We welcome applications via email only.

Contract Type: Full-time (position funded through May 2023. Work is ongoing to secure funding beyond this period) 

Start Date: June 2022 

Location: Halifax area (remote position) 

Closing Date: May 20, 2022 at 5:00 pm EST 

Hours of work: Flexible 

Salary: $50,000 - $60,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications 

Benefits: A generous benefits package will be made available following the end of the three-month probationary period, which includes health and dental benefits, AD&D, Long-term disability and life insurance. Group and individual professional development opportunities are also provided to staff. 

Paid time off: Four weeks (20 days) of paid vacation are provided and CERA typically closes between Christmas and New Year’s Day, providing a handful of additional paid days off for staff to rest and recharge. 10 paid days are also provided to use for personal and family illness, injury or medical emergency. 

Application Method: Cover letter + resume. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete an assignment and to participate in an interview. Please see instructions below. 

About CERA 

CERA is one of Canada’s oldest charities working to advance the right to adequate housing. Founded in 1987, CERA has worked tirelessly for over thirty years at the intersection of human rights and housing and is one of Canada’s leading NGOs working in the area of social and economic rights. CERA works to advance the right to adequate housing by: 

• Serving clients to help them stay housed: CERA provides free services to tenants facing eviction and human rights violations in their housing, and we are experts in these fields. Each year we provide services to over a thousand tenants and we are highly effective in ensuring that some of the most vulnerable Ontario renters remain in their homes. 

• Providing education and training about housing rights: CERA provides public education and training on housing rights and human rights in housing to diverse groups across Ontario, reaching approximately 1,000 people annually. We work with community partners to train individuals and communities about their housing rights and how to assert them, and we engage with landlords to educate them about their obligations as housing providers.   

• Advancing rights-based housing policy: CERA advances rights-based housing policy through research, policy development, advocacy and litigation. Notable achievements include setting a legal precedent preventing landlords from discriminating against renters who receive social assistance, launching a constitutional challenge against the federal government for failing to take action against homelessness, and coordinating the Right to Housing Toronto Network (R2HTO).   

Working at CERA 

CERA is a growing collaborative and cross-functional team of motivated professionals committed to advancing the right to housing. We are entering the second year of our strategic plan, which prioritizes organizational growth, working nationally, developing innovative ways to engage communities and individuals to support their right to housing and building new, dedicated teams in the areas of policy advocacy, research and strategic litigation. CERA’s four functional teams (Services and Education; Policy, Communications & Engagement; Research; and, Strategic Litigation) work collaboratively together to support each other’s work in identifying and executing innovative ways to advance the right to housing.   

CERA’s office is located at the Centre for Social Innovation (Spadina location), an exciting shared workspace that houses 250 non-profits and social innovators across multiple locations in downtown Toronto. It is accessible by transit and offers substantial opportunities to network with like-minded people and participate in a mission-driven, innovative community through various events. CERA’s office has several workstations which are available to staff who would like to work from the office on a part-time or occasional basis.  

About the Role  

We are seeking a motivated and committed outreach and advocacy professional with strong skills in stakeholder relations, public and community engagement, advocacy and project management to join our team and help us in our ambitious goal of advancing the right to housing for all. In this role, your ability to juggle multiple responsibilities under tight timelines is essential. If you are a self-starter with demonstrated experience in successfully navigating multi-stakeholder environments, cultivating respectful and reciprocal relationships with community partners and advocating for policy change this could be the right role for you.  

As Outreach and Advocacy Advisor, your responsibilities will include: 

Outreach, Stakeholder and Community Engagement 

• Supporting CERA’s stakeholder engagement efforts in Halifax and Nova Scotia broadly, with a goal of building capacity and commitment to advancing the right to housing.  
• Cultivating respectful and collaborative relationships with individuals, communities, networks and organizations who have or are working with those who have experienced housing precarity, homelessness or human rights violations in their housing.  

• Working with directly impacted individuals, communities and members of the public to develop relevant and responsive policy recommendations related to housing policy for policy makers and government. 
• Overseeing, developing, and supporting community-based research and consultations. 
• Performing other duties to support CERA’s outreach, stakeholder and community engagement efforts. 

Policy Advocacy and Communications  

• Maintaining an up-to-date understanding of the housing policy and political landscape as it relates to CERA’s work in Halifax and Nova Scotia.  
• Reviewing, analyzing, and advising management on existing and proposed public policy as it relates to CERA’s work, particularly from the perspective of directly impacted communities. 
• Supporting campaigns and policy advocacy, informed by directly impacted communities, working with a range of government, public and community agencies. 
• Supporting organizational participation in events including conferences, workshops, presentations and other speaking engagements. 

• Contributing to the development of policy advocacy resources and communications content including articles, op-eds, website, newsletters and social media content, newsletters and other promotional materials and speaking notes. 
• Performing other duties as may be assigned to support CERA’s policy, communications and advocacy efforts.  

Required Qualifications 

• A university degree or college diploma in a relevant field (e.g. public policy, political science, planning, community development). 
• Minimum of 3 years of post-graduation professional experience in a role that includes policy advocacy, stakeholder relations, outreach and/or community engagement. 
• Strong understanding of the right to housing, the housing and social sectors in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Canada, human rights, housing law and the barriers facing equity-seeking groups in housing.   
• Demonstrated experience building collaborative and respectful relationships with community organizations, coalitions and networks, and/or the broader non-profit sector and working in close co-operation with volunteers, community members, legal experts, service providers, academia and/or researchers, and in a multi-disciplinary team. 
• Ability to take a project management approach to managing work, including developing and managing workplans, tracking and monitoring tasks and deadlines, and self-managing tasks and workflow.  

• Project or program management experience, including sound knowledge of work planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.  
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and supporting students and volunteers an asset.  
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills in English and an ability to communicate directly with diverse audiences and the general public, producing clear written work on complex issues.   
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).  
• Working proficiency in an additional language is an asset.  

Skills and attributes 

• Outstanding organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.  
• Ability to multi-task, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and adapt quickly to change.  

• Ability to work accurately under pressure with attention to detail and deadlines, and with minimal supervision. 
• Flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple and sometimes shifting priorities. 
• Strong strategic thinking skills, political acumen, diplomacy, discretion, tact and good judgement. 

We recognize and value the unique perspective that people with lived experience of poverty and/or precarious housing bring in addition to the skills and qualifications listed above. 

To apply for this job 

Applications should include a resume and cover letter in one PDF document and should be submitted by email to   with the subject line: Application – Outreach and Advocacy Advisor - Halifax.  

At CERA, we believe that a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve strengthens our ability to achieve our mission. We strongly encourage applicants of all genders, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, abilities, and with a range of life experiences to apply.  

We are committed to full compliance with the Human Rights Code, the Accessibility For Ontarians With Disabilities Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. We will provide accommodation during the hiring process upon request and information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.  

We thank all applicants for their interest. 

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. 

No telephone enquiries please.