Job Description
As Director Equity & Human Rights you will be responsible for leading transformational change in the City’s service design and delivery approach. One of your top priorities will be to develop and execute a comprehensive equity strategy to guide City divisions in advancing the City’s goal of delivering equitable wellbeing outcomes for Toronto’s diverse communities. The strategy will synthesize & align existing strategies and address gaps. It will also include a methodology for measuring and reporting on progress.
In your first year, you will have the opportunity to guide the City’s first ever Gender Equity Unit responsible for advancing an intersectional gender-based lens into City programs and services, as well as our workforce initiatives. You will also establish and guide the City’s first ever Data for Equity Unit responsible for supporting the City’s divisions in a phased approach to collecting and utilising equity data to inform and advance the City’s goal of delivering equitable outcomes to Toronto’s diverse population.
You will lead your team in providing strategic advice, developing programs, tools, resources and support leaders and teams across the organization in embedding equity, reconciliation, accessibility and inclusion lens into their planning, programs and service delivery processes. You will also champion and support the independent advisory and investigation work of the Human Rights Office.
In this multi-faceted role, you will also oversee the implementation of AODA and the City’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, ensuring cross-divisional collaboration and the establishment of an AODA compliance governance, assurance and reporting framework. Together with an interdivisional steering committee, your team of accessibility subject matter experts will champion AODA awareness, compliance and advance a culture of accessibility and inclusion by design at the City.
A skilled and committed collaborator you will build and maintain trusting relationships with leaders across the City, with elected officials and with stakeholders. You will support both Program and Council Advisory Bodies that guide the City’s equity, inclusion and accessibility work. Recognized as an expert in your field, you will provide strategic and responsive advice to internal and external stakeholders. The City’s leadership team, the Mayor’s Office, City staff, Councillors, agencies, corporations and the City’s partners will count on you for strategic advice and practical guidance in the development and implementation of equity, accessibility and human rights initiatives. You will also oversee and ensure the effective delivery of independent human rights advice and investigative services to employees, management and City service recipients.
Committed to the organizational values of reconciliation, equity, inclusion, accessibility by design and respect for human rights, and adept at leading and developing a high-performing professional team, you will direct all Equity and Human Rights Section activities, including budget development and administration, and the resolution of employee relations issues. You will also provide thought leadership and support to your colleagues in People & Equity on embedding an intersectional equity, reconciliation, accessibility and human rights lens in the City’s workforce programs and practices.
This role will see you coaching, leading and motivating a diverse team, with a focus on ensuring effective teamwork, high standards of work quality and performance, and continuous learning. As a thoughtful, responsive and inclusive leader, you will recognize and leverage individual and team differences as sources of strength, innovation, ideas and insights and you will support each team member in maximizing their potential and contributions.
What You Bring to the Role:
Success in this mandate calls for a deep commitment to reconciliation, equity, accessibility, human rights and inclusion combined with extensive experience leading a diversity, equity, inclusion and human rights function within a major, unionized public or private sector organization.
You will also have an excellent track record of driving transformation and culture change within a large and complex organization, utilizing your experience in analyzing diversity and equity metrics, reporting and developing recommendations for both divisions at the City and implementing comprehensive organizational programs.
You must have an excellent understanding of current issues and best practices in diversity, equity, accessibility, human rights, inclusion, reconciliation and deep understanding, and a thorough working knowledge of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Occupational Health & Safety Act, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and the City’s related policies and commitments.
A persuasive communicator and negotiator, you know how to influence and build strong collaborative relationships across a broad spectrum of internal and external stakeholders, with proven strengths in establishing effective partnerships with community organizations, other governments and agencies serving diverse communities. Your sound knowledge of change management and cultural transformation approaches is well supported by demonstrated experience in leading change within a complex environment and managing diverse stakeholders’ needs and interests.
Equally important, you are well equipped to identify the section’s strategic directions for each Council term, report annual objectives and past year accomplishments, work collaboratively with leaders to ensure that Section functions are delivered in an integrated and coordinated manner, and manage the advisory and consultation processes involving elected officials, staff, external partners and community members.
A university or graduate degree in a relevant professional discipline (e.g. social sciences, equity, law, human rights) is a strong asset but will not be required for a candidate with extensive leadership experience delivering results in a similar role.
While all qualified applicants will be considered, lived experience as an Indigenous person, a Black person or a member of an equity group is a strong asset.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. Consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities, we are a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture. Join the award-winning Toronto Public Service as Director of Equity and Human Rights within our People & Equity Division.