Occupational Therapist – Life After Impact Project
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer and/or Designate
Professional Designation: Registered Occupational Therapist
Term: Up to Two-Year Contract (Full-Time)
Job Purpose and Overview: Life After Impact: Rebuilding Lives after Gender-Based Violence and Concussion is a unique, interdisciplinary program designed to support individuals who have experienced gender-based violence (GBV) and sustained a concussion or brain injury. These invisible injuries can severely affect an individual’s ability to maintain employment, manage daily responsibilities, and live independently. This program provides wrap-around, individualized support to help participants regain autonomy, rebuild economic security, and improve quality of life.
Working under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer and/or designate, the Occupational Therapist will play a central role on an interdisciplinary team, alongside a Registered Social Worker, a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, and a Program and Outreach Coordinator to develop a virtual training program and provide individualized support to each participant. Using a trauma-informed and client-centered approach, the Occupational Therapist will work with individuals to build adaptive strategies for managing cognitive and physical challenges, support vocational readiness, and guide access to workplace accommodations.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
1. Program Development and Implementation
- Collaborate with the project team to research, develop, and implement an accessible, evidence-informed support program exploring topics including financial literacy, vocational skills, health literacy, mental health and coping strategies, relationships and communication for individuals with GBV-related concussion/brain injury.
- Contribute to the development and refinement of resources.
- Host educational webinars about the program to increase awareness about the program and recruit participants with GBV-related concussions/brain injuries.
- Assist in designing and delivering training for community organizations and service providers on GBV-related concussion/brain injury.
- Increase participant knowledge about communication strategies, pacing and planning, the return-to-work process, and available accommodations through the online resource and support from the occupational therapist.
2. Client-Centered Support and Individualized Programming
- Conduct virtual assessments to understand participants’ cognitive, physical, emotional, and functional challenges following a GBV-related concussion/brain injury.
- Co-create individualized support plans that reflect each participant’s self-identified needs, goals, and strengths.
- Provide one-to-one virtual sessions focused on developing cognitive strategies, improving daily functioning, and reintegration into home, community, and workplace settings.
- Offer strategies and tools to help participants manage memory, fatigue, executive functioning, and emotional regulation challenges.
- Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team (Social Worker and Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist) to coordinate support plans.
- Assist participants in identifying and securing appropriate workplace accommodations.
- Collaborate with project team members to ensure holistic wrap-around care.
- Document progress, outcomes, and relevant data for evaluation and reporting.
3. Group-Based Program Delivery and Education
- Facilitate synchronous, virtual groups that complement the program’s online asynchronous learning modules.
- These closed groups will be offered weekly over an eight to ten-week period, expanding on core concepts through guided discussions and interactive activities.
- Topics will include understanding and managing changes after concussion/brain injury, health and financial literacy, and vocational skills development.
4. Outreach and Participant Engagement
- Promote program participation through collaboration with community agencies, shelters, and service providers across Ontario.
- Actively support recruitment efforts and participate in virtual presentations to increase awareness of the program.
5. Evaluation
- Assist in the collection and analysis of participant outcomes and feedback to evaluate program effectiveness.
- Ensure practices are aligned with current evidence in occupational therapy, concussion rehabilitation, and trauma-informed care.
6. Other
- Assume such other duties as assigned by the CEO and/or designate.
Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy (Required).
- Registration and good standing with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (Required).
- Minimum 5 years of clinical experience.
- Experience in trauma-informed care and working with persons of GBV/IPV strongly preferred.
- Previous experience supporting individuals with brain injuries, neurological challenges, or concussions is essential.
- Familiarity with the intersection of gender-based violence and traumatic brain injury.
- Understanding of acquired brain injury (ABI) and its impact on function, employment, and daily life.
- Demonstrated competence in maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and rapport with diverse populations.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team.
- Excellent organizational, administrative, and time management skills.
- Skilled in virtual service delivery, group facilitation, and client-centered planning.
- Knowledge of workplace accommodation, planning, and vocational rehabilitation supports.
- Cultural humility and the ability to support clients from marginalized or underserved communities.
Other
- Work arrangements (in-person, hybrid, or remote) will be determined by the employer, taking the employee’s location into account.
- Travel within Ontario may occasionally be required for outreach or collaboration
- Flexible work hours may be needed to accommodate participant schedules
Note: OBIA values lived experience and strongly encourages applications from individuals with personal or professional experience related to brain injury, gender-based violence, or equity-deserving communities. OBIA is an equal-opportunity employer. In accordance with the AODA (Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005), OBIA will provide accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment, selection, and/or assessment process. If you require disability-related accommodations, please inform us. All personal information is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Interested applicants are invited to submit their résumé and cover letter to
Ruth Wilcock, CEO,
at: employment@obia.on.ca or fax 905-641-0323
Résumés must be received no later than Friday, May 9th, 2025, by 4:00 PM
We thank all applicants for their interest in our organization; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.