Team Lead, Client Advocates

 
Team Lead, Client Advocates 
Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation – Jessie’s House 
Reports To:?Senior Manager, Shelter Operations and Programs 
Schedule:?Monday–Friday, 7am-4pm with one shift per week from 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; participates in on-call rotation 
Compensation: $32-35/hr based on education and experience  Location:?Jessie’s House 
Summary of Position 
The Team Lead, Client Advocates is an emerging leadership role designed to develop the next Manager of Shelter Operations at Jessie’s House. This position is responsible for delivering highquality service and program delivery through team empowerment, risk mitigation, effective scheduling, onboarding, occupancy management, enhanced team communication, case conferencing, and relationship building with external stakeholders.  
The Team Lead will champion a diverse, inclusive, and feminist leadership environment—valuing collaboration, transparency, and the empowerment of both staff and clients. The role requires a strong commitment to trauma-informed, decolonial, harm reduction, and anti-oppressive practices, and the ability to support a diverse working environment from a feminist leadership lens. 
Core Competencies 

• Safety:?Ensures physical and emotional safety for clients, staff, and community. 
• Trustworthiness & Transparency:?Builds trust through clear, consistent, and honest communication. 
• Collaboration & Mutuality:?Engages stakeholders as partners in decision-making and fosters collective action. 
• Empowerment, Voice & Choice:?Focuses on strengths, enables informed decisionmaking, and supports self-advocacy. 
• Cultural, Historical & Gender Sensitivity:?Recognizes and addresses the influence of cultural, historical, and gender-related factors in trauma and service delivery. 
• Task Orientation & Outcome Achievement:?Demonstrates strong organizational skills, manages competing priorities, and achieves program outcomes in a fast-paced environment. 
• Risk Management & Assessment:?Proactively identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks to clients, staff, and operations. 

 

• Conflict Resolution & Solution Focus:?Applies effective conflict resolution strategies and maintains a solution-focused approach to challenges. 
• Feminist Leadership:?Models empathy, transparency, accountability, and the promotion of diverse voices and equitable power-sharing within the team. 

 Qualifications & Experience 

• Education: 
• Diploma or degree in Social Work, Human Services, Psychology, or a related field (Bachelor’s preferred). 
• Additional training in trauma-informed care, harm reduction, or feminist leadership is an asset. 
• Experience: 
• Minimum 2 years of experience in a frontline capacity within the social services sector, ideally in a shelter, crisis intervention, or related environment. 
• At least 1 year of supervisory, team lead, or administrative experience preferred. 
• Demonstrated experience working with vulnerable and diverse populations, including those experiencing homelessness, family violence, trauma, or addiction. 
• Experience supporting or leading a team in a high-crisis, fast-paced environment. 
• Skills & Competencies: 
• Strong leadership, communication, and team-building skills. 
• Excellent organizational, time management, and problem-solving abilities. 
• Proven conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills. 
• Ability to manage and assess risk, prioritize tasks, and maintain professionalism under pressure. 
• Commitment to trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally safe practices. 
• Ability to support a diverse working environment from a feminist leadership lens, including valuing diverse identities, promoting equity, and fostering inclusive decisionmaking. 
• Proficiency in documentation, report writing, and use of client management systems. 
• Valid Standard First Aid and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Certification (or willingness to obtain). 

 
 
Additional Requirements 

• Ability to work flexible hours, including participation in on-call rotation and one evening shift per week. 
• Physical ability to perform shelter-related duties (e.g., moving furniture, cleaning). 
• Clear criminal record and vulnerable sector check. 
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and willingness to grow into a management role. 

 
Reporting & Team Structure 

• Reports To:?Senior Manager, Shelter Operations & Programs 
• Mandate:?Team Lead, Client Advocates 
• Location:?Jessie’s House 

 
This position is ideal for a candidate who is passionate about feminist leadership, committed to equity and inclusion, and ready to empower both staff and clients while achieving operational excellence in a dynamic shelter environment