments
• Maintains a basic understanding of other key government policy, programs and legislation relevant to Housing and Homelessness in Peel.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefit plan (Regular Full-time)
• Automatic enrolment into OMERS pension plan (where applicable)
• Accrue Vacation on a monthly basis (where applicable)
• Supportive leadership and a culture of respect and inclusion
• Access to tuition reimbursement (where applicable) and learning and development resources

What This Job Offers

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