Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building Lead – OHRN

by

Job Posting: https://ohrn.org/updates/kecbl-2022-06-10/

Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building Lead – OHRN (FH2022-08)

Location:

Remote/work from home. Potential, occasional need for in-person meetings in Toronto, Ontario, or with stakeholders throughout the province.

Hours:

Full-time (40 hours)

Reports to:

Director, OHRN

The Ontario Harm Reduction Network (OHRN)

OHRN supports harm reduction efforts in Ontario by offering knowledge exchange, networking, and capacity building opportunities to harm reduction service providers and agencies. We bring together harm reduction workers and program managers from across the province through The Outreach Network (TON).

OHRN is housed administratively within Fife House Foundation Inc. and operates under the policies and procedures of Fife House.

The role

 You will take the lead in:

  • creating knowledge mobilization plans and strategies;
  • developing a variety of learning resources;
  • organizing and facilitating capacity building events.

You will have a talent for:

  • knowing where to seek information and what questions to ask;
  • connecting people to each other;
  • facilitating discussions;
  • working across diverse audiences and with varied stakeholders;
  • examining, synthesizing and communicating relevant, accurate, and digestible information;
  • strategically sharing knowledge between audiences;
  • being technologically savvy;
  • having novel and progressive ideas.

Key duties and responsibilities

The Outreach Network (TON)

  • Be the go-to connection for TON members seeking information or resources.
  • Leads development and execution of TON needs assessment and evaluation.
  • Curates content for TON orientation resource.
  • Contributes to and assists with weekly e-communication.
  • Organizes and facilitates TON quarterly meetings:
    • Develops agendas based on current TON knowledge gaps, needs and opportunities.
    • Liaises with key stakeholders and guest speakers as needed.
    • Works with Coordinator on communications, technical, and logistical planning.
    • Facilitates all meetings.
  • Leads planning and execution of TON Annual Symposium:
    • Works with a symposium advisory committee.
    • Develops and leads a process to assess the learning needs of TON.
    • Makes recommendations on topics and formats.
    • Collaborates with committee and OHRN staff to identify necessary external speakers, consultants, and supports.
    • Leads a process to develop agenda, event materials, and evaluation tools.
    • Produces annual symposium report, including event summary, evaluation, and recommendations.

Knowledge translation/exchange/mobilization

  • Team-lead in developing and executing a strategy to identify and address knowledge/learning needs, particularly within TON and Public Health Units.
  • Collaborates with team members and external partners to review, revise, and develop educational resources and learning events that meet the needs of multiple stakeholders in the harm reduction community.
  • Ensures learning resources and activities align with values and current data, trends, and issues.
  • Ensures provision of credible, evidence-based information and sources.
  • Develops standards for events, resource development, and the online Learning Management System, to ensure consistency and quality; works with Coordinator to maintain them.
  • Reviews best practices and compiles existing resources and knowledge products.
  • Reviews information from internal/external and formal/informal literature sources for accuracy, clarity and relevance.
  • Manages resource creation through stakeholder consultations, involving subject matter experts, content development, editing, and design.
  • Acts as either primary OHRN contact or support on collaborative/cross-organizational knowledge translation projects or resource development, such as online courses, videos, and webinars.
  • Identifies external capacity-building opportunities targeting harm reduction workers and works with Coordinator to share with appropriate stakeholders and networks.
  • Contributes to and assists with weekly newsletters.

Support for website, LMS, online events

  • Collaborates with the Coordinator to manage website and LMS content to keep it up-to-date.
  • In conjunction with the Coordinator, creates, reviews and updates LMS processes, procedures, and supporting documentation. 

Information requests

  • Assesses all information requests and takes appropriate action, including: online research and knowledge synthesis, consulting with OHRN staff, asking TON members, soliciting specific stakeholders, setting up meetings, or declining to proceed with the request.
  • Publicly shares questions and answers when appropriate.
  • Ensure all requests are tracked and inputted into databases.

Drug Culture Consultants (DCCs)

  • Organizes and facilitates DCC quarterly meetings:
    • Leads agenda development based on current OHRN consultation needs.
    • Supports Coordinator on communications, technical, and logistical planning.
    • Facilitates meetings.
  • Involves DCCs where appropriate in the development and/or delivery of OHRN resources and KTE events.
  • Ensures DCCs are involved in OHRN programming and development in equitable ways following best practices developed by people who use drugs 

Professional development

  • Keeps current on socio-political factors that impact harm reduction work at the local, regional, and provincial levels, and stays versed about national and international developments and issues.
  • Monitors new developments in research and practice through reviewing scientific and grey literature and other authoritative sources.
  • Attends relevant continuing education and learning events.
  • Participates in regular supervision.

