Improvement Advisor (12-month contract) – for US based candidates*

Reports to: Director, Built for Zero Canada

Employee type: Temporary Full-time (37.5 hour per week)

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) leads a national movement of individuals, organizations and communities working together to end homelessness in Canada. The CAEH works toward a Canada without homelessness. We do it by helping communities and governments across the country apply proven approaches to transform programs, policies, and systems toward the goal of ending homelessness.

Please note: While this is a role we have historically always hired within Canada, this is a new opportunity where we are hoping to bring on talented US candidates with knowledge of the Built for Zero methodology to help shape and support us with our Canadian approach and strategy.

Diversity & Inclusion

CAEH strives for inclusivity and diversity by attracting extraordinary people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. Candidates with lived experience of homelessness and/or who self-identify as being from a marginalized community, including Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQQIA persons are encouraged to apply and will be prioritized. We welcome people to self-identify within their cover letters if they are comfortable doing so, but this is not a requirement for application. We are committed to equitable and fair opportunity in the recruitment, selection, training, compensation, promotion, and benefits of all employees.

THE ROLE

Built for Zero Canada

Built for Zero Canada (BFZ-C) is an ambitious national change effort helping a core group of leading communities end chronic and veteran homelessness - a first step on the path to eliminating all homelessness in Canada. Built for Zero is a methodology, a movement, and proof of what is possible. We use a structured, supportive, and data-driven approach that focuses on creating a sense of urgency, optimizing local homelessness response systems, accelerating the adoption of proven practices, and driving continuous improvement. The movement is made up of more than 30 communities that have committed to using a system-wide approach to measurably end homelessness, one population at a time, to reach functional zero and build a future where homelessness is rare overall and brief when it occurs.

Reporting to the Director of Built for Zero Canada, an Improvement Advisor (IA) is an entrepreneurial, results-oriented leader dedicated to ending homelessness in Canada. The IA works with communities to advance key milestones along the path to ending homelessness by using a structured process alongside an interest in continuous improvement and innovation. As a skilled coach and facilitator, the IA is responsible for supporting a specific caseload of communities (virtually and in-person) to advance key milestones using a data-driven approach. The IA may also have a strategic focus area for which they take the lead in supporting communities and/or the BFZ-C team.

These strategic focus areas may include:

• Will building and relationship management
• Training and capacity building
• Focused improvement coaching
• Surface and clarification of key policy, resource, or coordination barriers and levers, to inform and integrate with the work to clear the path for local teams

Key Responsibilities

Will building and relationship management

• Engage employees, community leaders and strategic partners in BFZ-C processes and in providing input in the design of BFZ-C tools and methods.
• Capture learning and best practice from high performing communities as a strategy for scale.

Training and Capacity Building

• Working with a high functioning team, the IA will help design and deliver shared content for knowledge mobilization at conferences, learning sessions, community and practice calls.
• Design and facilitate Learning Sessions and community on-site meetings as needed.
• Train and support communities to use data to drive performance specific to their local efforts to end homelessness.

Focused Improvement Coaching

• Participate in BFZ-C and CAEH strategic planning and implementation, with a commitment to iteration and improvement.
• Serve as a confident and commanding facilitator, providing content and technical expertise

Surface and Clarify Key Policy, Resource, and Coordinator Barriers and Levers

• Use Quality Improvement methods and tools, coach and consult during national and community-based events (e.g., coaching calls, webinars, learning sessions, presentations).
• Use data to develop, test, implement and spread changes that will support communities in reducing the number of individuals experiencing homelessness month to month, improving the trajectory towards reaching functional zero.
• Assess improvement education and training needs of participating communities; develop appropriate strategies, implement support plans, monitor outcomes and improvements.

Other Duties

• Serve as backup to the other IA(s) on calls, meetings, and training as needed.
• As a representative of CAEH, present on BFZ-C learning, methods and/or outcomes and at conferences, workshops, convenings, etc.
• Other duties and special projects, as assigned, to advance the efforts of BFZ-C and CAEH.

ABOUT YOU

You are an entrepreneurial, results-driven professional with a passion for solving complex problems and driving positive change. You would consider yourself to be extraordinary, mission-oriented person not satisfied with the status quo.

You have experience in using agile change management and quality improvement methods to help organizations reach ambitious outcomes and are skilled at coaching, facilitating, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders. Your communication skills are excellent, allowing you to effectively present, negotiate, and manage conflict in ways that promote progress and continuous improvement. You bring a strong understanding of data-driven approaches and can translate them into actionable insights to reduce homelessness. You excel in managing multiple projects in fast-paced, virtual environments and thrive in roles that require adaptability, risk-taking, and creative solutions.

