Competition Number: 25-068

Salary: $72,976.00 - $88,640.00/Year

Job Type: Temporary Full Time

Closing Date: June 1, 2025

Position Overview:

The temporary Housing for All Advisor will play a leadership role in developing, executing, and evaluating programs and services that support the City's efforts to build a strong, resilient, and inclusive community. In the last two years, Saint John has experienced a rapid growth in the number of unhoused people living in sheltered and unsheltered locations, sparking program innovations, new commitments in funding and resources, and helped develop new forms of collaboration between orders of government and community.

Reporting to the Manager, Community Development, the Housing for All Advisor will oversee programs and services supporting the City of Saint John's Housing for All Homelessness Strategy. This role requires a balance between bold planning, ongoing community partnerships, and advocating for necessary resources to support the homeless population of the Saint John community. These responsibilities include working collaboratively with all levels of government, partners, and the community sector in implementing the Community Encampment Response Plan (CERP), supporting Saint John's residents, strategies, and neighborhood plans through partnership with all levels of government and community partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implementation of the Housing for All Homelessness Strategy:
  • Provide safe community spaces for access by all residents, while supporting individuals as they access shelter that meets their specific needs.
  • Execution and Governance - creating processes and policies across government and service providers that adhere to a Human Rights approach to housing, while also ensuring individuals have access to essential services.
  • Emergency Supports - to develop emergency shelters that respond to concerns expressed by the unsheltered populations and develop a plan based on the City's vision, which will pilot an approach to support the unsheltered population deeply entrenched in encampments and reluctant to seek shelter indoors.
  • Prevention, Education and Safety - reduce the risk of homelessness through proactive intervention and awareness initiatives.
  • Housing Supports - collaborate with the community to find solutions that help individuals transition out of encampments with dignity and prepare them for housing when it comes available.
• Build relationships and engagement within all levels of government, and the community supporting the Housing for All Homelessness Strategy:
  • Align policies and protocols to improve outcomes for the homeless population.
  • Analyze needs and advocate on matters related to community inclusion and diversity, quality of life, operating budgets, service and program development.
  • Report regularly to senior staff, Common Council, Human Development Council (HDC), and Province of New Brunswick on efforts and outcomes.
  • Collaborate with city teams, all levels of government, community agencies, and community members.
• Plan and lead the development, execution, and evaluations of safe and effective homeless support programs and services by:
  • Design and implement initiatives with care and respect for all homeless, regardless of their choice to transition to temporary transitional housing or to remain in their current spaces, ensuring that services are accessible to them throughout the community.
  • Work collaboratively with all levels of government, partners, and community championing shelter opportunities and the transition to more stable and safe housing options for community members.
  • Work collaboratively with operations to ensure facilities and public spaces meet user needs.
  • Ensuring that service programming meets the needs of the community and expectations of strategic plans by way of social and economic return on investment.
  • Support the Manager, Community Development, by providing insight, guidance, and other work as assigned.

Essential Qualifications:

• Education: Degree in community development, public administration, or related discipline; graduate level considered an asset.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of 4 years relevant work experience in the area of community development specific to poverty reduction and homelessness.
  • Familiarity with local government, the Saint John economy, as well as regional and provincial economic and demographic trends.
  • Experience planning and executing initiatives in partnership with various perspectives and cultures.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
  • Strong communication skills, written and oral.
  • Position involves variable hours, including evenings and weekends, and may require travel.
  • The ideal candidate will bring lived experience, diverse perspectives, and cultures.
  • A combination of education and experience may also be considered.
• The successful applicant may be eligible to participate in a Flexible Time Options Program which includes the option of working a 4 or 5-day work week, subject to business requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we live and which we serve. We encourage and support applications from Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minority groups. Candidates who belong to such groups, who are qualified, will be given preference at the time of selection.

Applications will be accepted through our online system only. Qualified applicants should submit their cover letters and resumes to:

City of Saint John
Attn: Hiring Committee
www.saintjohn.ca (employment opportunities)