Manager of Wellness and Recovery

About the Organization:

The Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC) is an Indigenous governed, Indigenous led regional social planning and development organization. The BANAC service region now covers Simcoe County, Muskoka, and York region. BANAC works in cooperation with Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous organizations to address community-identified priorities through coordinated planning, implementation and evaluation. BANAC has a mandate to support the continued promotion of Indigenous lifelong learning and community wellness through self-determination and community participation. 

BANAC offers many innovative programs and services including Aging Well Senior Supports, Bebminot Family Wellness, the Biinoojinsauk Child Care Centre, Maapii Enjii Zaagi Gaazwad and the Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Team.  Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin offers a wholistic approach to wellness that includes traditional healing practices in primary care, community clinics, addiction and recovery services, counselling programs, midwifery, land-based healing programs, and community health promotion. 

About the Role:

This position operates within an Indigenous-led and Indigenous-governed organization that is accountable to the communities it serves. Work is grounded in the principle of Indigenous Health in Indigenous Hands, ensuring that all programs and services are developed, delivered, and evaluated under Indigenous governance structures and community direction. In alignment with Indigenous and provincial standards, the organization upholds excellence in care, accountability, and compliance while centering on Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural safety, and self-determination in health and social service deliverables.

All employees are required to participate in organizational Indigenous Cultural Safety training and to engage in ongoing reflexive practices as part of their professional development. This includes a commitment to examining personal and systemic biases, deepening understanding of Indigenous histories and experiences, and ensuring that service delivery aligns with the values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism that guide the organization’s work.

This position is being posted in response to an existing vacancy at the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle. 

Reporting directly to the Director of Wellness and Recovery at BANAC/Mamaway, the Manager of Wellness and Recovery (WR) provides managerial oversight to integrated care teams who deliver Counselling and Wellness services and Community Addictions and Support services across North Simcoe Muskoka. The Manager of WR is responsible for ensuring that mental wellness and recovery services and programs are responsive, culturally grounded, and aligned with the evolving needs of Indigenous individuals, families, and communities.

The Manager of WR champions excellence in mental health service delivery while fostering a team approach to addressing the wholistic mental health and addictions treatment needs of patients, community members and families. The incumbent will bring together strategic thinking, operational oversight, quality improvement, and team development to strengthen a wholistic model of care that honours Indigenous ways of knowing, healing, and wellness.

In collaboration with the Director of Wellness and Recovery, the Manager of WR will help shape Indigenous mental health and integrated healthcare by supporting the development of a strategic referral process framework and efficient workload distribution directly contributing positively to organizational reporting and quality improvement outcomes. The Manager of WR will support in guiding interdisciplinary team collaboration, and ensuring services remain equitable, trauma-informed, and culturally safe.

Clinical Leadership & Practice Oversight

• Provides mental health & addictions related clinical leadership and mentorship to members of the Counselling and Wellness Team, including the Community Addictions Supports Teams.


• Supports the process of integrated care based clinical decision-making and case conferencing approach for complex case management and risk assessments.


• Leads quality improvement (QI) initiatives to enhance outcomes and service delivery.

Team Leadership & Human Capital Development

• Supervise and support the interdisciplinary teams, fostering a collaborative and strengths-based team environment.


• In collaboration with Human Resources manages onboarding, new hire orientations, and ongoing training as applicable.


• Conducts regular 1:1 check-ins, performance management and professional development planning.


• Identifies learning needs and coordinates continuing education opportunities.


• Supports and reinforces Human Resources initiatives including and not limited to conflict resolution, provincial compliance mandates and fostering a wholistically safe work environment.


• Actively fosters a collaborative working relationship with team leads and other members of the middle management team (i.e. Manager of the Clinical Operations)


• Participation in the Joint Health & Safety Committee as a Certified Joint Health and Safety Committee Member to promote and ensure a culture of safety is achieved.

Program & Operational Management

• Oversees day-to-day mental health and addictions service deliverables.


• Strategically manages time off requests and unexpected time off needs to guarantee uninterrupted execution of program deliverables.


• Collaborates with Director of Wellness and Recovery to develop and implement clinical programs and services.


• Proactively monitors service delivery, access, treatment efficacies to ensure efficient and equitable care is achieved.


• Supports the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and care pathways.


• Ensures consistent program best practices across all clinical programs is maintained.


• Provides day-to-day on-site leadership and administrative support to Mental Health and Recovery team.


• Fosters a positive, respectful, accountable, and high-performing workplace culture.


• Facilitates regular team meetings and leadership meetings providing important updates in a timely manner.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration & Partnerships

• Builds and maintains relationships with community partners and external organizations as required.


• Supports and strengthens the integrated care model of service delivery.


• Chairs team meetings including monthly team meetings with CWT and sub programs including Child Psychiatry, Minookmii, Live In Healing as well as CAST sub programs, Live In Healing, Mobile Withdrawal Management, Red Road to Recovery, Opioid Outreach


• Provides updates at all BANAC team meetings as required.

