Title:  Program Associate, Canada

Reports To: Associate Program Director for Canada 

Location: Ontario, Greater Toronto Area strongly preferred

Status: Full Time; Exempt

Start Date: Immediate
 

Who we are: Facing History and Ourselves is an international educational nonprofit that provides educational content, curriculum resources, and professional development to secondary school social studies, civics, humanities, and English teachers. Facing History’s educational content is informed by a unique pedagogical model that helps students explore questions of identity, human behavior, prejudice, and civic responsibility, and make the essential connection between history and the moral choices they confront in their own lives today. Our work seeks to empower and inspire teachers and students to lead our communities to a more just and compassionate world. 

Facing History Canada consists of a dynamic and collegial team of five people.  We have deep collaborative partnerships with many school boards and major cultural, history and learning institutions across Ontario, and a trusted relationship with educators and school leaders across the country.  Since 2008, our office has supported over 17,000 educators across Canada with resources and professional development.  We published the text, Stolen Lives: the Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the Indian Residential Schools in 2015; we have produced hundreds of blog posts and timely lesson ideas, and a podcast on the History of Schooling in Canada. 

Facing History has a global footprint of close to 200 staff, who provide central support functions as well as global staff professional development. 

Who you are: You share our passion for empowering and inspiring teachers to centre equity, justice, inclusion and belonging in practice and in curriculum.   You are confident engaging in conversations that explore identity, social emotional learning, equity/inclusion/belonging, and civic engagement, as well as the destructive forces of racism, antisemitism, and collective violence. You are equally comfortable building relationships and facilitating educational spaces in-person and online, and you seek to be part of a team which is making a positive impact on education across Canada. 

The Program Associate will be responsible for co-design and delivery of Facing History and Ourselves’ transformational online and in-person professional development services for educators, educational leaders and other key constituents across Canada.   Professional learning topics include identity, membership, Canadian history, Holocaust History, literature, justice and civic action in support of Facing History’s mission, and vision for educational equity and justice. 

The Program Associate will be responsible for fostering and maintaining relationships with educators, and education administrators, listening and responding to the support needs of administrators choosing Facing History, as well as general support for Facing History educators. 

The Program Associate will partner on the development of digital content creation for @FacingCanada on twitter and FacingCanada blog; teacher support and coaching. 

The Program Associate is committed to ongoing learning of Facing History content areas (history, literature, school equity and justice), pedagogical practices (whole student, student-centred classroom practices, adult learning pedagogies, Indigenizing and decolonial practices, culturally relevant and responsive teaching approaches, trauma-informed education) and educational trends.

This role will include remote and in-person school site program delivery and network-building. Travel may be required.

Essential Skills and Qualities:

Facing History understands that restrictive job requirements may exclude historically marginalized groups from applying to jobs for which they are qualified. We take an equitable and holistic screening approach. If you feel you have demonstrated experience and expertise relevant to perform this role, please don’t hesitate to apply! 

Required

• Demonstrated effective listening, written and oral communication, and facilitation skills

• Curious, motivated to learn topics in history, social science, literature, equity and education 

• Strong interest in creating and facilitating lessons, resources and professional learning experiences

• Thrives in an entrepreneurial, dynamic, environment

• Both Independent motivation and work ethic and collaborative working style

• Prior experience organizing and managing multiple projects simultaneously 

• Capacity to work with digital technologies 

• Awareness of grade 6-12 educator and student needs

• BA/BS/BEd (Advanced degree preferred)

• Availability for occasional evening and weekend work and occasional travel

Preferred

• Prior experience leading adult professional development 

• Middle and/or high school classroom (grades 6-12) teaching experience

• Depth of knowledge in one or more of the following topics / subjects:

  • The history and legacies of the Holocaust, Canada’s Residential Schools, and other examples of collective violence

  • Addressing hate and racism in schools

  • Literature, language arts or humanities

• Knowledge of anti-oppression, trauma -ware, culturally responsive and relevant, and decolonial educational approaches

• Fluency in a range of tech tools to support online and in-person presentations and audience engagement.

• Strong comfort level with Google suite, Zoom and interactive learning apps

• Experience with social media

• Fluency in French would be a plus but is not required

Full Time Benefits: In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, Facing History provides an excellent and competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life & long-term disability insurance, contribution to an RRSP program,  generous paid time off, and an employee assistance plan, flexible spending health care, and a friendly work environment.

Facing History values a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Facing History’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. At Facing History, we honor and value the uniqueness of each and every human being. Our strength as an organization that provides and distributes educational content and pedagogy to teachers across the globe is directly tied to our diversity of staff, leadership, educators, students, scholars, and volunteers. Our commitment is to treat individuals with dignity and to build and maintain a community of full participation, inclusive of the voices, needs, and contributions of all. As an organization, we are deeply aware of the legacies of injustices that persist in society and in the workplace, and we value and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in their association with excellence.