Manager Program Development – Healing Homes

SUMMARY:

The Manager Program Development – Healing Homes is responsible for the implementation of strategic development and managing the continuous improvement of the Healing Homes program. This role provides leadership, coaching, and mentorship to Healing Home Supervisors, Youth Care Practitioners (YCPs), and casual staff working within Healing Homes. The Manager Program Development ensures that the Healing Homes program operates in alignment with:

• The Medicine Wheel and relational worldviews
• Indigenous perspectives on wellness, belonging, and kinship
• Provincial licensing standards and child welfare legislation
• The vision and values of The Link

The Manager Program Development operates in alignment with the values and strategic priorities of The Link through reflecting in practice the commitment to relational accountability, anti-colonial practice, and honouring identity, experience and belonging. The Manager Program Development ensures that Healing Homes services reflect the identities, strengths, and worldviews of the young people being served.PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: Program Development

• Coordinate the implementation of advancements to the Healing Homes program model
• Ensure Healing Homes practice reflects First Nations worldviews and wholistic wellness principles
• Identify, assess and report emerging needs
• Strategize and develop operational improvements that honour the experiences and needs of program participants

Coaching & Mentorship

• Provide structured coaching and mentorship to Healing Home Supervisors to reflect growth-orientated and developmentally supportive leadership
• Support Supervisors in staff development, conflict resolution, and reflective practice
• Mentor YCPs in relational practice and culturally grounded care approaches
• Facilitate case consultations and debrief sessions
• Support succession planning within the Healing Homes
• Develop leadership capacity among emerging staff

Alignment with First Nations Worldviews

• Ensure Healing Homes programming reflects interconnected mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing
• Support staff to understand relational accountability and collective responsibility
• Guide Healing Homes in strengthening youth identity and belonging
• Encourage safe and respectful engagement with culture, language, land, and community
• Support staff in navigating complex cultural contexts with humility and openness

Operational Oversight

• Ensure Healing Homes comply with licensing standards and legislation
• Conduct performance evaluations for Healing Home Supervisors
• Support budget oversight and resource management within Healing Homes
• Monitor scheduling, staffing patterns, and staff deployment
• Hire, train, and manage casual staff assigned to Healing Homes
• Ensure staff compliance with The Link policies and Provincial Standards

Crisis Leadership & On-Call Support

• Provide on-call support to Healing Homes
• Respond to emergency and crisis situations
• Support Supervisors in critical incident management
• Ensure appropriate reporting and follow-up

Collaboration Practice & Interdepartmental Relations

• Collaborate with Human Resources, Training, Finance, and Maintenance to support Healing Homes operations
• Participate in recruitment and interview processes for Healing Homes staff
• Support student placements connected to Healing Homes

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum three (8) years direct Child and Youth Care experience
• Minimum two (5) years supervisory experience, including coaching, mentorship and development
• Demonstrated experience in program development and quality improvement
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Province of Manitoba Residential Licensing Standards
• Knowledge of trauma-informed, strength-based and anti-colonial practice
• Knowledge and understanding of intergenerational trauma
• Knowledge of diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures
• Experience working in non-profit or community-based environments
• Access to reliable vehicle with required liability insurance
• Lived experience and meaningful relationships with First Nations communities are considered assets.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience learning from elders and knowledge keepers on protocols and practices of our healing and helping ways as First Nations people
• Ability to facilitate or support group activities in a respectful and inclusive manner
• Understanding or willingness to learn and share the culturally distinct heritage and histories of our First Nations people
• Understanding of First Nations histories, contemporary realities, and the impacts of colonization and intergenerational trauma
• Knowledge of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, Calls for Justice related to MMIWG2S+, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
• Demonstrated ability to work within relational, community-centered, and participant-led frameworks
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and maintain professional boundaries
• Ability to navigate sensitive situations with empathy, discretion, and accountability
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams
• Flexibility to work evenings or weekends as required
• Fluency in a First Nations language is a definite asset

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field;
• Equivalent combination of education, experience, and lived experience may be considered.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Satisfactory Child Abuse Registry Check, Adult Abuse Registry Check, Prior Contact Check, and Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Search
• Valid Manitoba Driver’s Licence and satisfactory driving record
• Valid First Aid and CPR certification (or willingness to obtain)

HOURS OF WORK: Full-time - 35 hours per week.