Client Representative

The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (OPGT) delivers a unique and diverse range of services that safeguard the legal and financial interests of private individuals and estates.

This is an opportunity to work in a rewarding role providing financial guardianship services to clients who are incapable of making decisions regarding personal finances, property or health.

What can I expect to do in this role?

You will:

• explain OPGT's role to clients, family members and caregivers, assess supportiveness, degree of desired involvement, circumstances and needs relevant to OPGT's area of authority
• manage budgets and make financial decisions on behalf of clients after taking into consideration the clients' life-style, station in life, and present and future needs
• ensure that the client's income cheques are redirected to the OPGT and recurring income entries are accurately reflected, amended and deleted
• liaise with administrative and professional staff of care facilities and service providers to resolve problems
• provide input for the screening process of private guardianship applications
• make arrangements with landlords or other third parties for vacating premises and disposition of contents
• provide testimony as an expert witness at court, examinations and other proceedings

How do I qualify?

Technical Knowledge:

• You are able to interpret and apply legislation (i.e. Substitute Decisions Act, Health Care Consent Act, Mental Health Act) and related legislation in order to provide financial guardianship services to a caseload of mentally incapable clients whose financial affairs are less-complex and low risk
• Your understanding of the health care sector, income support programs/sources and government benefits (i.e. ODSP, EI, CPPD, OW, QAC/CPPR, etc) allows you to facilitate dealings with health care providers and administrators of protected settings such as nursing and retirement homes, homes for special care and psychiatric facilities

Financial Skills:

• You are able to develop and manage clients' budgets, and identify, forecast and monitor clients' income including eligibility for various pensions, benefits and expenditures
• You can facilitate invoice payments from vendors/service providers, and initiate and audit pre-authorized payment agreements

Analytical, Evaluative and Organizational Skills:

• You are able to assess clients and individual circumstances, evaluate clients' life-style, station in life, present and future expenditures and needs of dependents
• You can work in a high volume environment while setting priorities and meeting strict deadlines

Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

• You demonstrate sensitivity when communicating with clients and relatives
• Your interpersonal skills enable you to effectively liaise with administrative and professional staff of care facilities and service providers, and advise facility staff and community caregiver groups of OPGT services

All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

Remember: The deadline to apply is Wednesday, July 31, 2013 11:59 pm EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.

We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted.