WISH DROP-IN CENTRE SOCIETY
wish-vancouver.net
Senior Manager, Direct Services
Shaping skilled practitioners into exceptional leaders.
WISH Drop-In Centre Society is Canada's largest sex worker support organization, working on the frontlines of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside for over 40 years.
WISH’s programs are delivered by skilled unionized staff who are supported by five Program Managers. These Managers are experts in their programs and are seasoned practitioners in harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and emergency response. We are seeking a coach who can help them grow further as confident, capable people-leaders. That’s what the Senior Manager, Direct Services, will do.
The Senior Manager, Direct Services, will have real autonomy in this role, building coaching frameworks, training approaches, and management practices that don’t yet exist.
What you'll do
● Provide structured 1:1 coaching to five Program Managers, building individualized development plans
● Guide Program Managers through the Collective Agreement, discipline processes, and grievances, with support from the People and Culture team
● Represent Management in labour relations matters related to direct services
● Sit on the Senior Leadership Team, shaping organization-wide strategy and HR practices
● Step in on operations, budgets, and critical incidents when needed
What you bring
● A track record of developing managers or supervisors (not just managing front line staff directly)
● Experience in a unionized environment: collective agreement administration, progressive discipline, grievances
● A strong grasp of foundational HR principles and labour relations
● Comfortable coaching people through tough conversations
● Confidence holding accountability while maintaining trust
● Support for sex workers' rights within an intersectional feminist framework that is decolonial and anti-racist
See the job description for a full list of responsibilities and qualifications: Senior Manager Direct Services JD 2026
A non-profit background isn't required. Leadership and labour relations experience from corporate, government, healthcare, or elsewhere transfers well. What matters is your ability to develop people and lead fairly in a unionized environment.
Salary: $88,000 to $91,000 per year, commensurate with experience
Benefits: 4 weeks paid vacation, 100 wellness hours, 100% employer-paid health and dental benefits, including life insurance, AD&D, and Long-Term Disability, available immediately.
Location: Vancouver, Downtown Eastside, on-site, with flexibility to work from home roughly 8 hours a week
Hours: 8-hour days, M-F, typically between 10 am and 7 pm with some flexibility. Occasional late evening, overnight or weekend availability will be required to support operations or respond to emergencies.
Employment: Full-time, permanent, excluded management position
Closing date: Open until filled. We're hoping to hire quickly, so apply as soon as you can.
Application Guidelines: Please submit your cover letter and resume as a single PDF document to [email protected] and write Senior Manager in the subject line. We appreciate all applicants; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
WISH is committed to equitable hiring and to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We especially encourage applications from Indigenous, Two Spirit, Black, and racialized women and gender diverse people, and those with experience in sex work.
WISH is mandated to require a criminal record check for employees. Records relating to sex work, substance use or poverty-related criminalized activity are not relevant to this position and will not be considered. .
WISH is located on the unceded, stolen lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
Pay: $88,000.00-$91,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision care
Work Location: In person
