Employment Equity and Accessibility Officer

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With a commitment to Indigenization and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone.

Laurier has more than 21,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, a flexible work policy and employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Laurier's Waterloo, Kitchener, and Brantford campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict.  Laurier's Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Position Summary

At Laurier, we value diversity and a culture of inclusivity where all members of the Laurier community can thrive. Laurier is committed to promoting empowerment and education and to eradicate the barriers to equity and inclusion. We advocate for the inclusion and equitable treatment of all members of our community, with a goal to attract and retain diverse employees through enabling performance and professional growth and fostering an engaging, healthy and inclusive working and learning environment for all.

The Employment Equity and Accessibility Officer, as part of the Human Resources team, is responsible for supporting various policies, practices, and initiatives that are designed to create a culture of inclusion and to ensure Laurier’s work environment is supportive and accessible for all employees, including those from equity deserving groups.

Reporting to the Chief Human Resources and Equity Officer, the Employment Equity and Accessibility Officer partners with functional areas within and outside of HR to identify employment barriers and opportunities and embed equity principles into our people practices. This includes key activities such as policy development, data collection, analysis and reporting, process-improvement, community outreach, and employee education and training.  The incumbent will draw upon their in-depth knowledge of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Ontario Human Rights Code, and other promising practices across the sector, to ensure Laurier is both proactive and compliant in meeting its goals and obligations. 

As Laurier’s main point of contact on all matters related to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the role specifically supports and advises on projects and priorities related to accessibility outside of the academic environment. Working closely with colleagues in Human Resources, Facilities and Asset Management, ICT, Student Services, and the offices of the AVP EDI and AVP Indigenous Initiatives, the Employment Equity and Accessibility Officer leads and advises on policies, projects and legislation with aim to improve Laurier’s culture of inclusion. This role also represents Laurier on the Council of Ontario Universities’ AODA Coordinator’s Group, sharing best practices and insights across Ontario-based universities related to AODA compliance and accessibility initiatives.

Accountabilities

Employment Equity

1. Employment Equity – Data collection, reports and university wide projects

• Provides advice and consultation to internal partners and leaders responsible for the achievement of, and compliance with, the University’s employment equity goals, objectives, timeframes and measures of progress, requirements and compliance;
• Ensures all employment equity policies, practices and programs are documented, administered, and implemented in accordance with legislative requirements and institutional priorities;
• Advises on risks and opportunities related to employment equity issues and trends;
• Facilitates increased community understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion principles in the context of employment, including supporting the development of policies, practices, procedures and communications strategies designed to create a more equitable and inclusive workplace;
• Researches best practices, informs and collaborates with key areas to advance university wide culture change in support of equity, diversity and inclusion  
• Supports units within and outside Human Resources in incorporating equity and inclusion into their people strategies and operational practices.
• Works with provincial and national Employment Equity Officers/networks to assess best practices, gather insight on key systemic barriers impacting upon the Employment Equity portfolio, and communicate these ideas in meaningful ways to the Laurier community;
• Establishes, updates and maintains Laurier’s Employment Equity Survey, and seeks ways to promote maximum participation.
• Authors and publishes Laurier’s Annual Employment Equity Report which includes reporting and analysis of internal and external data trends and reporting on Laurier’s employment equity related activities and future plans in accordance with best practices
• Creates reports for leaders on the internal and external equity representation of their areas and provides suggestions for ways to address representation gaps.
• Works with the EDI Data Specialist in AVP EDI office on projects that mobilize data to support equity.

1. Employment Equity – Committees and Working Group Support

• Coordinates or Co-Chairs the University Employment Equity Advisory Committee (UEEAC) o promote and advance Laurier’s holistic approach to employment equity. This includes informing the committee of employment equity trends, research, resources and University initiatives and seeking feedback on same;
• Participates in the CRC EDI Working Group, which is responsible for developing and amending Laurier’s CRC Equity Action Plan and completing annual progress reports.
• Participates as a member of Laurier’s EDI Data Governance Advisory Group.
• Sits at a member of the monthly EDI Communication meetings to coordinate communications related to equity issues, including religious holidays, events, and keystone events (Black History Month, Pride Month, Indigenous History Month…)
• Participates in ad-hoc committees and working groups as required

