Program & Office Administrator
HSABC is looking for a Program & Office Administrator to join our passionate, supportive and hard-working team. This is an opportunity enhance community-based shelter services within Metro Vancouver during extreme weather conditions, provide administrative support and facilitate day-to-day operations.
Permanent, Full-Time (28 - 35 hours per week)
Location: Metro Vancouver
Starting wage (firm): $33.62 per hour
Closing Date: Monday, June 14th, 2021, 9:00 p.m. PDT
About us
Homelessness Services Association of BC (HSABC) is an umbrella organization of shelters, drop-in centres, homeless outreach teams and other service providers addressing the needs of persons experiencing homelessness with the goal to ending homelessness.
HSABC’s goal to ending homelessness is embedded within the right to adequate housing and acknowledges the Indigenous Definition of Homelessness in Canada. Furthermore, HSABC is committed to deliberately and meaningfully include those with lived and living experience of homelessness in decision-making and ensure all actions contribute to decolonization and anti-discrimination.
HSABC is actively committed to creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace. We strive for a diverse team and foster the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented and oppressed. We strongly encourage applications from individuals from communities and groups that have historically been disadvantaged and/or marginalized, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women or gender diverse persons, 2SLGBTQ+ persons, and/or persons with lived or living experience of homelessness, poverty or precarity.
The Challenge
COVID-19 dramatically reduced the number of Emergency Weather Response (EWR) shelter spaces available throughout Metro Vancouver. In response, HSABC is increasing capacity to support community-led winter response programming by shifting from seasonal to year-round coordination. This will include ongoing considerations around shelter capacity and location, food provision, transportation, communication, and outreach to people experiencing homelessness who may utilize Extreme Weather sheltering sites.
Additionally, as HSABC is scaling up research initiatives and program delivery, we are consolidating day-to-day operation and financial administration to support ongoing organizational goals, events and activities.
The Opportunity
We are looking for someone who can facilitate collaborative approaches to community building. Multitasking, resourcefulness, and critical thinking will play a vital role in managing multiple projects, ongoing communications with community partners, and organizing a dynamic office environment to support organizational success.
Our Team
Join a passionate, supportive and hard-working team that works directly with our Members and community partners to share best practices and practical resources, engage in meaningful research and advocate for change. HSABC strives to create a work environment that treats each member of the team with patience, guidance and care, while ensuring we can fulfil our common goals through our collaborative work.
Within the first month in this position, you will
- Meet the team and learn about HSABC through a gradual on-boarding orientation process.
- Learn about HSABC’s office needs, financial processes and administrative activities.
- Learn about HSABC’s trainings, events and community meetings and the role of administration and logistics.
Within three months, you will
- Learn about the EWR program operations in Metro Vancouver and HSABC’s role in planning and communications.
- Work with HSABC’s Project and Program Coordinator, local coordinators, community partners and key stakeholders to plan for the 2021-22 winter season.
- Learn about HSABC’s sub-region EWR service delivery role in Vancouver, Surrey-White Rock and Delta.
- Work with HSABC’s Project and Program Coordinator, and the communities EWR Task Force to develop community plans for the 2021-22 winter season.
- Collaborate with the team to deliver HSABC’s Annual Conference, specifically focused on registration, participant fee payments and processing vendor invoices.
Within six months, you will be responsible for
- The bi-weekly financial transactions cycle.
- Implementing systems to efficiently support ongoing organizational activities.
- Distributing general inquires by email or phone to appropriate staff.
- Providing administrative and logistical assistance for trainings, events and community meetings.
- Supporting EWR activation and cancellation communications to the community with prepared templates through a well-established network.
- Supporting the development of community-based co-operative approaches for all aspects of EWR programming including considerations for shelter, food provision, transportation, communication, and outreach to people experiencing homelessness who may utilize Extreme Weather sheltering sites.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
To address issues of systemic inequity within Canada and specifically within the Canadian labour market, HSABC is committed to achieving a diverse workforce through inclusive Human Resource practices in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring and promotions.
Therefore, we are prepared and willing to accommodate requests for specific considerations within this recruitment and hiring practice to ensure equitable opportunity to apply. Please contact us with requests, or any inquiries you may have to address unintentional barriers or biases in our practices.
How to apply
Review the Program & Office Administrator job description.
Application will be accepted in a variety of mediums (written, audio or video) to ensure you are able to best express your interest and qualifications. Please clearly indicate why you are interested in joining the HSABC team and the experiences that speak to why you are the right person for this position.
For inquires, requests for specific considerations or to apply, please contact Stephen D’Souza at stephen.dsouza@hsa-bc.ca or call 778-945-7789. Please indicate the position(s) you are applying for in the subject line.
Your application must be received by Monday, June 14th, 2021, 9:00 p.m. PDT.
Application tips
Initial screening will consider cumulative life experience—including personal history, paid and unpaid work, formal education and informal training.
- Be as clear and specific as possible in your application as to how these life experiences contribute to your qualifications for the position.
- The content and format of your application may be considered as part of your submission.
- If you would like constructive feedback on your application prior to final submission, please email a draft at least 10 days prior to the application deadline clearly indicating that it is a draft for feedback purposes in the subject line of the email. Feedback will be provided within 1 week and you will be given an opportunity to resubmit.
- Applicants must be eligible to work in Canada (i.e., Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada or authorized in writing to work in Canada such as via a work permit). Employment is contingent upon continued eligibility to work in Canada.
If your application is shortlisted – Next steps
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the next stage of the hiring process, which may include (a) interviews; (b) requests for a sample of work; (c) reference checks; or (d) a presentation. Shortlisted candidates will require a criminal record check. However, existence of a criminal record will not result in immediate disqualification as HSABC acknowledges the systemic racism within policing and the unjust criminalization of poverty and homelessness.
Sincere Appreciation
HSABC would like to thank all applicants for their time and candor in preparing your submission. We will endeavour to respond to all applications and, subject to practicability, provide feedback.