Career Advisor, Ywca Believe Program

Job DescriptionThe Career Advisor role works directly with clients in one-on-one and group-based environments, providing guidance and skills-building support in person and virtually. The role also connects with employers and organizations across industries to engage them in the program as mentors, guest speakers, and connection-building with program clients and identify job opportunities for clients as required.

**What you’ll be doing**:
In this role you will be working with newcomers and refugees who identify as gender diverse and/or 2SLGBTQIA+ to explore ways to help increase employment outcomes for members of this community by:

- Operating through a trauma-informed and strengths-based practice, meeting gender diverse and 2SLGBQIA+ newcomers and refugees where they are at; recognizing and understanding the impact that trauma has on an individual; identifying needs, barriers, and strengths; building capacity and self-advocacy skills for program participants
- Connecting gender diverse and 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomer and refugee clients with inclusive employers and businesses, employment programming, WorkBC Employment Services, hiring fairs, employment-related events, and community resources
- Providing employment coaching to program clients via 1:1 appointments, as well as group sessions and workshops.
- Collaborating with the program team to understand the needs of employers and to develop strategies that address their gender diverse and 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomer and refugee recruitment challenges.
- Building and maintaining relationships with employers to understand their recruitment and retention needs and provide support in developing strategies that promote diversity and inclusion.
- Organizing events and other networking activities to bring together employers, guest speakers, and gender diverse and 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomer and refugee job seekers, and to promote the benefits of hiring from this community.
- Facilitating Believe program Information Sessions at WorkBC Employment Service Centres and other community programs throughout Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley to market the program and recruit clients.
- Collaborating with internal YWCA departments (Marketing, Fund Development, and Employment) and program partners to coordinate initiatives for program promotion and outreach.
- Acting as a champion of the program, promoting employment for gender diverse and 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomers and refugees throughout the community
- Conducting and documenting assessments of client needs and developing Individualized Action Plans to support clients in setting and meeting their goals
- Monitoring project outcomes and trends; creating monthly reporting on metrics; conducting participant follow-up and surveys
- Conducting research and build knowledge on best practices in employer engagement and diversity and inclusion in the workplace and share this information with employers.
- Tracking and reporting on the progress of employer engagement activities and develop strategies to continuously improve the effectiveness of these activities.
- Maintaining a database of employer contacts, including information on their recruitment and retention needs and their past engagement with the organization.
- Strategizing with leadership to continually improve processes and increase program successful outcome statistics
- Adhering to onsite Health and Safety Procedures
- Other duties as required

**What you’ll need**:

- Lived or living experience as member of, or demonstrated understanding of working with, the program’s population of gender diverse/2SLGBTQIA+ newcomers and refugees
- Experience in cross-cultural communication and service methods appropriate to clients with low literacy and low English skills; additional language an asset
- Cultural sensitivity, with knowledge of working with people of diverse backgrounds and awareness of specific ethnocultural minority communities and resources available for clients
- Excellent verbal/written communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong knowledge of employment programs and services, online delivery and adult learning methodologies, and local labour market conditions
- Knowledge of issues and barriers that gender diverse/2SLGBTQIA+ newcomers and refugees can face and the ability to provide solutions to meet these barriers
- Highly effective relationship builder with a track record of establishing strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Excellent computer skills (all Microsoft Applications), video conferencing and office equipment
- Access to reliable transportation and ability to travel throughout Metro-Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, the ability to work in person during office hours at the YWCA program location; willingness to work at and commute to other YWCA locations in Metro Vancouver on occasions
- Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends, and work remotely if required
- Related post-secondary degree or diploma, or equivalent combination of