Program Officer, Communities

About the Foundation

Headquartered in Montreal, the McConnell Foundation is a private Canadian foundation that strives for a resilient, inclusive and sustainable society that can successfully address its complex challenges.

Opportunity

The successful candidate will join a dynamic team that supports diverse and innovative approaches to community resilience, reconciliation and climate change. We do this through a variety of means: financial contributions and investment, capacity building, consultation and collaboration with the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Position Title: Program Officer, Communities

Location: Flexible within Canada. Montreal preferred. Remote employees must reside in Canada full-time.

Mode: Remote – Must reside within Canada

Employment type: Part-time, 21 hours per week, Temporary (Leave Replacement)

9 months starting January 29, 2024 until October 25, 2024

Supervisor: Program Director, Communities

Department and Team: Programs, Focus Area – Communities

Position Level: Professional I

Position Summary

The Program Officer, Communities supports the work of the Communities focus area both in operationalizing the Communities area strategy and bringing the voice of communities into many elements of our regular work. Through the review and follow up on funding proposals and collaborating with community partners, and creating end to end administrative support, the Program Officer plays a key support role.

Key Responsibilities (Summary)

Communities Program Support: Assisting the Program Director, Communities in communicating and operationalizing the new Communities strategy. Bringing awareness of realities of equity-deserving groups into the work. Conducting background research and creating materials to support the rollout and refining of the Communities strategy.

Administration: Coordinating end to end administration of the funding process for the Communities focus area, supporting reception, review and follow ups of funding applications.

Collaboration and Representation: Interacting with community partners with integrity as a representative of the Foundation, its mission, values, strategies and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

Position requirements

• Functional bilingualism with excellent oral and written skills in either English or French.
• Experience with and understanding of non-profit organizations and community-led initiatives.
• 3-4 years' experience in program support and/or administration.
• Post-Secondary degree or equivalent experience.
• Commitment to EDIA frameworks and practices.
• Availability and willingness to travel.

Professional skills and attributes 

• A high level of professionalism, integrity, discretion, humility, rigour and transparency.
• Demonstrated commitment to positive societal and environmental change.
• Ability to work autonomously, while informing and engaging colleagues as needed.
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills.
• Works to address conflict effectively and in a timely manner.
• Comfortable working with senior management and members of equity-deserving communities.
• Self-awareness about strengths and areas for improvement.

Assets

• Experience of public outreach work with equity-deserving communities, in particular 2SLGBTQ+ and disabilities communities.
• Experience in budget administration.
• Understanding of the landscape and trends in the Foundation’s focus areas and philanthropy in Canada.
• Experience facilitating and coordinating groups.
• Experience with monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks and processes.

Benefits

• Generous, fully paid benefits and a health spending account
• Simplified pension employer matching (6%)
• Employee Assistance and Virtual Medicine programs
• Hybrid working conditions and home office allowance
• Immediate vacation access and paid holiday time off
• Urban centre cost of living offsets in some cases

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The McConnell Foundation is working towards strengthening our culture of inclusion and strives to build a team that reflects our mission for a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable society. We welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous people, Black people, racialized people, women, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people, people from the 2SLGBTQQIA community, people with disabilities (visible and invisible) and newcomers to Canada.

Our recruitment team will consider equity status throughout the recruitment process, so we invite members from equity deserving groups to self-identify in their application.

Our work environment and hiring process is inclusive and accessible to anyone with unique needs in terms of accessibility and accommodations. We will support you throughout the life cycle of your employment with us. We ask that all applicants identify their accommodation needs by sending an email to accessibility @mcconnellfoundation.ca so that we can create the necessary conditions so that you can participate fully in the hiring process. All information received in relation to equity status and accommodation will be remain confidential.

Applicant Deadline: January 8, 2024 at noon. For preselected candidates, interviews will take place January 17 and 18, 2024 with an expected start date of January 29, 2024.

How to Apply

Please ensure to submit a resume and a cover letter via our careers website, and not a third party site.