About the role:
The Ombudsman is an independent, non-partisan Officer of the Ontario Legislature, appointed by all parties, whose role is to ensure that the provincial government and public sector serve people in a way that is fair, accountable, transparent and respectful of their rights. The Office of the Ontario Ombudsman takes complaints about the administrative decisions and actions of more than 1,000 public sector and government bodies in Ontario, as well as French language services and services provided in the child protection sector.
As part of the Early Resolutions team in the Children and Youth Unit, you will be the first contact for people coming to the Ontario Ombudsman’s office with complaints about services provided by children’s aid societies (CAS), residential licensees, youth justice facilities and secure treatment programs. Early Resolution Officers (EROs) triage and analyze complaints to clearly identify issues and determine how to resolve them or when to escalate them. EROs must be able to capably frame issues for escalation and for regular reporting to senior management.
Each ERO manages a caseload of files, conducts research, makes inquiries, and assists with trend analysis to identify complaint patterns and potential systemic issues. In addition to receiving complaints by email and letter, EROs use their active listening and interviewing skills to take complaints over the phone and in person, at times dealing with complainants who may require special accommodation, or who may be frustrated and distressed by their experience.
Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Receives complaints and inquiries by mail, email, telephone or in person and obtains all relevant information by asking clarifying questions, requesting documentation where appropriate, and conducting appropriate follow-up where necessary
- Assesses complaints to determine whether issues can be dealt with within the Ombudsman’s and the Children and Youth Unit’s mandate using an issue-based analysis, and clearly and effectively communicates the rationale for this assessment verbally and in writing where required
- Triages complaints, prioritizes and identifies next steps to attempt resolution
- Reviews and analyzes complaints and identifies and frames issues for follow-up in an objective and impartial fashion
- Prepares cases summaries for use in the Ombudsman’s Annual Report or for other purposes
- Summarizes complaint information and/or the results of trends analyses for the purpose of briefing management and/or to assist in responding to media and other inquiries
Knowledge and experience:
- University or post-secondary degree in a field such as law, psychology, political science, public administration, social work, criminal justice
- A minimum of 2 years of experience is required, with 5 years preferred, in providing intake and complaint handling services in a similar organization, specifically in complaints, investigations, case management and/or conflict resolution
- An understanding of issues that children and youth experience related to children’s aid societies, residential licensees, youth justice facilities, and secure treatment
- Demonstrated experience in analyzing and identifying issues without injecting opinion
- Demonstrated ability to communicate with children or youth and specifically those who are distressed, emotionally distraught or who may require special accommodation
- Knowledge of applicable legislation and regulations affecting children and youth in Ontario including the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017
- Knowledge of the child protection and youth justice systems in Ontario is considered an asset
- Self-starter with a proven ability to work independently and with a team
Required skills and competencies:
- Ability to bring innovative thinking to an issue, while working within a prescribed framework
- Capable of multitasking, balancing the need to resolve issues quickly with an effective and thorough analysis
- Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to deal with emotionally charged situations and vulnerable complainants
- Excellent organizational, caseload and time management skills to resolve issues quickly with an effective and thorough analysis
- Ability to work to work independently with minimal supervision
- Excellent verbal and written skills, and ability to communicate effectively and efficiently with individuals at all levels
- Capable of handling confidential, sensitive and personal information using good judgement and discretion
- Proficiency in oral and written communication in the English language is required
- Proficiency in oral and written communication in the French language is required
Additional requirements
- Please include a cover letter with your résumé, describing your experience, achievements, ability to work in both English and French, and why you are interested in a role with Ombudsman Ontario.
- Must be eligible to work in Canada and work from the office as per work requirements.
In addition to being dedicated to building a workforce that reflects diverse talent, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible experience. If you require an accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, please contact us.
We thank you for your submission, however, only applicants selected will be contacted.