Core Qualifications and Competencies

• A knack for problem complex problem solving and working alongside a team to achieve ambitious outcomes.
• Experience working as an agent of change to positively disrupt the status quo.
• 3-5 years' work experience with demonstrated expertise related to the duties described, normally acquired through post-secondary education in a discipline relevant to this work or the equivalent school/work/experience combination. Non-traditional candidates are welcome. CAEH strives for representation and authentic inclusion of applicants and employees who have direct, first-hand experience with poverty, homelessness, and their root causes (including racism, marginalization, discrimination, and all forms of inequity).
• Command of the Model for Improvement/Quality Improvement and insight into how it can be used to drive improvements toward ending homelessness and measure impact.
• Experience with facilitation, public speaking, and coaching for improvement.
• Comfort with systems and macro-level thinking.
• Ability to manage projects in a fast-paced, virtual team environment toward aggressive timelines and the ability to embrace change, risk, ambiguity, and uncertainty.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong negotiation, mediation and listening skills.
• Receives and relays criticism constructively, comfortable managing conflict and disagreement to a productive conclusion.

Required

• Fluency in English, both oral and writing skills is required.

Preferred but not required

• Knowledge of housing and homelessness, best practices, local systems design, by-name data and coordinated access preferred. Other human service sectors using improvement models will be considered.
• Bilingual, English and French, both oral and writing skills is an asset.

THE DETAILS

What We Offer

We’re committed to supporting our team so they can thrive and show up for the communities we serve. As a Remote US-based Hire, here’s what we’re proud to provide:

• Hiring Salary Range: $85,300 - $93,150 USD annually, with performance-based merit increases.
• Time Off: 5 weeks of paid vacation, a paid winter break, and up to 12 sick days annually.
• Professional Development: Annual allotment for growth opportunities.
• Pension: Flexible plan options.
• Benefits: Comprehensive coverage, equivalent to our Canadian offerings for employees – provided and administered by our Employer of Record (EOR) tool.
• Work Environment: Flexible arrangements, a supportive online culture, and employee recognition programs.
• Wellness: Resources for mental and physical health.
• Community: Inclusive, employee-led networks and inspiring leaders to support your growth.
• Some of these offerings may only be available for full-time permanent employees

Work Environment and Travel

• This position can be located anywhere in the US with preference for a location that is easily accessible to an international airport.
• This position requires the ability to work from a virtual/home office location without the standard support available at a business office.
• Travel up to 20 days per year to communities and for meetings in Canada may be required.
• We value work-life balance and offer flexibility in scheduling when possible.

Software Applications Used

• Microsoft 365, including Microsoft Office and Microsoft Teams
• Internet browsers and Google Business Apps
• Nation Builder
• Zoom

Application Process

If you wish to be considered for this role at CAEH, please submit your resume and letter of interest through the Apply Now link. Applications will be accepted until July 25, 2025, and will be reviewed all at once following the application closing date. Applications will be held in strictest confidence, and we will try our best to follow up promptly to inform you if your candidacy moves forward.

At all points throughout our hiring process, disability-related accommodation is available upon request. Please contact hr@caeh.ca with your needs or any questions you may have.

Here’s what to expect during our interview process. At any stage, feel free to ask questions about our team, organization, or the role:

• In Lieu of a Cover Letter: we’d love to hear more from you on how you approach a challenge and how you think about the opportunities that may be unique for a community.
  • Please read through this scenario, respond to the prompt below, and save as a PDF to be submitted with your resume.
  • For greater context or examples, please see this link: https://bfzcanada.ca/getting-to-zero/ for case studies and greater information on the Built for Zero Movement.
  • Scenario: A Community at a Crossroads
    • You’ve just started working with a regional backbone organization that’s newly engaged in the Built for Zero movement. They have expressed strong interest in reducing chronic homelessness, but their local service providers are in different stages of readiness. Some stakeholders are enthusiastic and familiar with quality improvement methods, while others are newer to the work, skeptical of data sharing, or unconvinced that systems-level coordination is possible.
    • A recent data review revealed gaps in the community’s homelessness by-name data and unclear ownership of key parts of the system. The housing authority is supportive but stretched thin and unaware of the full scope of the Built for Zero model. They’re also grappling with shifting funding priorities.
  • How would you approach this situation?
  • In your response (no more than 500 words), please walk us through Question #1 and any additional question between 2-5.

1. Your mindset when approaching a complex, mixed-readiness environment like this.
2. How you would engage and support the backbone partner in building buy-in.
3. What early actions you would take to begin aligning stakeholders around shared goals and measurable outcomes.
4. How you might approach data quality improvement, while acknowledging local skepticism or mistrust.
5. Any questions you would ask or information you’d want to gather to better understand what’s going on.

• There’s no single “right” answer — we’re most interested in understanding how you think, how you approach systemic and equity-centered change, and how well you connect with the principles of Built for Zero’s theory of change. You’re welcome to draw on your lived or professional experience.
• Initial Call (30 minutes): A short conversation with a hiring team member to discuss your alignment with our mission and the key responsibilities of the role. We’ll also cover logistics, such as work location, hours, and compensation.
• First Interview (60 minutes): A deeper discussion with the hiring manager and other team members. This interview will focus on your technical skills, experience, and work style. Our US based partners at Community Solutions will be participating on the hiring panel.
• Second (& Final) Interview (60 minutes): A conversation with additional team members to explore value alignment and how you’d contribute to our organizational culture.
• Optional Case Study (if applicable): For some roles, we may ask finalists to complete a brief case study (1 hour in duration). An honorarium will be provided