Health, Safety & Wellness Assistant

Status: Full Time

Hours: Monday – Friday, 35 hours/week

Home Campus: Fennell (travel to other campuses as needed, hybrid work arrangements available)

Rate of Pay: Payband 7 ($59,321 - $74,152)

Posting Date: March 11th, 2024

Closing Date: Open until filled

We believe the rich diversity among our students and the communities we serve should be reflected within our workforce. As educators, we believe it is important to act and show leadership in advancing the principles of reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our community.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director, Health, Safety and Wellness, the Health, Safety and Wellness Assistant (HS&W) provides confidential administrative support to the objectives of the HS&W team, the HR division and college wide HS&W initiatives. The HS&W Assistant provides support to various campus Joint Health and Safety Committee’s (JHSC’s), and provides direct client support on common health, safety and wellness matters and escalate matters that require subject matter expertise.

The HS&W Assistant works with various internal partners such as communications and marketing to promote HS&W awareness, wellness and health and safety events, and programs and activities supported by the department. The HS&W Assistant supports a regular review of the departmental budget with a focus on processing requisitions, purchase orders, invoices, waivers, tracking expenditures, and ensuring alignment to procurement practices and budget plan.

This position requires significant attention to detail, highly developed communication and client service skills, technical aptitude, and discretion in handling confidential information.

What you'll be doing:

Administrative

• Provide administrative support to the Health, Safety and Wellness team including fielding general inquiries, responding to information/request emails, providing resources, organizing HS&W training, team meetings and other events.
• Follows up on all injury and incident reports; escalates and redirects complex reports to the HS&W Specialist or Director, HS&W as appropriate and tracks related corrective actions through to completion. Liaises with Employee Abilities Coordinator for workplace incidents that result in medical aid/lost time.
• Maintains general mailboxes assigned, supports the OHS team on the delivery for programs (e.g. Ergonomics program). Under the direction of the Director, conducts inspections, investigations and audits to ensure compliance with OHS programs and standards.
• Assists with the development and distribution of health & safety awareness/ communication materials; prepares correspondence and presentations.
• Ensures all college Health and Safety incidents are tracked and any medical aid/lost time student incidents are filed with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) in a timely fashion.
• Supports the JHSC meetings by assisting in the preparation of materials and agendas, posting meeting minutes, creating inspection schedules and ensuring proper record retention process exists in accordance with College policies.
• Manages and answer inquires relative to the college’s sharps program.
• Coordinate and assist with onboarding of new team members including tracking of IT assets.
• Oversee and schedule third-party assessments (e.g. asbestos annual assessment, air quality).
• Work with internal partners to maintain emergency equipment programs (AED, First Aid etc.) and identify areas for improvement.
• Cultivate positive, collaborative working relationships within the HR team and the college community to provide exceptional customer service, and problem-solving skills with a focus on confidentiality.
• Support the HS&W Specialist in arranging wellness initiatives including awareness activities and events.
• Recommend and implement changes and improvements to any processes, procedures or SOP’s that impede workflow or ease of use or access.

Budget Administration

• Review and confirm the allocation of expenditures of the Health, Safety and Wellness budget focusing on the maintenance of contracts including completing routing documents, expenses, waivers, vendor purchase and department supply orders and payments.
• Track budget to identify any potential concerns and raise them to the Director, Health, Safety and Wellness.

Systems Support

• Maintains Health and Safety general databases (eCompliance, Contractor Check, Resource Productivity Recovery Authority-RPRA hazardous waste program)
• Ensure health and safety management system is regularly updated, information is captured and recorded, Support JHSC members in the inspection process. Ensure there is a continuous improvement review of all processes.
• Prepare monthly/quarterly/annual metrics and/or dashboards to report out on key performance indicators for HS &W programs.

Other duties as assigned

• Trouble-shoot and problem-solve day-to-day issues that arise.
• Attend monthly meetings to collaborate with other assistants/team representatives as necessary
• Provide a reliable point of contact for inquiries to team. Respond to incoming inquiries and emails, assess needs and solutions, and refer to proper team member for further assistance when appropriate.
• Provide the best possible solutions to issues by conscientiously examining facts, trying different alternatives and critically thinking of solutions.
• Bring a sense of urgency to situations, demonstrates an active approach in order achieve goals and objectives.
• Search out errors, rectify omissions, perfect systems and procedures to ultimately raise the quality and standards of all tasks undertaken.

What you'll bring to the role:

• A minimum of two-year post-secondary education in Occupational Health and Safety, Wellness, Human Resources, Business Administration, or similar field; or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in planning health, safety and wellness activities, events and supporting the health and safety program.
• Detail-oriented, process-focused, with the ability to complete tasks while assessing priorities and within allocated time constraints including accuracy and focus on entering data.
• Proven analytical, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Exceptional organization and interpersonal skills such as listening and the flexibility and resilience required to deal with unexpected changes in plans and priorities.
• Demonstrated experience maintaining confidential files, records and information.
• Conflict resolution or customer service skills training.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal with experience in professional report writing, email, memos, promotional materials and surveys.
• Demonstrated proficiency in processing high volume documentation in addition to computer skills in all MS Office applications, with advanced skills in Outlook, Excel, Power Point and Teams and Zoom.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate positive, collaborative working relationships at all levels.
• Excellent customer service skills with an appreciation for responsiveness to meet customer or client needs.
• Creative, self-motivated with a focus on team and the resolve to pitch in where needed.
• Experience using technical and analytical skills, while working with H&S systems and their inter-relatedness to other systems is required.
• Contractor Pre-qualification program experience is considered an asset.
• Sound and accurate judgment, ability to treat people with respect, working ethically and with integrity, respecting confidentiality, and approaching others in a diplomatic and tactful manner.
• Experience in policy writing would be an asset.
• Familiar with Articulate, Storyline, Captivate or other authoring tools would be an asset.
• Demonstrated commitment and understanding of human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• The ability to communicate and work effectively with diverse students, employees, and communities.

What we offer:

• Progressive vacation plan starting with 22 vacation days per year plus holiday closure.
• Defined Benefit pension plan (CAAT) with contributions matched by Mohawk College.
• 93% top up of maternity and parental leave pay for 52 weeks.
• Annual employee performance incentive program.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, paramedical services (massage therapy, acupuncture, naturopath, psychotherapy and psychology), short-term and long-term disability.
• Ability to take courses at a reduced rate for employees and dependents.

To find out more about working at Mohawk College, please visit https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/about-mohawk/careers-at-mohawk

We are committed to reconciliation and nurturing an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible (IDEA) environment for everyone who learns and works at Mohawk College. We welcome applications from racialized persons, women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

The College is committed to fostering inclusive ad barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources.

To learn more about Mohawk College’s commitments, please visit the Mohawk College strategic plan webpage: https://www.strategicplan.mohawkcollege.ca/