Director, Programs and Services

JOB CLASSIFICATION: Director, Programs and Services

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT: Program Operations

COMPANY: Skills for Change

LOCATION: 791 St. Clair Ave West, Toronto ON

CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent (non-unionized)

HOURS: 35 hours per week (Monday- Friday)

REPORTS TO: Vice-President, Program Operations

START DATE: July 22, 2024

COMPANY:

Located on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples, Skills for Change (SfC) is working towards advancing the Sustainable Development Goals for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Named Charity Village's Best Non-Profit Employer - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and winner of the 2021 Canada Volunteer Awards for Innovation, our organization is committed to reducing poverty, improve mental health, eliminating gender-based violence, building community, eradicating systemic racism, and settling and creating sustainable communities for all immigrants, refugees, and underserved communities. Start your career with SfC and join our 40-year history of creating innovative programming to build welcoming and equitable communities.

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY:

With over 42 years of operations, Skills for Change is a highly respected charity with a province-wide reputation for pioneering programs that respond to shifting immigration and workplace trends and lead to employment. We offer a range of accelerated programs including mentoring, employment, mental health, entrepreneurship, settlement, language training together with specialized programs for trades, women, and youth. We have 5 locations across the GTA and serve 16,000 clients annually. We believe we are in the best position to provide thought leadership through evidence-based programming, impact stories and proactive policy advocacy using knowledge mobilization products.

IDEAL CANDIDATE HAS:

• An entrepreneurial mindset, with a strong understanding of the foundations of change management and demonstrated experience leading in a dynamic environment.
• Is vision and mission oriented, with the “grit” to see the long-term picture and bumpy road of success.
• Believes in the power of social programs as a means to help people build a better life.
• Familiarity with the UN’s 2030 SDG goals and the impact of community-based programming from an SDG lens
• Flexible, responsive, and open to new ways of thinking and problem-solving and a willingness to learn.
• Has a strong affinity (and even a passion) for data and how it can be used to inform operational decision marking and strategic business case development.
• Understanding of case management approaches to care and program delivery is ideal.
• Strong understanding of how trauma can impact a person’s quality of life and barriers to employment.
• Believes that collaboration is the name of the game to get things done.
• Experience working with diverse funders across all three levels of government as well as corporate and privately funded programs.
• Leadership experience in social impact, non-profit, social work, employment, skilled trades, newcomer services and can demonstrate how this experience relates to the role.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the growth of strategic program areas through effective implementation of programs, new program development and community building.
• Build a high performing team to align with the organization’s strategic directions and provide leadership to direct reports.
• Instill a climate of success within the team by strong, supportive leadership and a positive attitude to facilitate a client centred approach to care.
• Develop service accountability framework to implement quality improvement and provides a consistent approach to program delivery across multiple sites.
• Work closely with counterpart Director and program managers to build best practices across teams.
• Assist with the development of proposals to public and private funding organizations, based on emerging opportunities throughout each fiscal year.
• Other duties assigned by the Vice President

Program Management

• Leverage seasoned program development and delivery expertise to lead a team that includes managers, supervisors and frontline staff across departments.
• Responsible for the strategic implementation and evaluation of the programs under leadership
• Analyse and report on the monthly, quarterly, and annual program statistics.
• Analyze trends in programs, identifying issues and developing and recommending solutions to the Vice President and CEO.
• In collaboration with the Director, Programs and Services – Employment and Newcomer Services, develops, and implements processes and policies for effective program delivery.
• Develops community of practice approaches to programs and services to ensure cross functional team learning and development.

Program Development

• In collaboration with the Program Design team, leads the development and timely delivery of proposals to public and private funding organizations, based on emerging opportunities throughout each fiscal year.
• Staying abreast of current and future programmatic directions and funding prospects of various funders
• Ensuring that SfC is aware of all appropriate current and upcoming solicitations and/or market opportunities that affect program development strategies and ensuring that SfC remains poised to respond to appropriate opportunities that fit our mission and capabilities.
• Working collaboratively with the development and program management teams in generating new opportunities to build upon, broaden and diversify SfC’s funding base.
• Establish linkages with relevant community partners to develop innovative ideas to meet current and evolving client needs.
• In collaboration with the Vice-President, supports the annual program development planning process, including reporting on the past year's outcomes and accomplishments and future initiatives, and setting criteria for undertaking new directions and approaches consistent with SfC’s Strategic Plan and competitive advantages.

Budget & Administration

• Participate in overall agency budget planning and projections, develop and monitor program budgets.
• Responsible for the development of unit and program business plans.
• Prepare program specific budgets and financial reports.
• Participate in senior management meetings and general staff meetings.
• Manage special projects as required.

People Leadership

• Uses change management approaches to develop a culture of innovation, continuous improvement and transformation within the program areas Oversees program related leadership team, helping the team problem solve, exercise sound judgment, and to develop sound processes for efficiency and accountability.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• MBA, bachelor’s degree in non-profit management, community development, social work, public administration, business administration, or a related field of interest
• 10 years’ experience working in a management or other leadership position (Graduate Degree may be substituted for one or more years of experience) related to employment, settlement and newcomer services, or related sectors.
• 10 years of experience designing and implementing programs for community development

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Track record of thinking conceptually and mastering complex subject matter quickly.
• Exceptional People Leadership and Program Management skills, with example of leading change at an organizational wide level
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated capacity to develop and implement practical strategies, plans, and solutions to identified issues and problems.
• Proven ability in developing sounds community relations and growing programs and funding in a non-profit context.
• Proven ability to assimilate information gathered through research and consultations, to apply that information in creative and cross-cutting ways, and to synthesize appropriate strategies and responses.
• Superior critical thinking skills, including the capacity to identify and appropriately assess and order competing interests and priorities. First rate verbal and written communication skills.
• Track record of taking initiative in managing competing organizational and departmental priorities and to work effectively under pressure when facing extremely short deadlines.
• Exceptional research, writing, analytical and organizational skills, and the ability to convey complex concepts in a clear, concise, and logical manner.
• Good judgment, discretion, tact, and the ability to work easily with senior leaders within the charitable, government, and business sectors.
• Ability to partner well with colleagues both in and outside of the organization.
• Ability to work independently and to undertake supervisory responsibilities as needed.
• Experience working in a unionized environment and applying collective agreements.

PLEASE SEND YOUR APPLICATION TO: hr@skillsforchange.org

Skills for Change provides learning and training opportunities for immigrants, refugees and equity seeking groups to access and fully participate in the workplace and wider community to persons with disabilities to newcomers to Canada (including refugees) to Indigenous peoples to members of a visible minority to children or youth to women of all ages including seniors to the LGBTQ2 community.

Skills for Change offers accommodation for applicants with disabilities in each stage of the hiring process. If you are contacted regarding a job opportunity, please advise if you require accommodation. This document is available in alternate format on request. We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.