Overview:

Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC) is a convening organization that brings together individuals concerned about poverty and its effects. Our partners include Calgarians living on low incomes and representatives from government, business, labour, faith communities, non-profit organizations, health and education. Igniting community action to create and implement bold solutions that reduce and prevent poverty through collaboration and education, VCC is committed to developing and implementing long-term strategies to address the root causes of poverty in our community.

We are active members in a Pan-Canadian Learning Community convened and supported by Tamarack - An Institute for Community Engagement, Caledon Institute of Social Policy, and The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. This national network provides a process and a working environment where diverse community leaders from communities across Canada work together to share ideas, practices and policies that strengthen their community-based poverty reduction initiatives.

This is a one year maternity leave contract with the possibility of transitioning to a permanent position.

Responsibilities:

The Communications and Administrative Coordinator reports to the Director. The role provides administrative support to the Project and Policy Coordinator and to the Director. The role also does all internal and external communications for all of VCC’s printed material. All VCC staff are expected to contribute towards a positive, respectful, receptive and dynamic team environment.

Job Description:

Communications:

• Internal Communications
  • Participate in weekly staff meetings (one to two hours), provide updates on own work, take minutes and circulate notes to staff
  • Respond in a timely and professional manner to all staff requests, prioritizing requests based on urgency and meeting set deadlines
  • Transcribe audio recordings into written documents, as required
  • Perform routine clean up and organization of internal network files on L: Drive
  • Participate occasionally in strategic discussions with staff team, when requested
• External Communications
  • Manage all social networking activities (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter etc.)
  • Ensure branding and messaging is adhered to in all written communication
  • Distribute weekly updates, messaging through online mailing system
  • Update all VCC resources, as required
  • Update the VCC website (www.vibrantcalgary.com) as required
  • Receive and return phone calls and enquiries, as required
  • Draft letters and other communications on behalf of the Director and/or other staff, as required
  • Proof read VCC documents, as required
  • Assist with the preparation of public presentations
  • Assist with reporting to funders, and others, as requested
  • Manage the VCC website on an ongoing basis to ensure all information is up to date
  • Ensure info@vibrantcalgary.com email account and electronic fax folder are checked daily and requests for information are responded to in a timely mannerMonitor VCC literature for reprinting
  • Represent VCC in the community whenever required and/or appropriate

Office Management and General Administration

• Maintain office environment
  • Secure and maintain all necessary office and kitchen supplies, through donation or at minimal expense to VCC whenever possible
  • Regularly remove recycling
  • Ensure water and other appropriate food and beverages are available for volunteers and meetings
  • Clean/tidy VCC common areas and equipment including kitchen, meeting table and supply storage on a weekly basis
  • Act as main contact for office communications service and repair, taking responsibility for operation of internet, telephone and computer services
  • Back-up server on a weekly basis
  • Monitor on-hand VCC printed material quantities (e.g. newsletters and FAQ sheets)
  • Coordinate reprinting of VCC printed materials, as required
  • File and categorize all printed materials and literature in an accessible library
  • Order new literature for VCC library, as required
    Perform organizational administrative tasks
  • Schedule meetings and reply to meeting requests on behalf of the Director and Associate Director as requested
  • Prepare and receive shipments/courier packages, collect and distribute incoming mail, send and distribute faxes, process outgoing mail, photocopying
  • Organize all VCC general files and Director’s files, as required
  • Process all expenses claim reports for all VCC staff members
  • Process and file invoices with VCC and Momentum; ensure all invoices are paid in a timely manner
  • Ensure Momentum’s accountant issues charitable receipts for donations where required
  • Review and verify telephone expenses, follow up with staff to obtain reimbursement for
  • Renew and maintain memberships
  • Provide general support and administrative assistance to the Director

