The Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation / Fondation pour l'alphabétisation des enfants canadiens (“CCLF”) is a charity that was founded in May 2017 with the mission of ensuring that all children in Canada are equipped with the literacy skills they need to achieve their full potential.

Working alongside members of the Programs team and reporting to a Program Manager and/or the Director, Early Words, the Program Support Specialist will support the continued growth and sustainability of the Early Words/Premiers mots program.

This individual will also play a pivotal role in developing a shared understanding of the firsthand experiences, practices, and knowledge of how families support their children’s literacy skills development, as well as the barriers that they face in doing so.

We are looking for candidates with the ability to develop trusting relationships with key partners which include community leaders and organizations. The ideal candidate will have experience facilitating and/or delivering community programming.

CCLF strives to foster a workplace that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves and welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate the required skills and abilities. CCLF is also committed to developing an inclusive, barrier-free selection process and work environment. Please advise if you require any accommodations to ensure a fair and equitable selection process.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and track book curation, procurement, ordering and inventory management processes for the Early Words/Premiers mots program
• On-board and train healthcare providers at new and existing Early Words/Premiers mots program sites
• Maintain ongoing communications and program implementation support for current and new program sites
• Contribute to writing internal and external-facing documents in a clear and accessible format
• Assist in the preparation of proposals and presentations
• Provide general administrative support to the team, such as organizing meeting logistics, scheduling interviews and coordinating events logistics
• Support the research and selection process of Early Words/Premiers mots program sites
• Develop community relationships with partners and partners from a variety of sectors, including healthcare, early childhood education, and literacy organizations to support outreach, program growth/development, and program fidelity
• Support and leading aspects of program implementation, tracking progress against milestones and budgets
• Support reporting to funders, as needed

Professional Experience and Qualifications:

• Applicable lived experience and/or post-secondary education in early childhood education, healthcare, children’s literacy, education, or another relevant subject area
• 3-5 years relevant work or community experience
• Self-starter that may work independently to ensure milestones are met while also being able to work collaboratively within a team
• Excellent organization skills, with good attention to detail
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint), with a willingness to learn Salesforce and other IT programs
• Able to build and maintain relationships remotely using phone and virtual communications
• Experience working on collaborative projects with partners from varying backgrounds and disciplines
• Strong facilitation skills, comfortable with running large group interactive discussions virtually and in-person, with a proven ability to create culturally safe and comfortable spaces for difficult conversations with diverse audiences.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

Assets:

• French language skills (with opportunity for assessment and training)
• Experience working in communities and/or a history of community engagement
• Experience and/or knowledge of promoting health research and/or carrying out research in keeping with Indigenous values, traditions, cultural protocols, and right to self-determination
• Experience developing or implementing program evaluation frameworks
• Knowledge and/or interest in early childhood education/early literacy
• Lived or professional experience within First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities
• Knowledge of the history and current realities of Canadian healthcare systems

Compensation & Work Environment

This is a full-time position with a salary between $50,000 and $65,000 commensurate with experience plus health and dental benefits.

CCLF’s offices are currently located in downtown Toronto. The successful candidate must be available to work in-office at least 1-2 times per week. This role offers a successful incumbent significant opportunity for growth in alignment with organizational growth.