Events & Operations Specialist

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB CLASSIFICATION: Events & Operations Specialist

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT:Program Marketing

COMPANY:Skills for Change

LOCATION:791 St. Clair Avenue West (Temporary Location:1655 Dupont Street Toronto, ON M6P 3S9)

CONTRACT TYPE: Contract (Union)

HOURS:35 hours per week (Monday-Friday with occasional evening and/or weekend hours, hybrid)

PAY RATE: $29.14

REPORTS TO: Supervisor, Partnerships & Events

START DATE: Immediately

END DATE: March 31, 2027

COMPANY:

Located on the traditional territories of the Mississauga’s of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples, Skills for Change 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:

Founded in 1982, Skills for Change is a leading non-profit organization serving immigrants and refugees in Canada. Our mission is to build welcoming and equitable communities. Skills for Change is known for pioneering programs that respond to shifting immigration and workplace trends and lead to employment. We create skills development opportunities for immigrants and refugees to access and fully participate in the workplace and wider community. Our Agency has played a major role in uplifting immigrant and equity-seeking communities for 40 years. As one of the leading holistic service providers in our sector, Skills for Change offers more than 25 programs and services, and annually serves 16,000 people who are newcomers, immigrants, and equity-seeking groups in services around employment, integration, mental health, leadership, entrepreneurship, and more.

Skills for Change is working to:

• Reduce poverty through decent jobs,
• Settle newcomers to build a life in Canada,
• Improve Mental Health and Wellbeing,
• Build skills to promote increased labour market freedom,
• Advocate for environmentally sustainable and healthy communities,
• Combat social and professional isolation through mentorship and networking,
• Help underserved seniors to make friends and be digitally safe,
• Empower entire communities to work towards eradicating systemic racism,
• Provide youth with equal access to opportunities,
• Promote gender equality.

PROGRAM NATURE AND SCOPE:

Skills for Change believes that our brand recognition can create collective impact to create meaningful change for immigrants , refugees and underserved communities. As such, we

are looking for someone to support the development and execution of Skills for Change’s signature events as well as being responsible for executing multiple small to medium events that support our sustainability programming. Events include media launches, symposiums, recruitment and/or community events and fundraising initiatives. This position reports to our Manager of Events and Communications, and works collaboratively with internal departments, event participants, committees, vendors and event donors to organize events that increase Skills for Change’s profile.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE HAS:

• A passion for event planning, community engagement and supporting individuals pursuing careers in various sectors and skilled trades and helping underserved communities access meaningful employment opportunities.
• Exceptional operational skills with the ability to multiple simultaneous events, support special organizational projects and agency-wide initiatives.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach to planning and executing events.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build positive relationships with employers, training institutions, industry associations, community organizations, and participants.
• Supports the operational planning and delivery of onsite events, skilled trades expos, Women In Trades, Pre-apprenticeship, recruitment events, career fairs, networking sessions, employer engagement activities, information sessions, graduation ceremonies, and community outreach initiatives.
• Coordinates event logistics including registration management, exhibitor and employer participation, speaker coordination, venue logistics, catering, signage, promotional materials, and attendee communications before, during, and after events, virtual and hybrid.
• Experienced in building partnership proposals, partnership materials, valuation of metrics, and reporting documents for partner contracts.
• Provides administrative and operational support to ensure the efficient delivery of program and departmental objectives.
• Demonstrates flexibility, adaptability, and professionalism in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience scheduling and monitoring social media campaigns using platforms such as Meta Business Suite, Hootsuite, or Buffer is considered an asset.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND ATTRIBUTES:

• Minimum three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in operations, event coordination, community engagement, partnership development, program administration, outreach, marketing, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of relevant experience is preferred.
• Post-secondary education in Event Management, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Business Administration, Community Development, Hospitality, or a related discipline. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated experience planning and coordinating in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, including conferences, career fairs, trade expos, networking events, workshops, and community engagement activities.
• Experience in outreach, recruitment, and stakeholder engagement, including working with employers, industry partners, community organizations, sponsors, exhibitors, vendors, and other external stakeholders.
• Experience supporting partnership and sponsorship activities, including benefit fulfillment, stakeholder stewardship, and renewal efforts.
• Experience collecting, analyzing, and reporting sponsorship and partnership metrics, including audience reach, employer engagement, attendee participation, brand exposure, recruitment outcomes, and fulfillment of sponsorship benefits.
• Knowledge of partnership valuation and impact-measurement methodologies, including brand visibility, audience engagement, in-kind contributions, event participation, community impact, and return on investment (ROI).
• Experience coordinating operational processes, including inventory management, procurement, vendor communications, logistics planning, budget tracking, documentation, and administrative record-keeping.
• Exceptional attention to detail and demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple projects while managing competing priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and stakeholder communication skills.
• Knowledge of workforce development, employment services, apprenticeship pathways, skilled trades, or newcomer-serving programs is considered an asset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365, CRM systems, databases, event registration platforms, survey tools, and virtual event platforms.
• Familiarity with social media platforms, digital marketing tools, and content management systems.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, identify operational needs, and contribute effectively within a collaborative team environment
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends to support events, outreach activities, and organizational initiatives.
• Must provide a satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check as a condition of employment.

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HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit your resume and cover letter outlining your relevant experience and qualifications online at https://skillsforchange.org/careers. We thank all applicants for their interest in the position; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

As part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, racial justice, and reconciliation, Skills for Change encourages applications from those who identify as Black, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, Racialized, and other under-represented communities. 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 an alternate format on request. We thank all applicants for their interest in this position however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.