Program Assistant

**Grow with us**

Family Service Toronto (FST) helps people face a wide variety of life challenges. For over 100 years, we have worked with individuals and families destabilized by precarious mental health and/or socioeconomic circumstances, to achieve greater resilience and stability in more just and supportive communities. We achieve this through our direct service work of intervention and prevention which includes counselling, peer support and education; knowledge building; and system-level work including social action, advocacy, community building and working with partners to strengthen the sector.

We’re proud of our people and culture We are constantly evolving what we do and how we do it. Our work is grounded in the lived experience of the clients and the community. We celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and excellence. We are agile, learning and always willing to try new things.

**The Opportunity**

Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Program Assistant is the first point of contact for all clients, suppliers and visitors when they visit or contact Family Service Toronto. Working closely with the Program Managers and other Program Assistants this role will maintain a professional office environment and will ensure that office administrative processes function smoothly.

**Responsibilities**:

- Responsible for greeting, welcoming, and directing all visitors and callers in a professional, respectful, effective, courteous manner and informing staff of their arrival.
- Prepares information packages in advance (e.g., client information forms, service agreements, evaluation documents, program specific documentation requirements), hands out to clients and explains documents.
- Answers telephone and responds to inquiries.
- Collects, updates and inputs information (e.g. client information; consent forms; evaluation materials; surveys; scanning and attaching correspondence, reports, group attendance etc.) into applicable electronic client databases, according to required timelines required by the program and/or funder.
- Collects/reconciles and submits fees from individual clients/group program participants and issues receipts.
- Keeps abreast of developments in local community resources as they relate to site-specific programming. Develops and maintains systems to share this information with site staff.
- Participates in quality improvement activities, updating, retrieving, validating, and maintaining information as needed.
- Ensures office is working efficiently and reports problems/suggestions to manager.

**Qualifications**:

- One to two years community college or a combination of education and experience in a relevant field.
- One to three years’ experience in reception and administrative functions.
- Demonstrated exceptional skills in a customer service role.
- Ability to sensitively and professionally respond to the needs of clients who are first time callers, are calling in crisis, are repeat callers, etc. and the ability to maintain client and organizational confidentiality.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent computer skills (e.g., skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access).
- Demonstrated experience working with diverse populations.
- Experience with crisis de-escalation.
- Knowledge of community resources in the City of Toronto.
- Initiative and ability to manage competing demands and set priorities
- Ability to work accurately with strong attention to detail in an environment with many potential interruptions
- Tact, diplomacy and flexibility in dealing with people in a variety of roles.
- Ability to work in and contribute to an environment which respects the human rights, dignity and worth of all individuals.
- Initiative and ability to manage competing demands and set priorities.
- Ability to work accurately with strong attention to detail in an environment with many potential interruptions.
- Satisfactory up-to-date Criminal Reference Check and Vulnerable Sector Check.

**Interested?**

Our goal is to attract, develop, and retain highly talented employees from diverse backgrounds allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives.

We actively encourage applicants from all equity seeking groups. First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Black and People of Colour, people with disabilities, people of diverse gender expression, and people with lived experience of poverty are encouraged to apply.

In accordance with Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and FST’s Equity and Inclusion policy, accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.

We thank all applicants and will contact the individuals selected for an interview.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Salary**: $42,899.00-$52,775.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Company pension
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Paid time off
- Vision care

S