Staff Sergeant

Join us in leading for today, creating a better tomorrow!

Kenora Jail is seeking highly motivated self-starters with strong leadership abilities to manage the provision of programs and to provide leadership to staff in issues management and resolution.

As a Staff Sergeant, you will play an integral role in coaching and mentoring staff, maintaining the operation of the institution, and contributing to public safety and security through the care, custody, control and rehabilitation of inmates. You will work alongside a diverse team, engaging with governmental and community stakeholders, while managing unique daily demands. A range of on-the-job experiences along with online and in-person training, mentorship programs, employee networks and opportunities for career advancement and specialization, can help you gain valuable skills to grow your career.

About us:
This is an excellent opportunity to be a leader at a facility that has been designed to provide a respectful environment that prioritizes safety and security in addition to the rehabilitative potential of the individuals housed in custody.

Please note: As this is a frontline essential position, your physical presence at the office is crucial to this role and this position will be fully onsite. Shift work will include evenings, nights, weekends and statutory holidays including ‘on call' responsibilities. Furthermore, due to the holiday season, interviews will take place by the middle of January.

Leadership in the Ontario Public Service

A leadership career in the Ontario Public Service offers meaningful opportunities to lead impactful projects, collaborate with diverse teams, and shape policies, programs and services that positively influence the lives of millions of Ontarians, all within a supportive and inclusive work environment. Our leaders enjoy comprehensive benefit plans, a robust pension program, and challenging and rewarding work that will keep you motivated and fulfilled.

OPS Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism:The Ontario Public Service (OPS) is an innovative, responsive and accountable public service that works hard to be diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, merit-based, and equitable. Diversifying leadership is a top priority for the OPS. Our goal is to achieve parity with the Ontario labour force by 2025 for the most under-represented groups (Indigenous, racialized and persons with disabilities) on our leadership teams.

The OPS invites all interested individuals to apply. As an organization that promotes equity and diversity, the OPS encourages applications from Indigenous, Black, racialized individuals, and persons with disabilities.

The OPS is an accessible employer and we offer accommodation in all aspects of employment, including the recruitment process.

Visit the OPS Anti-Racism Policy, the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint, and the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan to learn more about the OPS commitment to advancing racial equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion in the public service.

What can I expect to do in this role?Create the Work Environment
In the Ontario Public Service, we hold our leaders to the highest standards, expecting them to embody authenticity, accountability, and courage in every action and decision. It will be your responsibility to create a work environment and team culture that ignites innovation, nurtures collaboration and champions inclusivity by creating a diverse, anti-racist and accessible workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. By aligning your choices with these values, you will create a vibrant work environment where every individual can thrive.

Deliver on Business Goals and Priorities
Your leadership will be crucial in guiding the team towards the achievement of their business goals. It will be your responsibility to inspire and motivate your team to deliver their best performance and align the team's daily actions with the strategic vision of the ministry. As the Staff Sergeant, you will:
• Provide leadership, guidance and direction to Staff in a correctional environment.
• Manage overall programs of the institution to ensure public safety and the care, security and discipline of inmates.
• Coordinate the review, formulation and implementation of institutional standing orders and local operating policies and procedures and ensure compliance with policies and legislation.
• Assume overall responsibility for the administration and operations of the institution in the absence of senior administrators.
• Conduct thorough investigations into a range of sensitive and contentious issues, determining resolutions and maintaining internal accountability.
• Be a quick thinker with the ability to manage crisis situations, instilling the confidence in staff to do the same.
• Bring an innovative mindset to your work, enabling you to incorporate new tools, technology and practices to achieve results.

How do I qualify?Mandatory• First Aid, CPR, and chemical munitions is required and gained through training.

Leadership and Supervisory Skills:• You can provide leadership, direction and coaching to Staff and ensure compliance with correctional standards, policies, legislation and procedures.
• You can manage the operational/program budget and contribute to financial and resource planning for the institution, ensuring fiscal responsibility of staff and equipment.
• You have knowledge of HR policies, practices and collective agreements, and can lead recruitment, manage complex employee relations matters, training and on-boarding.
• You act with integrity even when it is difficult to do so.

Technical Knowledge:• You have knowledge of correctional institution management and administration including program delivery and evaluation.
• You have knowledge of the diverse and complex programs, systems and services (i.e., security system enhancements, modernized health care services, direct/indirect supervision model).
• You can interpret and apply of relevant legislation and policies (i.e., Ontario Human Rights Code, Ministry of Correctional Services Act, Public Service of Ontario Act, etc.), and work with staff to ensure their clear understanding and correct application of new policies.

Communication and Relationship Management Skills:• You have exceptional communication skills to effectively liaise with multi-disciplinary institutional staff, senior management, regional office and community partners.
• You can prepare and present a range of materials including standards, policies and procedures, program planning documents, investigation reports, and complex work plans.
• You can foster collaborative working relationships with stakeholders including police, judiciary, and advocacy groups.

Analytical and Investigative Skills:• You can remain calm and demonstrate good judgment and decision-making skills when handling sensitive issues and emergency situations.
• You can conduct/review local investigation reports, fact findings, manage risk, to establish and maintain internal results-based accountability.
• You are skilled at managing on-going workload challenges, conflicting priorities and related stressors.

Additional Information:

Note:

• In accordance with the Ontario Public Service (OPS), Employment Screening Checks Policy (ESCP), the top candidate(s) may be required to undergo a security screening check. Refer to the above to determine the screening checks that are required for this position.
  
  Required security screening checks along with your written consent, will be sent to the Transition and Security Office (TSO), Corporate Talent Programs Branch, Talent and Leadership Division to evaluate the results. If applicable, the TSO, with your written consent, will request and obtain any additional employment screening checks that were not obtained directly by you.
  
  A record under the Criminal Code and/or other federal offence record(s) does not automatically mean you will be ineligible for the position. The employment screening check(s) will only be reviewed and evaluated by the TSO for the purpose of making a security clearance decision. The details of an individual's employment screening check(s) will be considered in specific relation to the duties and responsibilities of the position being filled. Employment screening check records will be maintained by the TSO and kept strictly confidential.
• N-CL-223694/24(2)

How to apply:

1. You must apply online.
2. Your cover letter and resume combined should not exceed five (5) pages. For tips and tools on how to write a concise cover letter and resume, review the Writing a Cover Letter and Resume: Tips, Tools and Resources.
3. Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements for this job. We rely on the information you provide to us.
4. Read the job description to make sure you understand this job.
5. OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.
6. If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please Contact Us to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team will contact you within 48 hours.

All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

Remember: The deadline to apply is Monday, January 13, 2025 11:59 pm EST. Late applications will not be accepted.

We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted.

All Ontario Public Service external job advertisements are posted in English and French. To confirm the language requirements of a job, check the "language of position" information at the top of each job ad. For all positions, candidates will be assessed in English, the business language of the Ontario Public Service. For English/French designated bilingual positions, candidates will also be assessed through French-language proficiency testing.

Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario sont affichées en anglais et en français. Pour connaître les exigences linguistiques, vérifiez les renseignements sur la « langue du poste » figurant dans le haut de chaque offre d'emploi. Pour tous les postes, l'évaluation des candidates et candidats se fera en anglais, la langue usuelle de la fonction publique de l'Ontario. En ce qui concerne les postes désignés bilingues, la maîtrise du français des candidates et candidats sera également évaluée.

Note: The only website where you can apply on-line for positions with the Ontario Public Service is http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca

Apply Online