Community Outreach Worker (Casual and flexible hours)

About this position

About The Career Foundation: The Career Foundation is a dynamic non-profit organization that offers a wide range of employment, training, and HR services to job seekers and employers. Since its inception in 1988, The Career Foundation has steadily expanded its services. Operating out of seven locations, we now help thousands of people each year successfully accomplish their employment goals. Our team of dedicated professionals have described The Career Foundation as caring, compassionate, innovative, and team-oriented. For more information about us and our services, please visit our website at CareerFoundation.com.

Position Summary: The Career Foundation’s Community and Outreach Workers are responsible for developing relationships with local community groups and organizations to increase awareness of The Career Foundation and its services. The Community and Outreach Workers are also responsible for marketing and outreaching to job seekers, especially those from underrepresented groups, to help them access the various employment programs and services of The Career Foundation. A creative and innovative marketing, outreach, and community engagement approach is required to be successful in this role. 

• Position type: Casual and flexible hours
• Location: Greater Toronto Area. A valid G driver’s licence and access to a reliable vehicle is required. Successful candidates must be able to travel to various communities in the GTA to conduct essential outreach functions.
• Number of positions: 2
• Reporting to: Manager of Community Partnerships and Special Initiatives
• Years’ experience:  1+
• Start date: Immediately 

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Community Engagement

• Connects with schools and community organizations to encourage referrals.
• Attends and/or coordinates community events, job fairs, information sessions, and other related activities in collaboration with other team members, employers, local organizations, and community partners.
• Distributes event flyers, workshop calendars, and job postings to community partners to help generate referrals and intakes.  
• Responds to general inquiries pertaining to programs, services, referrals, and partnerships.
• Attends community partner meetings and planning table discussions.
• Coordinates with fellow staff and management on participation in community engagement events.
• Assists to coordinate special projects in collaboration with community partners.
• Supports in the creation of marketing material, trackers, surveys, outreach strategies, and action plans for community priorities.
• Other duties as assigned.  

Community Outreach

• Plans and executes innovative and effective outreach initiatives targeting local community members.
• Recruits and registers a targeted number of new job seeker clients on an ongoing basis.
• Strategically focuses marketing and outreach efforts towards newcomers, Francophone, persons with disabilities, those receiving income support, Indigenous Peoples, and youth clients to ensure that they have equitable access to services.
• Implements marketing strategies to help promote new projects as needed.
• Utilizes social media platforms, communication strategies, and creative marketing campaigns to attract new participants and community partners.
• Promotes and delivers virtual information sessions to increase visibility and awareness of employment services and programs.
• Supports clients with completing online registration and gathers required documents.
• Other duties as assigned.

Event Support and Coordination

• Promotes and delivers virtual information sessions in the community to help increase visibility and awareness of employment services and programs.
• Conducts follow-up calls with workshop attendees to encourage program registration.
• Supports in the development of new workshops that will meet the needs of community members.
• Creates virtual sessions and events using Zoom and MS Teams and issues event reminders, conducts post-event follow-ups, manages attendance, collects evaluations, and troubleshoots technical issues during events as needed.
• Attends community meetings and events and updates team on local initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications / Skills Required:

• Diploma or degree preferably in marketing, communications, or business, or equivalent practical work experience is required.
• A minimum of 1-2 years’ experience conducting successful outreach and marketing initiatives, or transferrable experience is required.
• Knowledge and experience with disability services, Ontario Works, ODSP, Indigenous communities, youth, and other vulnerable populations considered an asset.
• Record of achieving and exceeding assigned goals and targets.
• Partnership development and/or career counselling/facilitation experience considered an asset.
• Knowledge of current labour market trends, the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market, job search techniques, and employment research methods.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), as well as Zoom, and Outlook 365 applications, including Teams, SharePoint, Forms, and Bookings. Must also possess aptitude and willingness to learn and work with new online systems and technologies.
• Must be positive and results-driven in nature and capable of achieving goals.
• A professional and courteous approach to client service with a high level of respect for the diversity of the people served.
• Exceptional customer service skills and ability to uphold the organization’s service standards, policies, and core values.
• Outstanding organizational skills, time management, and ability to multi-task in order to meet deadlines and achieve objectives.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to clearly communicate information verbally and in writing.
• Punctual, self-motivated and self-directed.
• Willingness to step-in to assist team members as needed to help ensure goals are met.
• Ability to maintain sensitive information, exhibit tact, diplomacy and good judgment, with high standards of professionalism, ethics and confidentiality when facing challenging situations.
• Capable of working under pressure.
• Ability to build strong working team relationships.
• A valid G driver’s licence and access to a reliable vehicle is required and must be willing to travel to various communities in the GTA to conduct essential outreach functions.
• Willingness and flexibility to occasionally work outside of normal business hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed.  

The Career Foundation’s Commitment:

The Career Foundation is committed to diversity and inclusion and aims to create a healthy and rewarding environment for all. We welcome applications from qualified individuals who represent the diversity of the people we proudly serve, including, but not limited to, visible minorities, women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and individuals of all genders and sexual orientation. The Career Foundation, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), is also committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. We will work with candidates requesting accommodation at any stage of the hiring process.

How to Apply:

Please visit the ‘Join Our Team’ page on our website at https://careerfoundation.com/join-our-team and select the position for which you would like to submit your application. You may complete the application form directly through our website. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview. No phone calls please. Thank you for your interest in The Career Foundation.