PROGRAM: Strategic Initiatives

COMPANY: Skills for Change

LOCATION: 791 St. Clair Ave West, Toronto ON

REPORTS TO: Manager, Black Community Access Program & Strategic Initiatives

CONTRACT TYPE: Contract (8 weeks)

HOURS: 35 hours per week (Monday- Friday, with occasional evening and/or weekend hours)

RATE: $ 15.00

START DATE: Immediately

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open until filled

 

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY:

With over 40 years of operations, Skills for Change is a highly respected non-profit with a province wide reputation for pioneering programs that respond to shifting immigration and workplace trends and lead to employment. Skills for Change provides multi-sited employment, job skills, career exploration through mentoring and entrepreneurship, job development, mental health and wellness, language and settlement programs and services throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Areas.We believe we are in the best position to provide thought leadership through evidence-based programming, impact stories and proactive policy advocacy using knowledge mobilization products.

The Communications Specialist will work under the supervision of the Manager, Black Community Access Program & Strategic Initiatives.This post requires a high degree of innovation, creativity and personal initiative,excellent interpersonal and communication skills and an understanding of the role that communications and research has to play in leveraging program resources and informing media and policy discourse.The incumbent will support building and maintaining the Skills for Change news portal, managing and executing communication tasks, supporting strategic initiatives and advocacy work, and providing research assistance including (but not limited to):

Eligibility
This is part of the Canada Summer Jobs Program,
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social development/services/funding/canada-summer-jobs/screening-eligibility.html
• Applicants must have reached the age of 15 and not yet reached the age of 30 upon commencement of employment.
• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada. International students are not eligible.

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES:

  • Help profile Skills for Change’s Black Community Programming & Access programs and services, including profiling success stories from the related programs and services.
  • Help draft a range of communication materials showcasing Skills for Change’s impact, program delivery and reach through the news portal including impact stories, blog posts, news articles, press releases, Q&A, event coverage, infographics, case studies, slide decks, photo essays, etc., based on results achieved and impact generated, and Skills for Change’s research bank.
  • Support the process of publishing a wide range of content on the news portal and support the running of effective campaigns aimed at fundraising and raising the profile of Skills for Change.
  • Support tracking and disseminating Skills for Change results to showcase impact through analyzing and presenting targeted material in publications, digital and multi-media formats tailored for different audiences including on social media.
  • Support the promotion of Skills for Change’s added value in priority thematic areas and sectors for newcomers, immigrants and refugees. 
  • Support building understanding, access and knowledge to priority Skills for Change delivery areas through best practises, lessons learned and information exchange on the virtual news platform using website and social media tools. This includes ensuring increased website traffic flow to the news portal, news portal’s quality (content and functionality) as well as promoting Skills for Change champions and program innovations.
  • Contribute to organizing events and producing digital content and materials including relevant outreach products (brochures, animations, flyers).
  • Provide regular support to Skills for Change stakeholder engagement including using different communication tools to sensitize stakeholders in events.
  • Boost a shared vision on Skills for Change delivery by raising the Skills for Change profile including on initiating positive contacts with media outlets leading to Skills for Change organization coverage and showcasing Skills for Change jointly with wider partners at events,
  • and wider activities where possible.
  • Handle administrative tasks and/or other duties as required. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

  • Strong all-round communication skills especially writing, editing and proofreading, and the ability to summarise complex research information in clear, non-specialist language for a wide range of communication formats. 
  • Written and spoken skills in a language other than English, particularly French would be an advantage;
  • Good knowledge of the development sector with a bias of strategic communications for non-profits;
  • Knowledge and familiarity of organizations involved in workforce strategies, decent work, networks and media is essential along with a clear understanding of research communications and impact;
  • Experience using web-based tools for communication such as Microsoft Office suite, WordPress, MailChimp, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Sprout (social media management), Google Suite, Zoom, Slack etc.,
  • Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collectively in a diverse and dynamic team environment;
  • Strong planning and organization skills with ability to prioritize. 

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Completed or in pursuit of post-secondary education in journalism, communications or relevant subject area and experience, as well as highly developed communication skills, drafting skills and familiarity with a range of media tools. 

PLEASE SEND YOUR APPLICATION TO:summerjobs@skillsforchange.org

Skills for Change provides learning and training opportunities for immigrants, refugees and equity seeking groups to access and fully participate in the workplace and wider community to persons with disabilities to newcomers to Canada (including refugees) to Indigenous peoples to members of a visible minority to children or youth to seniors to the LGBTQ2 community. Skills for Change offers accommodation for applicants with disabilities in each stage of the hiring process. If you are contacted Regarding a job opportunity, please advise if you require accommodation. This document is available in alternate format onrequest.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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