City of Kitchener Careers

Senior Equity Advisor

(Temporary Full Time for Approximately 12 Months)

Competition Number

2024-380

Job Code

1271

Posting Date

September 12, 2024

Closing Date

September 30, 2024 (at 6:00pm)

Job Status

Temporary Full-Time

The City of Kitchener is a vibrant and dynamic city of approximately 292,000, in the heart of southwestern Ontario. As the largest municipality in Waterloo Region, Kitchener continues to be poised for development and growth, enhancing its reputation as a leader in city-building and innovation, with nationally recognized strategies to build its neighbourhoods, its digital infrastructure, and its diverse economy.

The City of Kitchener is WHERE you want to work! Learn more about the top reasons to join us:

Why work at the City of Kitchener

Position Overview:

The Equity, Anti-Racism, and Reconciliation (EARR) Team at the City of Kitchener focuses on identifying and removing systemic barriers in the workplace and programs and services offered to the community.  Reporting to the Director of the EARR Office, the Senior Equity Advisor will play a pivotal role in advancing inclusion, equity, anti-racism, anti-oppression and reconciliation at the City by:

• Supporting the development, implementation and measurement of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Strategic Plan.
• Supporting projects related to the creation, implementation, and evaluation of the strategy.
• Providing subject matter expertise across the organization to foster an inclusive workplace culture, promoting equity and diversity.
• Advising senior leaders on EDI best practices, trends and emerging issues.
• Collaborating with HR and other areas to integrate EDI principles into operational practices.
• Leading, partnering, supporting and advising on corporate initiatives that advance and embed equity, human rights, and inclusion into City operations and services including the administration of the City’s Racialized, Indigenous Supports for Equity (RISE) Fund.

The successful candidate will have extensive experience working with diverse marginalized individuals, groups & organizations (i.e., ethnocultural, racialized, faith-based, 2SLGBTQ+, vulnerable populations, etc.) and a deep understanding of the intersectional complexities of identity through a lens of anti-oppression, anti-racism, gender identity and expression, and issues related to discrimination, hate and social justice. Ideally, the candidate has deep roots in, and connections to, marginalized communities in Kitchener/Waterloo region.

Requirements:

• 4-Year Honours Degree with a minimum 4 years of related and relevant experience.
• Lived experience and personal understanding of the realities and concerns of priority communities and groups, such as Indigenous, African, Caribbean, and Black, racialized, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQ+, or other marginalized communities.
• Proven experience in equity work, with a focus on developing and implementing EDI frameworks and strategies; in-depth knowledge of EDI principles, best practices and legal requirements.
• Experience using equitable approaches across systems and the ability to apply an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and reconciliation lens to identify best practices in municipal governance and community engagement.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess data and make evidence-based recommendations.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced multi-issue environment, serving a wide-range of internal and external interests.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage, influence, and provide tangible advice to partners/peers/colleagues at all levels; demonstrated ability to build effective networks and partnerships with internal and external parties to achieve objectives.
• Experience managing complex issues through understanding and monitoring emerging trends in anti-racism, equity and social justice.
• Negotiation, facilitation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills; ability to manage challenging conversations.
• Knowledge and understanding of various related legislation including the Ontario Human Rights Code, UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples), TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada), Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, etc., is an asset
• Experience in municipal government/public sector preferred.

Note: All interested applicants are encouraged to apply. In the event there is no successful applicant with the stated level of education and experience, other applicants will be considered if a combination of their education and experience meets the following pre-determined equivalency:

• 3-Year Degree/Diploma with minimum 7 years related and relevant experience or an undergraduate degree with a Master’s degree with minimum 2 years of related and relevant experience

The City of Kitchener is committed to an equity-driven, inclusive, accessible, and barrier-free recruitment and selection process, and to ensuring our workforce reflects the full diversity of the community we serve. We welcome applications from Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ persons, as well as other equity deserving groups.

We will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Please contact Human Resources at [email protected], or 519-741-2200 ext. 7261 to make your needs known, so that we can support your full and equal participation throughout the hiring process.

We appreciate the interest of all applicants. Only candidates whose skills, experience and qualifications meet the requirements of the position will be contacted.

Please note that as per Human Resources Policy HUM-HIR-110, "Employment of Relatives of Staff Members and Elected Officials":

"The immediate relatives of staff of the Human Resources Division, all Directors, General Managers, or the Chief Administrative Officer and Elected Officials shall not be employed by the City in any capacity.

The immediate relatives of all other Management personnel shall not be employed where such employment would be:

1. within the same Department in the case of permanent full-time, temporary full-time and part-time classifications.

2. within the same Division in the case of students."

Department

Corporate Services

Division

Equity, Anti‐Racism, and Reconciliation

Union Affiliation

Non-Union/Management

Number of Positions

1

Hours of Work

35 hours per week, Monday to Friday; some evenings

Location

Initial Location

City Hall 

City

Kitchener

Compensation

Salary Range

$87,244 - $109,055 annually

Effective Nov 1, 2024: $91,885 - $114,856 

Grade/Band

10