Location: Toronto, Canada (Only candidates who are eligible to work legally without work visa sponsorship in Canada will be considered.)

Contract Type: Full-time (40 hours per week), Permanent contract

Hiring Salary: CAD 55,994 per annum (before taxes)

Target Start Date: As soon as possible

Application Closing Date: Open until position is filled.

This job advert is for an existing vacancy.

About Right To Play:

For more than 25 years, Right To Play has been protecting, educating, and empowering millions of children each year to rise above adversity through the power of play.

We offer programs in 14 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America, reaching millions of children each year in some of the most difficult places on earth, helping them to stay in school and learn, overcome prejudice, heal from trauma, and develop the skills they need to thrive. We do this by harnessing play, one of the most fundamental forces in a child's life, to teach children the critical skills they need to dismantle barriers and embrace opportunities, in learning and in life.

This work is supported by our two global offices in Toronto, Canada and London, UK; and seven National Offices in North America and Europe.

For more than 10 years, Right To Play has partnered with Indigenous First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations across Canada, to deliver community-driven, culturally relevant, play-based programs. More information on our Indigenous Programs is available here. You can also find out more about the communities we supported in 2024 from here.

Benefits Highlights:

• Connect and collaborate with a global team who are passionate about protecting, educating and empowering children and youth using the power of play!
• Culture premised on our Culture Code (accept everyone, make things happen, display courage, demonstrate care, and be playful)
• Paid leaves (15 days annual leaves, 3 personal days per year)
• Competitive benefits such as medical and health insurance, RRSP plan, and gym membership
• Learning opportunities and 5 learning and development (L&D) days per year
• More information on what we offer is available on our website.

Right To Play provides equal employment opportunities to employees regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We strongly encourage groups who have been historically disadvantaged with respect to employment to apply for positions at Right To Play. 

As part of our selection process, final candidates will be required to complete security checks and Vulnerable Sector Check or equivalent criminal record check as a condition of the offer. More details about our recruitment process are available here. Safeguarding information is available here.

As part of our recruitment and selection process, Right To Play uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) - assisted tools to support the assessment of candidates or applications. This may include but not limited to generating and editing of job adverts, assessment and interview questions, scheduling, translation, transcription, note taking, etc. Our Applicant Tracking System (ATS), VidCruiter, also use AI-powered ChatBot to answer candidates' enquiries. These tools are used only to assist human reviewers in evaluation and do not make selection or screening decisions. All hiring decisions are made by human reviewers. All AI-assisted processes comply with applicable privacy and data protection regulations, including GDPR and PIPEDA. For more information, please refer to RTP AI Policy and our Best Practice: Use of AI in Recruitment.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Program Manager EAST, the Program Officer is responsible for on-going capacity building and administrative support of Child and Youth Workers facilitating PLAY projects or programs in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and Indigenous organizations communities throughout Canada. The Program Officer is also the main liaison for 6 -8 Indigenous community partners with responsibilities that include community and nurturing relationships with local community leadership, supporting the co-design of a tailormade play-based learning projects or programs that meet the needs and goals of each community, and reporting back any outcomes from the program to all key stakeholders. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:        

In accordance with Right To Play (RTP) approved policies and procedures, the incumbent:

1. Provide On-Going Guidance and Relationship Oversight to Partner Communities & Organizations

• Work with Child and Youth Workers to establish realistic plans that result in co-developed, high quality, reliable play-based learning programs for children and youth  
• Support Child and Youth Workers with delegate partnership tasks and ensure workplans and responsibilities are completed on time, accurately and efficiently.
• Organize Virtual meetings and program visits with Child and Youth Workers to ensure their programming goals are being met and they receive the supports they require 
• Plan and facilitate capacity-building workshops and learning opportunities to equip Child and Youth Workers with the skills needed to perform and maintain their play-based learning program partnership roles effectively.
• Work with Child and Youth Workers and Community Supervisors to help finalize work-plans 
• Liaise with Child and Youth Workers, Community Supervisors and First Nations, Inuit and Métis leadership as needed to ensure responsiveness to their partnership needs.
• Work closely with the Program Manager to ensure the accurate completion of all required partnership agreements and administrative requirements (progress reports, financial reports)  
• Work closely with the Program Manager and community partners in navigating and resolving programmatic and human resource issues as needed to support the success of the program

