Competition No. 625 – Resettlement Advisor

Start date: September 28th, 2026 or ASAP
End date: April 2nd, 2027, with possibility of extension to February 2028
Job Classification: Level VI
Hours Per Week: 35 hours/week

The wage for this position is Level VI, Step 1 ($32.32/hour) for external candidates and at Level VI and a Step related to years of service at KEYS for internal candidates, for 35 hours/week. KEYS is a dynamic, fast-paced workplace where we envision helping individuals to realize their full potential within an economically and socially vibrant community, and value innovation, diversity, accountability, respect, and excellence. You can find out more about our beliefs on our website at https://keys.ca/about/beliefs.php.

Position Summary
The primary purpose of the Resettlement Advisor is to provide trauma-informed and culturally-relevant information, support, guidance and accompaniment to refugees upon their arrival in Kingston and Canada, help refugees to transition into temporary and permanent housing, learn the basics of life in Canada, connect to needed services and institutions and to the community more broadly. As an active front-line member of the Refugee and Newcomer Services Teams, the Resettlement Advisor will meet one-to-one with clients and with families, conduct gender- and culturally- intelligent needs assessments, assist in the development of a resettlement and integration plan, and support newly arrived refugees during their first one to three months in Canada. This will involve: 1) assisting individuals and families to find, rent and move into suitable long-term housing by liaising with local property management firms and landlords, 2) providing practical information in individual or group settings on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to: rights and responsibilities, housing, health, education, life in Canada, budgeting and financial literacy, and life skills needed to effectively resettle in Canada, 3) providing solution-focused short-term counseling, 4) assisting participants to access various government programs, community services, education and healthcare services, 5) making timely and appropriate community referrals, and 6) finding or providing other supports as required.

The Resettlement Advisor will be responsible for maintaining current knowledge of community and government services of use to immigrants & refugees, and issues related to refugee resettlement. They will collaborate very closely with a small team to coordinate intensive services to newly arrived participants while effectively maintaining caseloads and meeting all targets of the designated program area. They will work in a fast-paced and sometimes high-pressure environment where frequent changes and responsive services are the norm. The Resettlement Advisor will demonstrate a superior level of judgement and ethical decision-making and will establish and maintain appropriate boundaries at all times in a challenging work environment. The Advisor will also build and maintain effective relationships with community service providers in government services, healthcare, financial services, community services, etc. They will promptly and accurately document services provided in case files.

Competencies Required
a. Understand the challenges facing refugees and newcomers.
b. Capable of performing language interpretation and working effectively with an interpreter.
c. Demonstrate an ability to work with individuals and families experiencing discrimination, racism and culture shock.
d. Ability to apply a trauma-informed lens and work with victims of war and trauma.
e. Ability to counsel clients in a supportive, solution-focused manner.
f. Capable of advocating on behalf of refugees to property managers, healthcare providers, government officials and other service providers.
g. Ability to facilitate information sessions and workshops in a positive and dynamic manner.
h. Superior teamwork and collaboration skills.
i. Able and willing to work within a very fast-paced environment and adapt easily to change.
j. Ability to promote confidentiality as a norm in all interactions.
k. Must possess strong interpersonal skills, including active listening and open-ness to receiving and incorporating feedback.
l. Must treat all individuals with respect and interact in a tactful and supportive manner while maintaining professional boundaries
m. Must possess superior judgement, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
n. Comfortable working on the go, in off-site locations and performing remote work as needed.
o. Committed to being available to accompany clients when needed, providing hands-on support as they access essential services, attend appointments, and navigate unfamiliar aspects of the community.
p. Strong organizational skills to maintain varied workflows.
q. Crisis intervention and de-escalation skills are essential.
r. Skilled at filling out government forms and accurately completing paperwork.

Qualifications
a. Minimum of 3 years of post-secondary education, preferably in Human Services. A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is an asset.
b. Willingness to comply with the established agency performance standards which include: staff code of conduct, productivity/personal responsibility; customer centred service; collaborative team performance; entrepreneurial attitude and maintaining a high level of professionalism.
c. Comfortable with utilizing databases and CRM systems
d. Proficiency in an additional language(s) such as Farsi, Swahili, Somali, Amharic, Oromo, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, or Tigrinya will be considered a very significant asset.
e. Personal experience as a refugee would be considered an asset.

Work Environment (Equipment, Demands and Hazards)
a. Frequent travel to locations within KEYS catchments.
b. 35 hours per week with a flexible schedule including evening activities.

This competition will close at 9am on Wednesday, September 9th, 2026.

Please email your cover letter and resume in a single document to: hr@keys.ca

Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

This posting is for an existing vacancy. KEYS does not use AI in our recruitment process.

KEYS is committed to employment equity. We encourage members of designated groups to apply and self-identify. KEYS is also committed to an inclusive, barrier-free selection process.

We will provide appropriate accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process for applicants with disabilities. To obtain a copy of this posting and job description in an alternate format or to request any accommodation please contact us directly through hr@keys.ca or by phone at 613.546.5559. Information received relating to accommodation requests will be addressed confidentially.

KEYS is located on the traditional homelands of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Huron-Wendat. We strive to support all those impacted by colonialism.