The Jane/Finch Centre is a multi-service, community-based organization with a strong focus on poverty reduction through resident engagement, capacity building, and anti-oppression. Our vision is a healthy Jane-Finch community – strong, inclusive and civically-engaged through diversity, opportunity, and participation

 Accountability:

The position is accountable to the Manager of Employment Initiatives.

Overview:

As part of a new joint team and pilot initiative between the Jane/Finch Centre and the Hospitality Workers Training Centre (HWTC), the Career Navigator will be responsible for connecting residents and jobseekers with employment pathways in the hospitality and service industries. The Career Navigator will work one-on-one with equity-deserving residents, including youth, women, newcomers, persons with disabilities, and individuals from low-income, racialized communities.

The Career Navigator will serve as the primary point of contact for individuals accessing skills development, wraparound supports, and career opportunities. They will develop individualized service plans, directly facilitate training workshops, and guide participants through every phase of their journey: from intake and credentialing to labour market attachment and retention.

Using a strength-based approach, the Career Navigator will act as the central case management liaison across the employment initiatives team. They will coordinate with outreach staff during recruitment and intake, coordinate training opportunities with other career consultants, and partner closely with the Employer Engagement Lead to transition participants into sustainable employment.

Specific Responsibilities:

Intake 

• Work with participants to identify their career goals, current knowledge and experience, and skills development needs. 

• Access labour market information to identify appropriate training and employment opportunities.

• Develop personalized service plans with participants. 

• Identify wraparound supports and facilitate warm referrals to other community services as needed. 

Career Coaching 

• Provide one-on-one career coaching to participants 

• Connect participants with good job or career advancement opportunities, supporting application processes, access to hiring events, and securing employment offers

• Provide continued supports to participants after hiring, such as additional upskilling opportunities and wraparound referrals

Training

• Connect participants with appropriate learning, training, and upskilling opportunities, such as sector-focused micro-credentials and industry certifications

• Coordinate and facilitate sector-focused training both online and in-person, adapting delivery to support diverse learning styles and career goals.

• Track training outcomes and certification attainments according to individualized service plans 

Administration and Evaluation 

• Actively track and collect participant progress and outcomes, following up with participants as needed

• Maintain all participant records and forms using internal systems and in EOIS-CAMS in a timely and accurate manner. 

• Survey participants on service experience and post-hiring to collect feedback 

• Help facilitate other evaluation activities with participants as required 

• Contribute to internal and external reporting as needed 

• Any other duties as required 

Key Qualifications:

• Knowledge and work/lived experience in employment issues, career coaching, and/or the service industries (e.g. hospitality, food service, retail, and related sectors).

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in case management, career coaching, workforce development, or delivering direct social services to individuals facing barriers to employment.

• Demonstrated experience delivering interactive training, facilitating group workshops, or presenting instructional content, with the ability to engage a range of participants in targeted skill development.

• Current or former resident of the Jane-Finch neighbourhood (or the larger Humber River-Black Creek area) or experience living or working with other low-income, racialized communities.

• Bring a critical, equity-driven, anti-oppressive, and strengths-based framework to employment service delivery and participant coaching.

• Strong attention to detail, specifically regarding accurate participant record-keeping, compliance, and database management

• Self-starter who has excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage and track multiple complex, individualized service plans

• Strong communication skills (written, verbal, and interpersonal) with a proven ability to build trust and effectively coach individuals

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with an internal project team and external partners 

• Comfortable juggling multiple priorities, managing an active caseload, and shifting plans to respond to participant needs

• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and some weekends, as needed to accommodate participant availability

• Experience utilizing case management databases and tracking participant metrics

• Experience conducting skills assessments, synthesizing labour market data, and drawing insights

• Ability to communicate in another language commonly spoken in the Jane-Finch/Black Creek area (e.g., Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Tagalog, or Arabic) is an asset.

Diversity and Equity: 
The Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre is committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the Toronto community and the participants we serve. We strongly encourage applications from racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, and all those who can provide varied and unique perspectives.

 
Accessibility and Accommodation: 
We are dedicated to inclusive, barrier-free hiring practices. In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), we will provide reasonable and appropriate accommodation during all stages of the hiring process. If you require an accommodation, please contact Wayne Woolery at or call 416-663-2733 ext. 239 in advance so we can work with you to meet your needs.