Lead – Harm Reduction

Internal/External Posting
Full-time Position
Location: Sioux Lookout, ON
Salary Range: $68,778 – $100,438 per annum
Reference Number: LEADH001460
If applying by email, indicate reference number in subject line

Job Summary:
The Approaches to Community Wellbeing is a regional resource to 31 First Nations communities. The Approaches to Community Wellbeing provides expertise, support, services, and programming in public health to the region. The program also supports communities in the development, implementation, and monitoring of their own Approaches to Community Wellbeing.
The Lead – Harm Reduction supports communities in prioritizing needs and developing strategies to address substance use and mental health issues. The Lead – Harm Reduction works along with other members of the Harm Reduction team and the Lead – Mental Wellness with the Preventing Chronic Diseases program to support the full spectrum of harm reduction approaches.
The Lead – Harm Reduction is directly accountable to the Manager – Harm Reduction.

Qualifications:
•Persons of First Nations ancestry will be given preference (OHRC, Part II, Special Employment).
•The ability to communicate in one of the First Nations dialects in the Sioux Lookout Zone is an asset.
• Minimum of 5 years of direct service in the substance use and addictions field or related area
• Bachelor’s degree in social work or a health-related field
• Knowledge of cultural teachings and values of First Nations communities in the Sioux Lookout area
• Familiarity with speaking in an Ojibwe, Anisininew, and/or Cree dialect is an asset
• Knowledge about a range of topics related to substance use and addictions (e.g., addiction theories, treatment models, prescription drug misuse symptoms and effects, concurrent mental health issues, counselling approaches)
• Ability to apply child and adult learning principles to effectively share knowledge
• Knowledge of the root causes of disruption to wellness, mental health difficulties, and substance use among First Nations peoples (e.g., racist and colonial policies and trauma); and ability to develop culturally safe program/service approaches
• Familiarity with the management of opioid addiction through use of Suboxone from induction through to stabilization and then maintenance
• Excellent engagement and leadership skills to facilitate group dialogue and program development
• Professional integrity and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• Excellent computer, written, communication, and assessment skills
• Excellent planning, organizational, problem solving, and decision-making skills
• Ability to travel to remote First Nations communities regularly
• Valid Class G driver’s license
• Ability to perform requirements of the role on a regular basis

Roles and Responsibilities:
• Develops and maintains a network of the community-based workers supporting substance use programming, including Suboxone program coordinators, harm reduction program staff, and NNADAP workers.
• Maintains communication with community-based workers to understand the substance use programming around substance use in the community, including service utilization and demands.
• Organizes and hosts orientations and sharing circles that connect community Suboxone program staff and other substance use workers from across the region and create safe space for knowledge sharing, peer support, celebration, and identifying areas of need;
• Plans and facilitates training workshops and events on related topics or topics identified by community workers (e.g.,directly observed therapy (DOT) training; situation de-escalation training; harm reduction strategies, safer substance use, naloxone training);
• Develops information resources with, and for, community-based workers (e.g., new worker manuals, safer substance use information posters, medication dispensing sign-in forms, and others at request of community);
• Works with communities to enhance or develop aftercare programming for substance use.
• Supports communities in the development of funding proposals to support their harm reduction programming.
• Participates in the creation of a regional and coordinated mental health and addictions plan with other ACW teams, SLFNHA departments, communities, and external partners.
• Develops approaches to supporting community members to live well while on their healing journeys with substance use based on knowledge of communities, cultural teachings, and Western approaches to treating addiction and supporting recovery.
• Builds strong relations with, and clarifies the roles of, community workers and leaders, Tribal Councils, PTOs, and other organizations involved in First Nations substance use prevention, healing, and harm reduction.
• Supports and increases awareness of the Harm Reduction team’s work.
• Participates in community outreach activities or working groups as necessary.
• Guides advocacy work for changes to racist, colonial, and inequitable provincial and federal laws and policies.
• Develops approaches to listening to community members’ experiences with substance use support programs and uses learnings to continuously improve programs/services.
• Works closely with other Harm Reduction team members and staff within ACW and SLFNHA to accomplish these responsibilities.
• Other duties as assigned
Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority focuses on hiring Indigenous employees whenever possible.
Candidates are encouraged to self-identify on their application. Self-identification is voluntary and the information is used to assist SLFNHA in hiring Indigenous people from the region whenever possible and to support candidates in their application.

We offer competitive and comprehensive employment benefits to Full-Time employees:
• Pension plan
• Fitness reimbursement program
• Comprehensive insurance coverage
• Professional development opportunities
• Relocation assistance

Apply online at https://www.slfnha.com/job/substance-use-lead-ref-2024-094/.
Human Resource Department
Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority
P.O. Box 1300, 61 Queen Street
Sioux Lookout, ON P8T 1B8
Phone: (807) 737-1802
Fax: (807) 737-2969
Email: Human.Resources@slfnha.com

SLFNHA currently “Strongly Recommends” COVID-19 immunizations and requests your immunization status to be sent to our staff health department if successful in the recruitment process.

Closing Date: November 7, 2025 @ 4:30p.m. CST.
No resumes received after this time will be accepted.

The Health Authority wishes to thank all applicants in advance. However, only those granted an interview will be contacted.

For additional information regarding the Health Authority, please visit our website at www.slfnha.com

SLFNHA is a proud supporter of Mikinakoos Children’s Fund. To find out more, visit www.mikinakoos.com