Senior Director, Supportive Housing and Homelessness

About Us

At the Department of Opportunities and Social Development (OSD), we are a large and diverse department providing a broad portfolio of programs and services including Child and Family Wellbeing (CFW), Disability Support Program, Employment Support Services (ESS), Income Assistance (IA), and Supportive Housing and Homelessness.

Through our services, we advocate and help vulnerable Nova Scotians be independent, self-reliant, and secure.  We work collaboratively across the province with a strong dedicated network of supports and staff as well as partners, to achieve desired and shared outcomes for all.

About Our Opportunity

The Supportive Housing and Homelessness division is committed to improving outcomes with and for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness through stronger systems, better services and relationships, and together with partners, achieving functional zero homelessness – meaning homelessness is an experience that is rare, briefing and non-recurring.

We are hiring a senior executive leader to provide strategic direction and oversight for the supportive housing and homelessness portfolio. This role will shape policy, service delivery, and immediate through to long-term solutions that prevent homelessness and provide leadership to modernize how programs and services are designed and delivered in communities across the province.

This role is ideal for a leader who can:

• Drive sector transformation while maintaining strong relationships and accountability that create positive outcomes.
• Facilitate compassionate and respectful, sometimes tough conversations that lead to real change.
• Build trust and alignment across government, service providers, and communities.
• Champion human-centred innovation and long-term, evidence-informed solutions that achieve impactful results including functional zero homelessness in Nova Scotia.

Primary Accountabilities

• Provide executive leadership in the identification, design, planning, implementation, integration, and evaluation of major, multi-functional, cross-departmental initiatives.
• Set strategic direction and lead the work for the supportive housing and homelessness portfolio, aligning initiatives to broader government priorities and long-term strategy.
• Lead sector transformation and modernization efforts, including system redesign and improvements to service delivery with and for people experiencing homelessness – using human-centred design and agile methods to produce system level impacts including functional zero homelessness.
• Establish and strengthen accountability mechanisms with service providers, including service-level expectations and performance oversight that are focused on positive outcomes for Nova Scotians.
• Build and sustain formal partnerships and collaborative relationships across government and with external partners, acting as a key influencer to resolve conflicts and enable shared outcomes.
• Lead change management planning and execution to achieve outcomes that support departmental and government strategy.
• Oversee planning, budgeting, and financial management.
• Provide people leadership, including setting direction, building a high-performing, inclusive and healthy workplace and promoting team excellence and professional development.
• Champion adaptability, flexibility and innovation by bringing forward new approaches, learning from leading practices, and adapting to the context, assets, and emerging needs.

Qualifications and Experience

You have completed post-secondary education in a related field (such as social work, adult education, public administration, planning) and have several years of leadership experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. You also have:

• Proven people management experience, including leading through complexity, ambiguity, and change.
• Experience leading large-scale transformation initiatives.
• Strong partner engagement and facilitation skills, with the ability to lead challenging conversations, negotiate shared solutions, and maintain productive relationships in tension-filled and dynamic environments.
• Experience with planning, budgeting, and financial oversight.
• Exceptional communication skills (written and verbal).

While not required, desirable assets include:

• Lived experience related to housing insecurity or homelessness and/or demonstrated experience working alongside people with lived and living expertise in systems change-focused, service design and decision-making environments.
• Experience working directly with housing, social and/ or health systems and/or supportive housing programs (government, non-profit, community-based, for-profit market, or health/social services sectors).
• Experience working with intergovernmental partners or multi-jurisdictional initiatives.
• A completed related Master’s degree.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Equivalency

We recognize equivalent combinations of training, education, and experience, providing opportunities for individuals with diverse backgrounds to contribute their skills and expertise. Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application. 

Benefits

Based on the employment status, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs.  For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

Your typical work week is 35 hours with 7-hour days. The role is primarily office-based work with regular engagement across departments and with external partners. You may travel to attend community and partnership meetings.

Work involves managing complex priorities and deadlines in a public-facing environment, with occasional high-pressure or sensitive situations.

What We Offer

• Career Development, where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in; we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths