Unity Health Toronto, comprised of Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, and St. Michael’s Hospital, is dedicated to advancing the health of individuals and communities. We provide a full spectrum of care, from primary care and community services to specialized tertiary and quaternary care, rehabilitation, palliative, and long-term care. We are committed to putting patients and families at the heart of everything we do, all while investing in world-class research and education.
Position Overview:
The Human Rights and Programs Specialist will play a key role in supporting Unity Health Toronto’s mission by promoting an inclusive and equitable workplace. Reporting to the Manager, Human Rights and Programs, the Human Rights Specialist will triage complaints from staff, conduct investigations into human rights violations and non-code harassment allegations involving non-supervisory staff, review non-medical accommodation requests, and provide consultative support on various projects across the organization’s three sites: St. Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, and Providence Healthcare.
The Ideal Candidate:
The ideal candidate thrives in high conflict situations and excels at managing and resolving issues constructively. They are comfortable juggling multiple priorities, energized by problem solving, and have a natural curiosity that drives them to ask insightful questions and dig deeper into cases. This individual is adept at supporting internal clients with thoughtful, professional guidance and providing feedback and coaching to staff and leaders in a diplomatic and empathetic manner. Strong communication skills are essential, including the ability to provide guidance, summarize investigative findings, and draft concise emails and letters.
Above all, they are driven by equity, inclusivity, and a desire to create positive change. Lived experience with human rights issues is highly valued as it brings important perspective and empathy to the role.
Key Responsibilities:
- Human Rights and Harassment Investigations: In partnership with the Human Rights Manager, assist in conducting thorough investigations into human rights violations and harassment allegations from non-supervisory staff, ensuring compliance with organizational policies, legal requirements, and best practices. Support the development of investigation strategies and provide input while deferring final decisions to the Human Rights Manager.
- Workplace Accommodation Review: Collaborate closely with the Human Rights Manager to review and assess non-medical accommodation requests, ensuring adherence to case law, human rights legislation, and organizational policies. Provide operational support in the accommodation process while consulting with the Human Rights Manager on complex or sensitive cases.
- Complaint Triage and Consultation: Work in partnership with the Human Rights Manager to triage complaints from staff regarding human rights and harassment issues. Ensure timely escalation of supervisory and above human rights and harassment complaints to the Human Rights Manager for complex cases.
- Consultation and Support: Provide expert, tactical advice and support to HR teams, leadership, and staff on human rights issues, policies, and procedures. Work alongside the Human Rights Manager to ensure a fair, inclusive, and legally compliant work environment by helping to implement human rights strategies and foster a culture of respect and inclusion.
- Project Coordination for Well and Working Program: In close collaboration with the Human Rights Manager, assist in the planning, coordination, and execution of initiatives within the Well and Working Program. Ensure that these initiatives align with Unity Health Toronto’s goals to enhance employee well-being, mental health, and workplace culture.
- Data Reporting and Analysis: Collect data related to human rights complaints, harassment investigations, and accommodation requests. Partner with the Human Rights Manager to identify trends, measure program effectiveness, and provide insights that support continuous improvement and the evolution of human rights initiatives.
- Project Support: Assist in contributing to various human rights-related projects that promote inclusivity, equity, and compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Work closely with the Human Rights Manager to ensure the execution of projects that align with organizational goals and drive systemic improvements.
- Collaboration Across Sites: Partner with the Human Rights Manager to foster relationships and provide support across Unity Health Toronto’s three sites (St. Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, and Providence Healthcare). Ensure consistent application of human rights policies, while offering tactical support to ensure effective issue resolution and alignment with organizational culture at all locations.
Qualifications:
- Education : A degree or diploma in Human Resources, Law, Paralegal, Social Sciences, or a related field. Additional certifications in human rights, conflict resolution, or investigations are an asset.
- Experience : At least 2-3 years of experience in human resources with experience in handling human rights/harassment investigations or conflict resolution roles, preferably within a healthcare or large complex organizational setting.
Skills :
- Strong knowledge of human rights legislation, workplace accommodation practices, and harassment prevention.
- Natural curiosity and the ability to quickly formulate insightful questions, enabling effective and thorough investigations.
- Expertise in producing engaging and persuasive materials, such as reports, proposals, emails, and presentations, that capture attention and drive action.
- Proven ability to conduct sensitive investigations in a thorough, impartial, and professional manner.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across multiple sites.
- Strong organizational and project management skills.
Additional Information:
This is a network-wide position requiring an on-site presence at various locations across Unity Health Toronto. A hybrid work arrangement (combination of on-site and remote work) is available, subject to organizational needs.
Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We strive to provide a recruitment process that is barrier-free and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We understand that you may require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. When you are contacted, please inform the Talent Acquisition Specialist, and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs. We want to emphasize that all accommodation requests are handled with the utmost confidentiality, respecting your privacy and dignity.