Volunteer/Partner Relationships and Support

• Assist in volunteer recruitment, retention and appreciation
  • Assist, as required, with the recruitment of new volunteers
  • Assemble volunteer orientation packages
  • Assist with the coordination of volunteer recognition and appreciation events and activities including coordinating thank you cards and gifts for volunteers and guests
  • Assist with the dissemination, collection and collation of volunteer evaluation feedback
• Administer all volunteer/action team and other meetings
  • Provide administrative support for all volunteer meetings and events, including scheduling meetings and making venue bookings, sending out meeting reminders, tracking attendance responses, preparing meeting materials, coordinating payment of honorariums to low income volunteers, preparing and distributing name plates, preparing technical/AV equipment, venue and food and beverage, as required
  • Prepare and distribute minutes (including committee and action team meeting minutes) and other information, as requested

Communications

• Update all contact lists on a timely basis to include new contacts and modify contact changes
• Act as a point of contact for all volunteers and assist team to foster relationships between more than 100 volunteers from over 40 organizations representing business, not-for-profit organizations, labour, faith communities, government (municipal, provincial and federal), quasi-governmental (health and education), low income workers, people in poverty

Event Coordination

• Manage the planning and coordination of events
  • Lead the overall logistical coordination of any major external event including inviting and registering attendees, venue research and booking, equipment bookings, catering, event scheduling, etc
  • Coordinate logistics for any tradeshows or other events
  • Set up, manage and staff displays/booths at events
  • Distribute, collect and collate event evaluation feedback
  • Monitor the completion of VCC Event Summaries, referencing completed summaries against employee calendars to ensure all appropriate events are reported on

Human Resources & Professional Development

• Support VCC hiring processes
  • Administer advertising of job postings
  • Receive and organize job posting responses
  • Schedule interviews
  • Communicate and/or correspond with candidates, as required
    Support VCC new employee orientation
  • Assemble hiring packages for new employees including employment agreements, personnel policies, benefit packages
  • Order start-up supplies, including business cards, for new employees
    Coordinate logistics of staff professional development and training
  • Arrange course registrations and travel for staff members
    Participate in own professional development
  • Participate in appropriate professional development opportunities to enhance job related skills as well as to develop understanding of VCC’s work , including poverty, poverty related issues and solutions to poverty

Fund Development

• Support fund development initiatives
  • Conduct research on potential funders
  • Manage information regarding application and reporting deadlines, existing and potential funders
  • Assist with funding proposal application processes and submissions
  • Assist with any fund raising activities
  • Organize internal United Way campaign
  • Assist with external United Way ambassadorship, if required

Primary Relationships:

• Director (supervisor)
• Associate Director of Strategy and Research

Attributes:

Friendly, positive, courteous, outgoing and respectful, you are interested in community initiatives and value contributing to your community. You are a sincere, compassionate, clear, effective and diplomatic communicator who works comfortably with diverse populations and also understands when confidentiality is appropriate. You know how to work collaboratively, you take initiative, you need limited guidance and instructions, but respond well to these when offered. You always meet deadlines and are able to work both independently and as part of a team. You are flexible and willing to take on tasks as required, even if they do not fall within the parameters of your usual responsibilities. You are able to prioritize, multi-task and manage work provided by team members. You are a key component of the organization and value your role in enabling other arms of the organization to fulfill responsibilities with greater ease and efficiency.

Qualifications:

• 2-3 years experience in an administrative role (not for profit experience an asset)
• High level of expertise in computer software applications: Powerpoint, Word, Excel, Adobe (using PDFs), using internet and email, web design/maintenance software
• Excellent writing skills (grammar and spelling)Excellent organizational, coordination, and planning skills
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of office procedures, including records management, electronic mail and calendar software applications, meetings coordination
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Able to work evenings and overtime on an infrequent basis
• Ability to develop creative communications and documents with an extensive knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite
• Enthusiastic and highly skilled in the areas of Social Media, including website maintenance, Twitter and Facebook

Benefits:

• Three weeks of vacation
• Health and dental benefits
• RRSP Savings Plan
• One half day each month to attend medical appointments (total of 3.75 hours maximum per month)
• Two community volunteer hours per month credited to lieu time
• Any overtime credited to lieu time
• Day off on or within two weeks of birth date

Application Process

Interested applicants are asked to send a cover letter and resume to info@vibrantcalgary.com

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We thank all applicants for their interest, however VCC will only contact successful candidates.