JOB CLASSIFICATION: Program Specialist

DEPARTMENT: Black Community Access Program

COMPANY: Skills for Change

LOCATION: 65 Overlea Blvd., Suite 260, Toronto, ON, M4H 1P1

REPORTS TO: Manager, Black Community Access Program

CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent full time

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

PAY RATE: $27.00

START DATE: Immediately

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY:

With over 42 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.

POSITION NATURE AND SCOPE:

The purpose of the Black Community Access Program (BCAP) Specialist is to support programs addressing the Black Community under representation in different career sectors, such as, TechForward Black Women in Data Analytics Program is to support women and identified as women representing the Black communities, who are unemployed, low income, internationally trained and/ or experienced from Toronto and other areas of the GTAH region, with comprehensive data analytics, business, entrepreneurship skills in their path to careers in Data Analytics. The program also includes career development and wellness supports. Mentoring, networking building and marketing capacities are included to provide confidence and competitiveness in the Data Analytics sector. Career action plan, individual/group counselling and coaching, workshop related to leadership, workplace inclusion, job search and retention, employment placements and confronting anti Black racism education are integral components of this program. Depending on the changes in the labour market, other careers may be targeted. This role supports the administration of BCAP programs within the department as required.

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES:

● Network with community agencies and perform community outreach visits to promote and raise profile of Skills for Change in relation to the Black Community Access programs

● Provide clients with information sessions on Skills for Change programs as well as all relevant resources and services available in the community

● Strong network, experience and community knowledge of the Black community and their diaspora is essential for this role

● Conduct information sessions and assessment intakes, provide one on one counseling support and referral of wrap around services

● Clear understanding of the Black Community challenges, such as youth unemployment, immigration and settlement

● Knowledge and lived experience working in the Black community diaspora is an essential requirement

● Research and keep updated process on existing labor market information, such as in occupations where there is a clear under representation of members of the Black Community.

● Works with clients with specialized needs and assist them with navigating their career transitions and addressing their barriers in achieving their career goals

●Support Black clients towards their employment action plan, including job search preparation, understanding the labour market demands, managing their expectations, supporting their job search activities, assisting them to match resumes with job postings and prepare them for interviews, monitor their work placements, and support their job readiness and retention once employed.

●Knowledge of the wraparound supports available and sensitive to the Black community and able and make cultural appropriate referrals to address their needs

●Facilitate workplace preparation and essential skills workshops that include career planning, employer expectations, workplace empowerment and advancement, and gender-sensitive training

●Develop, implement and revise as necessary an effective marketing strategy to build employer contacts

●Meet 100% participant intake target and ensure at least an 80% participants completion rate

●Market clients to potential employers and help clients find paid work placements

●Assist employers in developing on-the-job training plans and monitoring of placements

●Conduct site visits assessing the appropriateness of the workplace and the capacity of the employer to provide a positive experience and work-related training

●Coordinate peer mentorship networking and individual sessions activities

●Work with the partners and team to develop and support job retention strategies both from an employer and client perspective

●Ensure participants obtain 80% employed outcome and at least 1 year work retention.

●Maintain client case management files, update client information on Funders’ and Agency required databases (Salesforce) and track and produce all statistical reports as required by the program, including preparing client testimonials and success stories

●Follow up with clients at regular intervals as mandated or required by the program

SECONDARY DUTIES

●Participate and assist in the organization, marketing, and promotion of various events such as employer engagement, mentoring, networking sessions, special events etc.

●Skills and experience on facilitating training on Anti Black Racism

●Community engagement and outreach to the Black community for promoting our programs, referrals and service coordination

●Conduct outreach in the community to promote the TechForward Black women in Data Analytics Program or other careers, as required

●Liaise with other SfC department teams to ensure smooth delivery and coordination of services to clients

●Support with the facilitation of employment workshops at Skills for Change sites and in the community

●Maintain positive professional relationships and communication links with public and other relevant community resources

●Participate in the agency distribution, collection, and analysis of participant surveys and other evaluation and tracking procedures

●Evaluate the effectiveness of service delivery and present solutions to enhance services on an ongoing basis

●Handle additional tasks as required by the Manager, Black Community Access Program.

●Participate in all meetings as required

SKILLS, EDUCATION & ATTRIBUTES:

●Post-Secondary degree in social work and/or credentials as a Social Worker, Community (Support) Worker, or Career Counsellor required.

●Minimum 3 years of experience providing wrap-around supports, job coaching and counselling for women, youth, newcomers and immigrants, and individuals in receipt of social assistance required

●Experienced with building relationships with employers and community partners

●Knowledgably conducting facilitation via virtual platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Blackboard, etc.

●Knowledge and understanding of youth and adult learning principles and facilitation skills

●Knowledge of all community resources that can support marginalized women, in order to provide the necessary guidance and referrals

●Sensitivity to, and understanding of, issues and barriers to employment faced by Black women, immigrants, youth and other disadvantaged groups

●Excellent employment counseling and facilitation skills

●Excellent verbal, written communication and customer service skill

●Excellent teamwork and positive attitude towards change

●Strong Problem-solving skills and organizational skills

●Proficiency in Windows, MS Office, ability to deliver PowerPoint presentations

●Knowledge of Salesforce is an asset

●Position requires travel; car is an asset

PLEASE SEND YOUR APPLICATION TO: hr@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 2SLGBTQ+ 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 on request.

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