Health & Safety and Claims Management Specialist

At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun!

Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? It is!

The People & Culture team is a part of the larger administration team providing support to the programs of House of Friendship. The Health & Safety and Claims Management Specialist supports the organization’s success by providing support, coaching and subject matter expertise to leaders and employees on topics related to health and safety, healthy work environment, and through the management of both legislated and non-legislated leaves of absence and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims.

This is a contract position, from approximately January 6, 2027, to February 7, 2028. Possibility of extension. This is a full-time position, working 37.5 hours per week. Schedule is generally Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 4:30pm, with flexibility to meet program needs. Hybrid work available: some work may be performed from a home office, some office hours and work at program locations required. Valid G class driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle required for travel throughout Waterloo Region.

Key Responsibilities:

• Subject matter expert providing expert guidance and support for all aspects of the Health and Safety program at House of Friendship

• Provide leadership and support to various organizational teams including the Health and Safety Work Group (HSWG), Psychological Health and Safety team, and Infection Prevention and Control Committee

• Organize and chair quarterly and ad hoc HSWG meetings and support the functioning of the Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC)

• Administrative support for HSWG including minutes, audits, follow ups, communications, and compliance

• Provide leadership to managers and health and safety representatives, supporting proactive and preventative health and safety initiatives to minimize/eliminate risk and safety issues

• Work with health and safety representatives and managers to review and investigate accidents and injuries including incident debriefing and report on ways to minimize and mitigate future incidents

• Support Management team members and liaise with the Ministry of Labour on any investigations or work orders

• Promote and support a strong, healthy, and safe workplace culture for all employees and leaders in all interactions

• Support programs and team with the Critical Incident Debriefing procedure, including involvement in debriefs follow-up and resource sourcing

• Consultation and support to programs with completion and continuous improvement of workplace violence risk assessments

• Track and manage all leaves of absence, return to work and workplace accommodation processes

• Provide guidance and support to employees and managers throughout these processes

• Develop, administer, interpret, and continuously improve and maintain Human Resources policies, procedures, forms, and programs

• Serve as the primary contact for leave management and support, providing information on eligibility, documentation requirements, and timelines

• Manage the full lifecycle of leaves, including LTD, parental, personal and critical illness leaves

• Ensure all leaves comply with the Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code, particularly regarding disability-related accommodations

• Coordinate with managers, employees, and healthcare providers and WSIB to facilitate early, safe and timely return-to-work or accommodation plans

• Maintain confidential, accurate records of leaves, medical documentation, and communications

• Process necessary documentation for pay interruptions, and options regarding group health and group savings benefits during leaves

• Assist in developing or updating company policies regarding leave of absence, attendance management, and other absences

• Collect and analyze data related to health and safety and all leaves of absence, identify trends and make recommendations to leadership; develop internal metrics to track improvement in focus areas

• In conjunction with the HR Manager (or Partner), support/consult workplace violence, harassment or complaints review/investigation and resolution processes related to area of expertise

• Maintain productive and supportive working relationships with managers and employees by providing support and guidance regarding the application and interpretation of organizational policies and procedures, applicable employment laws and best practices

• Continuous improvement of all Health and Safety and claims management programs through regular review of programs, including feedback from interest-holders

• Work with managers and applicable staff to identify training needs and work with Training Specialist to ensure proper training

Job Specific Knowledge/Skills:

• Comprehensive knowledge of applicable employment legislation including Employment Standards Act; Human Rights Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act; Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, etc.

• Knowledge of and experience working with Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and Ministry of Labour including Early and Safe Return to Work

• Demonstrated coaching, conflict resolution and negotiation skills

• Demonstrated collaborative approach that values open and honest communication, integrity, respect, consistency and fairness

• Experience working with leaves of absence, workplace accommodation and return to work plans

• Experience developing policies, procedures and program development (i.e. health and safety, wellness, healthy work environment, leave management, etc.)

• Must be able to meet deadlines, handle multiple tasks with interruptions, and effectively adapt to changing priorities

• Must be a detail oriented and analytical problem solver and creative thinker. Resourceful, self- motivated and organized

• Demonstrated skills using a variety of software programs including HRIS systems, SharePoint, MS Office, Internet etc.

Education/Experience:

• 3-4 year degree in human resources or a related field required

• At least three (3) years previous experience in managing health and safety within an organization and managing leaves of absence claims of all types

• Health and Safety program experience with administration of policies and legislative compliance required

• Certified Human Resources Leader designation an asset

Critical Skills:

• Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship is expected

• Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict management and problem-solving skills required

• Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, participants, and community members

• Experience or strong interest in working with diverse populations including people from various cultural backgrounds, income levels, and sensitivity to their needs

• Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive and trauma informed approach to consultation, program design, evaluations of processes and service delivery

• Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a positive attitude

• Respectful, supportive, and engaging approach to persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental illness, and other life challenges

• Excellent project, timeline and deadline management skills including skills in logistics, planning and detailed record keeping

• Act as a change agent; contributing to continuous improvement and the successful implementation of change initiatives

Compensation:

At House of Friendship, we know that our team members are the key to the success of our organization and our ability to provide essential services to the community. In support of our mission and in alignment with our values, House of Friendship is committed to ensuring fair, market competitive, and rewarding compensation practices for all of our team members. We aspire to support our team members to create a great work environment where our team is able to thrive, succeed, and have a positive work experience.

House of Friendship compensation practices including our pay grid, have been developed using documented leading pay practices in the not-for-profit sector including Pathways to Decent Work (Ontario Nonprofit Network) and Ontario Living Wage Network. We value the experience that new team members bring to the organization and have a process in place to review previous related experience for placement on our pay grid.

We value the work that you do with fair pay and benefits:

• 3 weeks vacation, pay on each pay with opportunity to have vacation pay deposited into a separate account to save for when vacation time is taken, 2 paid personal days annually

• Employee and Family Assistance program

• We help you save for the future by providing access to Group RRSP and Group TFSA options

Rate of Pay:

At House of Friendship all compensation ranges are categorized under a series of “grades” and we base our payment structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate’s past related experience will be taken into consideration.

Grade: 5

Min: $27.86

Mid: $31.97

Max: $36.08

Working Conditions:

• 37.5 hours per week; generally daytime, weekday hours

• Work may be performed in a home office for some of the weekly hours

• Very occasional evening or weekend hours to meet the needs of the programs

• Encountering participants at program sites who may be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and/or experiencing symptoms of mental illness can be expected

This role is being posted to fill a current vacancy.

House of Friendship is open and inviting to qualified candidates with lived experience.

House of Friendship supports justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace. We strive to be a workplace free of harassment and discrimination and we are committed to removing barriers and being an inclusive, work environment. House of Friendship is a place where each person can bring their true selves and feel that they belong. We aspire to be an organization that is anti-racist and anti-oppressive so that our team, and therefore our community, can truly belong and thrive.

We invite applications from all qualified candidates and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to accessing employment including, but not limited to Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

If you require accommodations to be able to participate fully at any stage in the recruitment process, including applying for this position, please let us know so that we can discuss accommodation options. Accommodations will be provided upon request.

If you are as passionate as we are about serving the community, let’s talk.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter here:

https://house-of-friendship.hirehive.com/health-safety-and-claims-management-specialist-kitchener-on-xdSIBN

By end of day November 16, 2026.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not being used in the screening of applications.