Job Description

At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun!



Sounds pretty great, doesn't it? It is!



House of Friendship is a charitable social service agency serving thousands, providing addiction treatment, food, housing, and community resources throughout Waterloo Region. The Quality team stewards the data, evaluation, processes and frameworks that support House of Friendship's team members, leaders, and Board of Directors to manage privacy and risk, ensure program reporting compliance, maintain accreditation, and improve the quality of our services. The Quality Systems Specialist plays a key role in strengthening and operationalizing House of Friendship's quality improvement, accreditation, risk management, privacy compliance, and emergency response systems. This role works collaboratively with organizational leaders and teams to ensure these systems are consistently embedded into day-to-day practice, monitored and reported on, and used to inform learning and improvement, resulting in strong administrative practices and safe and effective service delivery. Acting as a subject?matter resource, the role partners with leaders and teams to translate standards, policies, regulatory requirements and quality expectations into practical workflows, tools, and supports that are meaningful in a community?based service environment. The Quality Systems Specialist exercises a high degree of professional judgment and autonomy in planning, prioritizing, and carrying out work, escalating issues and recommendations to the Director as appropriate.

This is a 1 year contract position, from approximately February 23, 2026 to February 26, 2027. This is a full-time position, scheduled to work 37.5 hours per week; Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, with flexibility. Work may be performed from a home office for some of the weekly hours.

Key Responsibilities:

Serve as the organizational lead for the coordination and communication of organization-wide accreditation activities, including self?assessments, standards mapping, evidence collection, documentation maintenance, and survey readiness Guide program leaders and teams to understand accreditation standards and their application in a community?based health and social services context Maintain accreditation work plans, timelines, tools, and supporting materials to ensure ongoing readiness rather than cyclical preparation Support the Quality Director with the design, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of the organization's integrated quality improvement system, including policy, frameworks, and tools In collaboration with the Quality Director, facilitate the annual preparation of the Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) and generate quarterly reports for OLT and the Board of Directors to monitor progress on the QIP Act as the project manager for organizational quality improvement initiatives as identified in the annual Quality Improvement Plan, utilizing strong change management and engagement practices Conduct periodic review and analysis of complaints submitted by participants and community members to identify themes, summarize insights into reports for organizational leaders, and support the integration of learnings into quality improvement and risk management processes Support the Quality Director with the operationalization and maintenance of the organization's risk management framework, including risk identification, mitigation planning, monitoring, and reporting Establish and coordinate the ongoing conduct of internal reviews, audits, and quality assurance activities to assess compliance with privacy and risk policies, standards, and regulatory requirements with findings and recommendations escalated to the Director or other responsible leaders, as required Coordinate follow?up and tracking of corrective actions arising from risk audits, privacy incidents and audits, accreditation findings, and quality reviews Oversee the operational aspects of organizational emergency response preparedness activities, including drills, testing, documentation, and related compliance requirements Work with Management Team across the organization to maintain emergency response records, schedules, and documentation in alignment with organizational policies, accreditation standards, and regulatory expectations Support leaders and team members with learning and quality improvement following emergency drills or real?world incidents Prepare summaries, reports, and documentation for leadership, committees, accreditors, and regulators (e.g. Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario), as required Lead the review, development, and creation of organizational policies and procedures within scope of responsibility Act as a quality and risk resource to leaders and teams across the organization, providing consultation, guidance, and practical support Represent the organization in discussions with external accreditors, and other external stakeholders within scope of responsibility Contribute to quality?related committees, working groups, and organizational initiatives

Job Specific Knowledge/Skills:

Self-directed with high capacity to manage multiple priorities and timelines without sacrificing results and relationships Strong systems?thinking capability, with the ability to understand how policies, standards, risks, processes, and workflows interact across programs and services Proven ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with staff, leaders and external partners, and to influence practice without authority Exceptionally strong documentation, analysis, and reporting skills, with high attention to detail and accuracy Advanced knowledge of quality improvement principles and methodologies in health, social services, or community?based organizations Experience in operationalizing policies, standards, or frameworks into practical tools, processes, and guidance that support consistent organizational practice Understanding of accreditation processes, risk management concepts, and emergency preparedness and response planning

Education/Experience:

University degree in a related field (i.e. Public Health, Health or Social Services Administration, Social Work, Policy, or a related discipline) Minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible experience in areas related to quality improvement, accreditation, risk management, privacy, emergency preparedness and response, or other organizational systems-related work Experience working in social services, health, public service, or community-based organizations strongly preferred Hands-on experience supporting accreditation processes, regulatory compliance, and/or quality assurance activities is a strong asset In addition to other qualifications, having direct service/client-facing experience in housing, community services, addictions or other health care settings would be highly valued

Critical Skills:

Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship is expected Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict management and problem-solving skills required Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, participants and community members Experience or strong interest in working with diverse populations including people from various cultural backgrounds, income levels, and sensitivity to their needs Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive and trauma informed approach to consultation, program design, evaluations of processes and service delivery Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a positive attitude Respectful, supportive and engaging approach to persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental illness and other life challenges Excellent project, timeline and deadline management skills including skills in logistics, planning and detailed record keeping

Compensation:

At House of Friendship, we know that our team members are the key to the success of our organization and our ability to provide essential services to the community. In support of our mission and in alignment with our values, House of Friendship is committed to ensuring fair, market competitive, and rewarding compensation practices for all of our team members. We aspire to support our team members to create a great work environment where our team is able to thrive, succeed, and have a positive work experience.



House of Friendship compensation practices including our pay grid, have been developed using documented leading pay practices in the not-for-profit sector including Pathways to Decent Work(Ontario Nonprofit Network) and Ontario Living Wage Network. We value the experience that new team members bring to the organization and have a process in place to review previous related experience for placement on our pay grid.



We value the work that you do with fair pay and benefits:

Time off includes vacation pay and 2 personal days per year Employee Family Assistance Program

Rate of Pay:

At House of Friendship all compensation ranges are categorized under a series of "grades" and we base our payment structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate's past related experience will be taken into consideration.



Grade: 5


Min: $27.31


Mid: $31.34


Max: $35.37

Working Conditions:

37.5 hours weekly; generally daytime, weekday hours Work may be performed in a home office for some of the weekly hours Encountering participants at program sites under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and/or experiencing symptoms of mental illness can be expected


This role is being posted to fill a new role in the organization.



House of Friendship is open and inviting to qualified candidates with lived experience.



House of Friendship supports justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace. We strive to be a workplace free of harassment and discrimination and we are committed to removing barriers and being an inclusive, work environment. House of Friendship is a place where each person can bring their true selves and feel that they belong. We aspire to be an organization that is anti-racist and anti-oppressive so that our team, and therefore our community, can truly belong and thrive.


We invite applications from all qualified candidates and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to accessing employment including, but not limited to Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.


If you require accommodations to be able to participate fully at any stage in the recruitment process, including applying for this position, please let us know so that we can discuss accommodation options. Accommodations will be provided upon request.



If you are as passionate as we are about serving the community, let's talk.


To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter here:

https://house-of-friendship.hirehive.com/quality-systems-specialist-kitchener-on-qtkJNI

By end of day

January 29, 2026

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not being used in the screening of applications.