 2. Program and Project Planning and Delivery

• Visit partner communities to provide coaching and support for projects and local PLAY program to enhance its reach and impact with youth
• Coordinate with community partners and work closely with the Program Manager, the Training and Monitoring and Evaluation Teams and IP leaderships to facilitate IP Team, Indigenous leaders, and donor community visits.    
• Liaise with key contacts and Child and Youth Workers to determine how play-based learning projects, programs and partnerships can be strengthened and improved 
• Work to establish strong and transparent relationships with community leadership and community members 
• Present findings of needs assessments to the community to ensure that analysis is accurate 

 3. Capacity Building of Child and Youth Workers

• Work with Program Managers and other members of the IP team to help plan, lead and assess skill enhancement workshops for Child and Youth Workers
• Support the Training and MEL teams in the creation and planning of hands on, activity-based training programs to enhance the skills of Child and Youth Workers
• Plan and facilitate training sessions at workshops throughout the program year for Child and Youth Workers and support staff who will implement projects and regular PLAY Programming 
• Support the creation of post-workshop reports for the organization and for partners  

 4.Monitoring and Evaluation

• Ensure that all monitoring and assessment tools are effectively completed by Child and Youth Workers in a timely manner 
• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team to adapt MEL tools to ensure they are user-friendly 
• Work with Child and Youth Workers to ensure they understand the importance of completing reports and how to effectively complete them on a regular basis 
• Visit PLAY partner organizations to offer Evaluation supports as needed.

 5.Finance and Administration

• Work with Child and Youth Workers to monitor community expenditures against projected spending 
• Support Child and Youth Workers in accurately completing and submitting their financial reports on time.
• Support the management of each PLAY partner organizations designated budget 
• Support the Program Manager in liaising with PLAY partner organization’s Finance Officers and Community Supervisors to ensure they understand Right To Play’s financial procedures and timeline   

 6.Other duties as assigned 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

(A)    EDUCATION/TRAINING/CERTIFICATION:

• Post-Secondary degree, diploma, or equivalent work experience is required in any of the following areas: Indigenous learning, child and youth work, community development, sports management, outdoor recreation, education, health sciences and/or social sciences  
• A Class G driver’s license is required.
• Courses completed and/or certificate training in community development, youth leadership or sport programs specific to First Nations youth and communities is an added advantage.
• Certified in suicide prevention (e.g., safeTALK or ASIST is an added advantage.

(B)    EXPERIENCE

• Designing and facilitating outcome-based workshops, recreation/sport/arts/land-based programs, or educational activities for a range of group sizes 
• Collaborating and working with external stakeholders on program development and capacity-building initiatives. 
• Working with Indigenous communities and organizations, or demonstrated experience with inclusion, diversity, equity, or accessibility models in BIPOC environments. 
• Assisting with project management and/or stakeholder management
• Budget planning and monitoring
• Hybrid or remote work and networking

(C) COMPETENCIES / PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Strong self-management skills for hybrid/remote work including abilities to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines while working remotely.
• Ability to remotely coach and build meaningful partnership relationships with 6-8 Child and Youth Workers  

(D) KNOWLEDGE / TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Familiarity with best practices related to child safeguarding 
• Knowledge of play-based learning methods and ability to transfer to cultural contexts
• Advanced Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook 
• Analytical and written skills, including research and writing of proposals and reports 
• Able to use data collection tools for program reporting and evaluating 
• Ability to use budget management tools for tracking expenditures and financial reporting.
• Knowledge of French or an Indigenous Languages revitalization and initiatives is welcome.
• Knowledge of Cultural safety and authenticity, lived experience and/or deep cultural understanding of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis traditions and cultures
• Strong knowledge of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis distinctions
• Deep knowledge of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit adversities and culturally rooted strength-based approaches to address adversities.
• Knowledge of the United National Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, The 94 Calls to Action, Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP), National Inuit Strategy on Research.

(E) LANGUAGES (Required)

Fluency in spoken and written English.

ADDITIONAL JOB-RELATED CONDITIONS

This position requires frequent travel throughout Canada (locations pending partnership portfolio).