Quality Improvement, Data & Reporting

• Leads and supports Quality Improvement Plans (QIP) and evaluation activities.


• Monitors clinical indicators, patient outcomes, and service targets for each program.


• Supports accurate documentation and data collection in EMR systems.


• Uses data to provide informed decision-making, planning, and continuous improvement in program deliverables.


• Contributes to reporting requirements for funders and organizational leadership as required.


• Supports with mock drills and education for teams as required.

Financial & Resource Stewardship

• Supports budget planning and monitoring for applicable Wellness & Recovery programs.

• Proactively manages applicable mental health and wellness resources including and not limited to headcount planning, clinical supplies etc.

• Participates in procurement decisions and approval processes as Director by the Director of Mental Health and Wellness.

Compliance & Professional Practice

• Ensures compliance with professional standards, organizational policies, and relevant legislation.


• Maintains current licensure and professional competencies as required.


• Exemplifies and promotes culturally safe, trauma-informed, and equitable care practices.

What You Bring:

Education and Experience

• Master of Social Work (MSW) in good standing with the provincial regulatory body (i.e., the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers) and / or a Bachelor’s degree in a related mental health discipline.


• Master of Counselling Psychology, Mental Health Leadership, or a related field is considered a strong asset.


• 3 to 5 years of clinical experience in mental health and addictions, community-based service delivery, mental health inpatient care or residential addictions treatment.


• Demonstrated experience managing interdisciplinary healthcare teams of 20+ employees.


• Experience managing mental health and addiction’s teams.


• Experience with quality improvement, accreditation, and program development.


• Knowledge of mental health and addictions services funding models and system navigation.


• Experience working in Indigenous specific mental health and addictions services is considered a strong asset.


• Joint Health and Safety Committee Certification is considered a strong asset.

Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge, sensitivity and awareness of the history, culture, and unique needs of the Indigenous population within the Simcoe County and York Region.


• Proven planning, organizational, and resource management skills within a fast-pace and growing work environment.


• Strong facilitation skills, experience with workshop teaching or similar coaching experience is considered a strong asset.


• Ability to be a positive, contributing member to a multi-disciplinary team including participating in committee work with regional partners, including First Nations communities and Indigenous organizations.


• Ability to work within a flexible schedule, which may require working during evenings and / or weekends.


• Ability to work interdependently, both self-directed and collaboratively at all organizational levels.


• Strong verbal and written interdisciplinary communication skills.


• Strong problem-solving skills.


• High emotional intelligence is required to appropriately navigate the day-to-day complexities that the Manager of Wellness and Recovery will face in supporting the applicable teams.

What We Offer:

Our work is accountable to Indigenous communities, guided by relationships, knowledge, and practices that shape how we serve and learn together. Joining the BANAC team means contributing to work that is community-driven, relational and grounded in Indigenous values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism. We work alongside community members, Indigenous organizations and the broader community to ensure our programs reflect the voices and strengths of those we serve.

Our full-time permanent employees enjoy a generous group health benefits package, participation in HOOPP, enrollment in our Employee Assistance Program, paid time off, cultural leave days, extended holidays, professional training opportunities and the opportunity to work in a dynamic community-based supportive work environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work is typically performed in clinic, in office and community settings.


• This role is a fully on-site role with Barrie clinic being the main worksite.


• Regular travel to meetings and communities will be required.


• Access to a reliable vehicle is required.


• Regular overtime work may be required from time to time.


• Low to moderate exposure to noise in the work environment.


• Regular exposure to a moderate level of tension and anxiety due to deadlines, competing political pressures, and the competing needs and demands for limited resources.


• Periodic exposure to smoke may occur from the burning of sacred medicines: Tobacco, sweet grass, sage and / or cedar.

All pertinent employment conditions are specified within the employment agreement with BANAC and include the following:

• Ability to attend all BANAC worksite locations is required


• Valid Class G Ontario Driver’s License is required


• An up-to-date clear Vulnerable Sector Check is required


• An up-to-date clear TST result

Applying to this Job:

Please apply directly on the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle careers site at www.banac.on.ca/careers.

To further promote our accountability to the Indigenous communities we serve and to ensure services align with the values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism that guide the organization’s work, preference will be given to candidates of Indigenous ancestry.  BANAC strongly encourages applicants to self-identify within the application process. 

Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.  If you require accommodation for disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please advise the Human Resources Department at: [email protected].

Please note that the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC) uses BambooHR as part of its recruitment and selection process. While BANAC incorporates select AI features to enhance process efficiency, BANAC remains committed to human-led decision making. BANAC recognizes that AI is not perfect, as a result all AI-generated outputs are subject to human review to ensure accuracy, inclusiveness and equitable hiring practices. At BANAC,

our goal is to use technology to support, not replace, thoughtful human decision making in recruitment and hiring.

DISCLAIMER:  This job posting indicates the general scope and level of work expected.  It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties and / or responsibilities that will be required by the incumbent.  The selected incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required to support business needs.