Full-time, permanent opportunity

Through its “Ignite Learning” campaign, the Durham District School Board (DDSB) has outlined its strategic priorities, which include Success, Well-Being, Leadership, Equity, Engagement and Innovation. This is an exciting opportunity for a Human Rights Investigator to contribute meaningfully to these priorities.

This newly created position is a key role in supporting the Durham District School Board’s commitment to Indigenous rights and human rights.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Corporate Services, you will be responsible for addressing discrimination and harassment complaints and conducting related legal assessments, mediations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution, as well as investigations involving students, parents/guardians, employees and community members. This will include interviewing parties, gathering and analyzing evidence, making findings and writing investigation reports based on legal and human rights principles, analyses and tests.

As a Human Rights Investigator, you will also develop tools and resources to support and enhance timely, effective and responsive human rights complaint resolution processes, and work closely with the Board’s Human Rights and Equity Advisor on strategies to address systemic human rights issues and trends, providing input, advice and solutions. Applying your legal knowledge and analyses, principles of human rights, anti-discrimination and anti-racism and skills in conflict resolution and investigations, you will assess human rights complaints (e.g. conducting threshold assessments) using legal principles and determine the most appropriate course of action.

Collaborative in approach, you will consult with the Indigenous Education department on issues/complaints that concern the Indigenous Education Policy and procedures or involve allegations of violations of Indigenous rights, collaborate with human rights investigators and advisors in other districts and sectors, and participate actively in communities of practice. Collecting and maintaining complaints-related data, reviewing best practices and case law, identifying potential legal risks, systemic issues and barriers, and recommending strategies to inform and enhance responsive complaints resolution procedures and practices will be an integral part of this role.

This position is an “arm's length” role to support impartial, independent and fair investigations, and reports to the Associate Director of Corporate Services for administrative purposes, only. You may be required to attend occasional evening meetings.

Qualifications

Your profile as a qualified Human Rights Investigator will include:

• Post-secondary education in law (emphasis on human rights and/or education law preferred) and membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.

· A minimum of five (5) years’ relevant legal experience investigating and resolving human rights complaints, using trauma-informed and anti-discrimination principles and practices, and conflict resolution skills (alternative dispute resolution/mediation). Experience working with children and youth and/or community legal work is an asset.

· An equivalent combination of educational, professional and lived experiences will also be considered.

· Knowledge and understanding of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the distinct rights of Indigenous Peoples.

· Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Ontario Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Education Act, and other legislation and related legal principles and case law regarding human rights investigations and the rights of children/youth, students, employees and families/communities in the Board’s learning and working environments.

· Experience assessing complex human rights issues or complaints based on all Human Rights Code grounds and using strong legal, analytical and problem-solving skills to determine appropriate courses of action.

· Experience successfully resolving human rights issues and complaints, including through restorative practices, mediation and other forms of informal and formal alternative dispute resolution and conflict resolution practices.

· Experience conducting complex and sensitive human rights investigations, with excellent knowledge of legal and administrative/procedural investigation requirements and best practices.

· Experience in, knowledge of, and sensitivity to unique considerations involved in conducting human rights investigations involving children (for example, including interviewing or working and communicating with children and youth of various ages, developmental stages and lived experiences, realities and needs), including how children/youth may express themselves and share sensitive information.

· Knowledge of discriminatory barriers and systemic issues in educational services/service delivery and employment.

· Understanding of, and demonstrated ability to apply, trauma-informed and anti-discriminatory, anti-racist and anti-oppressive principles and approaches to all aspects of complaints resolution (including supporting cultural and other safety needs, minimizing harm and stress on children/youth involved in investigative processes, gathering and assessing information, interviewing parties and witnesses, analyzing evidence and making findings based on legal principles, and conveying the results of investigations).

· Experience developing tools and resources to support the implementation of human rights complaints resolution procedures and practices.

· Experience conducting human rights analyses of policies, procedures and/or practices to identify potential discriminatory barriers and legal risks.

· Strong oral and written communication skills to prepare investigation reports, present findings and communicate effectively with diverse internal and external audiences, including the ability to convey complex legal, human rights and investigation principles in a clear and sensitive manner.

· Strong organizational, administrative and case management skills to independently handle a complaints caseload and deliver service excellence.

· Demonstrated experience handling contentious and confidential information with sensitivity, good judgement and discretion.

· Proficient computer skills, including word processing, databases, presentation packages, case management software, email, and internet.

Salary Range: $108,337 to $126,754 per annum

The Durham District School Board (DDSB)is responsible for public education in the rural settings of Uxbridge, Brock and Scugog Townships and the urban settings of Ajax, Whitby, Pickering, and Oshawa. The DDSB accommodates a school population of nearly 74,000 day students, through 134 elementary and secondary schools and learning centres, and thousands more who take advantage of a wide variety of continuing education and adult credit courses.

The DDSB recognizes Indigenous rights are distinct. In the exercise of those rights, Indigenous staff and students shall not be subjected to actions with the aim or effect of depriving these distinct rights.

The DDSB is committed to learning and working environments that centre human rights and equity and that are safe, welcoming, respectful, equitable, accessible, inclusive, and free from discrimination, oppression, harassment and harm.

To apply online for Posting # 3374456, by 4:30 p.m., Friday, December 16th, 2022, please go to ddsb.caand submit your application under the section Careers – Educational Services.

The DDSB is committed to equity and inclusion in the recruitment and hiring of qualified staff and to:

· Providing learning and working environments, services and workplaces that are welcoming, respectful, safe, inclusive, equitable, accessible and free from discrimination

· Meeting its legal requirements under the Human Rights Code to accommodate Human Rights Code related needs and to proactively identify, address and prevent potential discrimination and harassment.

The DDSB will implement fair, consistent and transparent hiring procedures and practices to attract, recruit and retain a qualified and diverse workforce that:

· Reflects the diverse communities the DDSB serves and of Ontario

· Has the knowledge, skills, attributes and lived and other experiences to best support students and to effectively respond to the diverse identities, strengths, needs and experiences of DDSB communities.

To support these commitments, the DDSB will also consider:

· Applicants’ additional work and other experiences, skills, backgrounds and lived experiences that may contribute to the success of this position

· Hiring staff from underrepresented groups to better reflect the diverse communities the DDSB serves.

We encourage submissions from candidates with diverse lived experiences and who are underrepresented and under-recruited in our workforce.

The DDSB is also committed to providing accommodation and barrier-free and accessible employment in compliance with the Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require accommodation based on any Human Rights Code protected ground(s) through any stage of the recruitment process, please make your requirements known when contacted so that we can meet your needs.

Upon Hire:

You must provide the Human Resources department with a current obtained or applied for (within six months of your start date) Criminal Background Check, including vulnerable sector screening.

While we appreciate all applications received, only those to be interviewed will be contacted.

Job Type: Fixed term contract

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Whitby, ON: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Language:

• English (preferred)

Work Location: In person

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