Senior Consultant Human Rights - City of Toronto, Toronto

Position summary

Reporting to the Manager, Human Rights, the primary role of the Senior Consultant, Human Rights (EDHR) is to advance excellent human rights practices at the City of Toronto. In this highly independent City of Toronto job, you will provide expert advice and resolve complex employee and resident harassment and/or discrimination complaints. Additionally, you will support the development of effective policies, programs, education, and communications for the organization, resulting in positive systemic change. Your work will contribute to the organization's commitment to enhancing human rights, equity, inclusion, and reconciliation.

Requirements

• Post-secondary education in a professional discipline pertinent to the job function, and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A Law degree (LLB or JD) would be considered an asset.
• Extensive human rights experience in a major unionized public or private sector organization.
• Extensive experience conducting complex investigations and major human rights interventions (including drafting investigation plans, gathering evidence, interviewing parties, addressing individual and systemic issues, preparing high quality, detailed investigation reports, determining findings, applying relevant legislation and case law and making appropriate recommendations to resolve the complaint)
• Considerable experience leading, developing, implementing, and evaluating corporate human rights and equity related programs, policies, and projects to advance human rights strategic directions and organizational change.
• Considerable experience facilitating complaint resolution through alternative dispute resolution such as negotiations, facilitated conversations, mediations, producing sound Minutes of Settlement, and/or other restorative processes such as healing circles.
• Knowledge and application of relevant provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Employment Standards Act, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, contractual obligations including administration of collective agreements, current human rights case law.
• Highly developed communication, presentation, and human relations skills with the ability to communicate persuasively and effectively at all organizational levels.
• Strong analytical skills to assess the relevance of evidence and ability to exercise sound judgement.
• Ability to identify needs, initiate, coordinate, and manage the implementation of solutions in response to client issues.
• Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to exercise discretion, sound judgement, remain impartial and work independently.
• Political acumen to address sensitive issues and work with all levels of employees, management, senior leadership, and council.

Day-to-day

• Provide consultation, interpretation, and direction on the City's Human Rights policies (e.g., Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Policy, Accommodation Policy, Hate Activity Policy) and relevant legislation to City staff, elected officials, job applicants, residents, and facility users.
• Provide confidential, impartial expert advice, coaching, and various conflict resolution approaches to parties in dispute.
• Undertake complex and/or systemic employee and/or resident harassment and discrimination investigations, consistent with City policy, collective agreements, and legislated obligations.
• Mentor, coach, develop, and guide Consultants on issues and projects; coordinate the work of Consultants and administrative staff to ensure that objectives are met.
• Where required, testify before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and at arbitrations.
• Assess equity impacts of complaint outcomes, developing appropriate resources to address gaps, including building equity and human rights understanding and capacity within City.
• Support management in addressing human rights issues including accommodation requests and complaints, including providing direction on investigations conducted by internal divisions, human resource professionals, or external investigators.
• Actively promote a positive human rights culture undertaking human rights, equity and diversity research and analysis, identifying trends, and/or systemic barriers, and recommending/implementing effective solutions to advance human rights.
• Assess and report on emerging human rights case law and legislative changes.
• Develop and implement effective corporate human rights programs ensuring that access, equity, and diversity are embedded into policy, procedures, education, and communications.
• Review, advise on and ensure alignment of human rights programs, policies, procedures, education with the City's equity and inclusion principles and compliance with the City's legislative obligations.
• Initiate, build, and maintain relationships with internal partners to develop, facilitate and promote human rights, access, equity and diversity policies and programs.
• Maintain detailed reports of all investigations, inquiries, statistics, and confidential records.

Who you'll work with

This position operates within the People & Equity division's Human Rights Office at the City of Toronto. You will collaborate closely with internal partners, senior leadership, management, council, City staff, job applicants, residents, and facility users while maintaining independent responsibilities for complex conflict resolution and investigations.