1. Employment Equity – Training, Outreach, Recruitment, Selection and Promotion

• Collaborates with and supports the Talent Acquisition Team in Human Resources in addressing representation gaps in staff and management hiring. This includes being a partner in developing pathway programs and supports that encourages attraction of a diverse and qualified candidate pool.
• Collaborates with Human Resources colleagues to embed equity practices in Laurier’s recruitment service delivery model and new employee onboarding practices for staff and faculty;
• Supports Faculty Search Committees and Appointment and Promotion Committees, in accordance with the WLUFA Collective Agreement, to support equity in hiring, tenure and promotions. This includes creating reports, outlining data trends, developing tools, resources and interview questions, reviewing job descriptions and helping navigate issues that may arise related to employment equity in the hiring, tenure and promotion process;
• Supports University senior leadership searches by presenting trends and best practices in equitable hiring and providing training and resources as requested;
• Develops and implements training and education programs for faculty and staff (in collaboration with others) to promote a workplace culture and climate of equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Supports employees who are seeking advice on how to navigate challenging situations related to equity and inclusion in the employment context; helping employees navigate internal policies, processes and access resources

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Compliance and Coordination

• Monitors existing and proposed AODA legislation and brings awareness of upcoming legislative requirements to Laurier’s leadership team.
• Consistently measures and monitors Laurier’s compliance with AODA, and takes action to address issues of non-compliance, working with the appropriate operational leaders
• Informs and works with key internal stakeholders to plan, develop, operationalize and monitor action plans to meet and maintain AODA compliance
• Supports, organizes and develops committees and working groups related to accessibility to promote accessible practices and ensure compliance with policies and legislation.
• Acts as the University’s contact for feedback as legislated under the AODA for staff, faculty, students, and third party public;
• Investigates and formulates the University’s response to complaints under the AODA, working collaboratively with the unit(s) responsible for the service delivery to resolve;
• Acts as the University’s main contact for AODA compliance mechanisms with the Ontario Government;
• Collaborates with key internal stakeholders to write, operationalize and monitor Laurier’s Accessibility Plan;
• Develops, facilitates and coordinates workshops, learning opportunities and resources for Laurier staff, faculty and students on building an accessible Laurier;
• Develops and maintains Laurier’s Accessibility hubs for members of the public, students, staff and faculty (wlu.ca, students.wlu.ca and Connect);
• Works with provincial and national Accessibility Officers/networks to establish common interpretations and best practices on accessibility and communicate these ideas in meaningful ways to the Laurier community.

Employment Accommodation and the Ontario Human Rights Code

• Supports and works collaboratively with the Human Resource colleagues, including the Health and Wellness Team, Faculty Relations and Employee Relations in responding to accommodation requests made under the University Employment Accommodation Policy;
• Provides advice and guidance to managers, supervisors, faculty members about their supervisory responsibilities in relation to human rights.

Qualifications

• University degree with a Masters an asset or equivalent in education and experience
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in human rights and employment equity
• Experience championing a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, accessibility and disability justice
• Expertise in anti-oppressive and anti-ableist practices and strong knowledge of intersecting identities and experiences
• Strong relationship building skills, and proven ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Proven analytical skills with experience writing quantitative and qualitative reports for various audiences
• Strong knowledge of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and Ontario Human Rights Code,
• Experience assessing and administering educational opportunities for adult learners
• Experience handling contentious matters with sensitivity, confidentiality and balance
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse groups across a complex organization to achieve common goals
• Ability to research, review, understand and apply academic research to programs and policies
• Ability to communicate effectively, including through presentation, with various groups across the university including faculty, staff, senior administration, students and the public

Direct Reports:

This position has no direct reports, but may supervise students or temporary project staff from time to time

Collaborations:

This position works collaboratively with multiple offices across all Laurier campuses and locations, including but not limited to the offices of:

• AVP EDI
• Indigenous Initiatives
• Human Rights and Conflict Management
• Accessible Learning Services

Hours of work

The normal hours of work are Monday to Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.

Compensation

Level: H

Salary: $76,063 - $95,078 annually

Broad salary ranges include a hiring range ($76,063 - $85,570), a target range ($85,571-$104,586), and a premium range ($104,587-$114,094).

When new employees are hired the appropriate base salary is determined using these sub-ranges as a guide while adhering to rules on hiring as defined in our compensation policy. Considerations for new hire salaries include, qualifications and length/depth of required experience, relevant market rates for similar jobs, internal equity, and estimated learning curve in starting the job.