Program evaluation, improvement & reporting

  • Collaborates with Coordinator to generate effective data and feedback collection tools.
  • Prepares reports analyzing trends, usage, participant satisfaction, organizational goals and capacity-building initiatives.
  • Supports bi-annual program planning and reporting.
  • Collaborates with OHRN team to ensure up-to-date monthly statistics are maintained and prepares statistical and program summaries for reporting (e.g., OCHART).
  • Assists with the development of internal policies and procedures, and identifies and suggests ongoing ways to improve OHRN.
  • Tracks and submits expenses and time-off requests in a timely manner.

Qualifications and competencies

Education

OHRN recognizes the value of various learning experiences including, but not limited to, academic, workplace, volunteer, and personal experience. Applications will not be ignored due to having not met a formal educational threshold. However, formal education in one of the following areas would be an asset:

  • Knowledge exchange and mobilization;
  • Adult education;
  • Community development;
  • Project management;
  • Health promotion;
  • Communications;
  • or related fields of study.

Required experience

  • Three years’ involvement in similar positions or environments with relevant experience in knowledge mobilization, stakeholder engagement, resource development, and event moderation or faciltation. Work within substance use and harm reduction is a definite asset.

Required skills, behaviours and competencies

  • Friendly, engaging and personable.
  • You know how to identify, gather, critically assess, and synthesize information and evidence.
  • Ability to draw from research-based knowledge and lived experiences of harm reduction workers and people who use drugs.
  • Ability to simplify messaging and effectively communicate between technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Advanced verbal and written skills.
  • Skill to develop, or inform the development of, knowledge products (such as e-learning courses, fact sheets, blog posts, videos, and webinars), while integrating input and feedback from key stakeholders and partners.
  • Proficiency in the use of computer software and applications (Learning Management Systems, websites, Adobe products, Microsoft Office, email and contact management).
  • High levels of accuracy and orientation to details.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate with diverse groups of stakeholders.
  • Experience building relationships with partners at regional and provincial levels to inform or implement projects.
  • Ability to problem-solve and deal with confidential and complex issues discreetly with with sensitivity, respect, and tact.
  • Motivated strategic thinker who is skilled at anticipating and resolving stakeholder concerns.
  • Demonstrated experience and proficiency in designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues and conducting online meetings and learning sessions.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively with a team, to set priorities, and work within timelines and meet deadlines.
  • Demonstrated initiative and good judgement to take on multiple responsibilities and manage tasks and projects, with minimal supervision.
  • Ability to learn new concepts and processes quickly.

Assets

  • Knowledge of approaches to Universal Design for Learning, adult learning, and communications.
  • Understanding of biopsychosocial and spiritual models and determinants of health, structural and societal oppressions, and the historical and ongoing impacts of racism, classism, and colonization.
  • Familiarity with drug use and the harm reduction community in Ontario.
  • Bi/multi-lingual: English (required).

Compensation

Salary range starts at $62,720 and will be commensurate with experience, plus comprehensive Benefits Package including: health insurance, life insurance, EFAP paid by Fife House, float and management days off, paid sick leave and wellness activities.

To apply

  • Applications will be accepted until 4:00pm, Friday, June 10, 2022.
  • Please submit a single PDF file that includes a cover letter and resume; save using the following file name format: “Firstname-Lastname_OHRN-KECBL application”.
  • Please include a few examples of select communications, resources, or events you have been directly involved in the development of (additional or embedded files, or links to resources).
  • Submit by email using the subject line “OHRN KECBL application” to: [email protected].

Fife House is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our living and work environments. We know that diversity underpins excellence, and that we all share responsibility for creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive community. In pursuit of our values, we seek applicants who will work respectfully and constructively with differences and across levels of power.

We actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

  • People who use drugs
  • People living with HIV/HCV
  • Members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion/spiritual beliefs, or place of origin
  • First Nations, Métis, Inuit and other Indigenous peoples
  • People of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.
  • People with visible and/or invisible disabilities
  • People who identify as women

We recognize that many of these identities intersect and that therefore, equity, diversity and inclusion can be complex. We value the contributions that each person brings, and are committed to ensuring full and equal participation for all in our community.

Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Human Resources email: [email protected].

We thank all applicants but only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

For more information about OHRN, visit www.ohrn.org.

For more information about Fife House, visit www.fifehouse.org.