Job Title: Community Development Manager – Edmonton
Location: Edmonton
Level/Salary Range: $65,000 to $75,000 per year
HR Contact: Trevor Friesen – Operations Manager, Edmonton
Job Category: Management
Travel Required: Limited to programmed activities in the local area.
Position Type: Hybrid – primarily onsite work with some work from home days. Permanent Full Time, 37.5 hours/week.
Application Process: Please forward your resume and cover letter by September 20, 2026 to email jobs@veteranshousecanada.ca

Background

Veterans’ House Canada (VHC) is a national charity whose mission is to help homeless veterans build a better future by providing permanent, affordable and supportive housing. VHC’s facility in Ottawa, ON has been in operation since 2021 and is Canada’s first community housing development built exclusively for homeless veterans. Our second facility, a 40-unit supportive housing project, located at 13015-128 Ave NW Edmonton, will open this fall and requires a Community Development Manager to join the team and support our residents.

About the Job

Veterans’ House Canada is looking for an experienced and passionate individual to join our team as our Edmonton Community Development Manager. The Community Development Manager is responsible for providing onsite support and group programming for VHC tenants who may live with severe and persistent mental illness and/or addictions. The goal of onsite community development support is to assist tenants in maintaining successful tenancies and build a better future. The community developer will work in collaboration with VHC, external mental health support workers, and a variety of community partners. The community developer will work as part of a team providing support and programming to Veterans’ House tenants.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Develop and operate trauma-informed programming in conjunction with residents’ needs and input which supports group cohesion, individual growth and skill building, development and improvement of self confidence; support to take positive risks in learning new skills; support in expressing negative content.
• Provide programming which enhances and supports compassion amongst tenants, encouraging curiosity rather than judgements, and which highlights human rights and responsibilities in various life domains such as housing (Residential Tenancies Act); privacy act (mental health diagnosis, sharing of medical information); rights and responsibilities under the law (know your rights in police interventions).
• Create educational programming to assist tenants in compliance with pest management practices; fire safety; complaint form procedures; and other tenancy-based skills.
• Providing programming which supports tenants in learning about mental health diagnosis, PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety and how they present themselves; co-relation between substance use and mental health; substance use as a form of self soothing; emotions around regulation skills.
• Support tenants in exploring and expanding their circle of care.
• Supporting the community and individuals in coping with loss, bereavement.
• Encouraging tenants to discover their strengths and share their skills with their community (gardening skills, first aid, VAC or community system navigation, effective listener, cook, IT, pet knowledge, physical fitness, wellness and healthy living, etc).
• Support tenants in development and improvement of relationship with their pet and their neighbour’s pet; understanding pet bylaws; support with grooming, proper pet diet; supporting tenant in problem solving pet health and behavioural issues; pet sharing; development of pet care plan to ensure there is a back up tenant to take on pet responsibilities should owner go into crisis or hospital.
• Foster supportive group environment where tenants support each other in making positive changes in any chapter of their life through SMART goals and objectives.
• Support tenants in exploring new skills and program initiatives based on tenant feedback (ex: I always wanted to have a woodworking shed, to go camping with friends, to play a sport, etc); encouraging tenants to voice new ideas and support them in planning steps and engaging to make those ideas come to life.
• Supporting tenants through trauma informed, motivational counselling in navigating issues which impact their relationship with their community such as anger management, behavioural and cognitive de-regulations.
• Support tenants in assessing readiness to change; in seeking and exploring community-based services.
• Support tenant in navigating crisis situations (connecting to resources, grounding techniques, harm reduction, suicide intervention and contracting).
• Assessing and providing intervention when tenant is suffering mental health crisis; contacting necessary supports to increase the safety of individual as well as their community.
• Housing loss prevention interventions – assessment through one-on-one contact, using strength-based trauma informed motivational counselling to discover strengths, navigate challenges, connect with community supports (budget support, rent prioritisation, advocacy with landlord), development of behavioural agreement with tenant.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of experience
• Diploma or Degree in Social Work, Community Development, or another related field.
• Experience in social services or related field.
• Experience working with marginalized individuals who have mental illness, experience with homelessness, addiction, and/or concurrent disorders.
• Experience in supportive housing.
• Understanding of values of Community Development and the recovery movement.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Bilingual (English/French)

Personal Skills and Attributes

Excellent organizing and planning skills, strong initiative, results oriented, excellent communication skills (written and verbal), relationship builder, confidence in self, compassionate, respect for others, acceptance of others, non-judgmental, good sense of humour, flexibility, positive attitude, excellent judgement, patient.

Benefit Package

• Optional shared costs health and dental benefits.
• Annually 15 days’ vacation leave, 5 days personal leave and 10 days sick leave.

---

Satisfactory references are essential conditions of appointment and will be asked for during the interview process. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the staffing process. If you require accommodation during any phase of the evaluation process, please let us know.

We wish to thank all applicants for their interest and effort in applying for this position; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.