Mental Health Rights Coalition

Mental Health Rights Coalition is currently hiring for the position of Executive Director.

If interested, please apply with a cover letter and resume to [email protected] by no later than 4pm, March 20th.

Please note, only applicants invited to an interview will be contacted.

Hours of Work: Full time (35 hrs/week)

Salary and benefits: Salary will be commensurate with experience + 6% in lieu of benefits.

Immediate Supervisor(s): MHRC Board of Directors

Overview

Reporting to the Mental Health Rights Coalition’s Board of Directors, the role of Executive Director provides strategic leadership, financial management, and runs the day-to-day operations of the organization. The Executive Director is responsible and accountable for the provision of service delivery, for individuals who self-identify with lived/living experience of mental health and/or substance use challenges, that is consistent with the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

The Executive Director will ensure that the organization operates under an anti-oppressive, anti-discrimination framework and all services are consistent with peer support values and principles.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this position will have the following experience and qualifications:

• Personal lived experience with the mental health and addiction system.
• Experience of peer support communities with knowledge of the history of theconsumer survivor movement and the current context of peer lead and run services.
• Minimum 2 years experience in a leadership role(s), ideally in a peer support setting.
• Experience supervising/managing teams.
• Post secondary education or equivalent work experience in a related healthcarefield (e.g., social work, social service worker, rehabilitation, peer support).
• Demonstrable understanding of peer support values and principles and the practiceof peer support.
• Deep understanding of anti-oppression, disability justice, mad pride, and trauma- informed care principles.
• Experience managing finances including developing and maintaining budgets,projecting expenditures, and creating operational plans based on revenues andexpenditures.
• Experience with grant writing and fund-raising.
• Experience working in the not-for-profit sector and reporting to or working with avolunteer board of directors.
• Familiarity and understanding of serious mental illness/addiction and mental healthsystems.
• Proven experience developing and maintaining community partnerships.
• Excellent problem-solving/judgement/decision making skills.
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) skills.
• Computer literacy including use of Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint,etc.) and Provincial Government reporting systems.
• Crisis Intervention Skills (e.g., ASIST, Mental Health First Aid, etc.).
• Understanding of, and ability to apply, all relevant legislation including but notlimited to AODA, PHIPPA, Employee Standards Act, Incorporation Act, etc.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership and Governance
• Board Partnership: Partner with the Board of Directors to develop and executestrategic plans, policies, and mission-driven initiatives.
• Visionary Leadership: Promote the organization’s mission to foster empowerment,peer support, and advocacy for systemic change.
• Operational Planning: Translate strategic objectives into actionable operationalplans and goals.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Governance
• Board Partnership: Partner with the Board of Directors to develop and execute strategic plans, policies, and mission-driven initiatives.
• Visionary Leadership: Promote the organization’s mission to foster empowerment, peer support, and advocacy for systemic change.
• Operational Planning: Translate strategic objectives into actionable operational plans and goals.
Financial Management and Sustainability
• Budgeting: Develop, monitor, and manage the annual operating budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and sustainability.
• Fundraising and Grants: Secure funding from government, foundations, and donors, including grant writing, reporting, and building relationships with funders.
• Financial Accountability: Ensure transparent reporting and compliance with non profit regulations.

Program Development and Peer Support
• Peer-Led Initiatives: Oversee the design and implementation of programs that embody peer support, consumer-survivor principles, and self-help models.
• Program Evaluation: Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of the peer community.
• Advocacy: Advocate for the rights of peers in local, regional, and provincial mental health systems.
Human Resources and Team Management
• Staff Leadership: Recruit, mentor, supervise, and support staff within a collaborative, trauma-informed, and anti-oppressive framework.
• Volunteer Management: Oversee the recruitment, training, and retention of volunteers, a core component of survivor-run organizations.

Community Relations and Advocacy
• Spokesperson: Act as the primary spokesperson, representing the organization in media, public events, and community networks.
• Coalition Building: Strengthen relationships with like-minded organizations, community partners, and government stakeholders to enhance impact.

Working Conditions

• Work is done onsite at the organization’s main office in the city of Hamilton. Note: this is not a hybrid or remote working environment
• Frequent engagement in community meetings, advocacy efforts, and occasional travel.
• Fast-paced environment requiring flexibility and adaptability.

MHRC's Jan-Mar newsletter is hot off the press!

Just a friendly reminder: MHRC will be open Christmas Day and Boxing day this year (December 25-26, 2025) during our regular weekday hours (11am-3:45pm).

Come on by for Christmas movies and Christmas bingo!

We will be closed on New Year's Day (Jan 1, 2026).

Hello. We will be closed on Monday May 9th for Victoria Day! I hope everyone has a great long weekend! See you Tuesday May 20! 😃

Mark your calendars! Friday May 9th, from 12pm to 3pm, we are hosting an open house for Mental Health Week! Hope to see you there!

Hello Everyone! Here is our April Activities Calendar. We hope to see you here soon!!

March 16-22 is
💡Did you know💡
There is a 24-hour hotline all across Canada? This is call the Poison Centre.
A poison centre is a telephone-based front-line service operating 24 hours, seven days a week, staffed by registered nurses and pharmacists with specialized training in the effects of poison, known as toxicology.
They provide advice over the phone for anyone of any age who may have been exposed to a poison, from babies to seniors.
If you suspect a child may have been poisoned, immediately contact Canada’s toll-free Poison Control Centre by dialing 1-844-POISON-X (1-844-764-7669). If the child is unconscious, not breathing, or having a seizure, call 911.
To learn more, visit https://infopoison.ca/

MHRC knows how to (Sham) Rock and Roll on St. Patrick's Day!! 🍀💚

Here is our March Calendar. Hope to see you soon!

Hello!

Our web address has changed! It is now www.mentalhealthrightscoalition.ca

Thanks 😃

www.mentalhealthrightscoalition.ca