ABOUT THE CANADIAN CED NETWORK

CCEDNet is a values-based, non-profit association committed to connecting people and ideas for action that builds local economies, strengthens communities, and benefits everyone. We have members throughout Canada, including organizations, networks, and individuals who are strengthening sustainable and equitable local economies. Members are active across many sectors such as community development, social enterprise, rural development, co-operative development, employment development, and housing.

We are committed to the values of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Dignity, Self-Determination, Solidarity, and Local Control. Together, we are working towards sustainable and inclusive communities directing their own social, environmental, and economic futures through our Theory of Change.

ABOUT THE INVESTMENT READINESS PROGRAM

The Investment Readiness Program (IRP) is a federal government initiative taking place over 2 years (2021 to 2023), designed to help advance social innovation and social finance (SI/SF) in Canada. CCEDNet’s role in the IRP includes providing partner convening, connecting, wayfinding, and principles-focused evaluation for the IRP partnership as a network of expertise, grounded in inclusion and equity. To accomplish this work, we collaborate with the Waterloo Institute for Social Innovation and Resilience (WISIR), Startup Canada, Ajah, other specialists as needed, and the IRP unit of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). WISIR in particular is a direct project partner of CCEDNet and will also work on a related dynamic ecosystem mapping project. The IRP overall consists of 20-30 additional partners either delivering funds to social purpose organizations for investment readiness activities or undertaking a variety of projects to build the ecosystem of support for social innovation and social finance in Canada. 

ABOUT THE POSITION 

You will help advance social innovation and social finance practice in Canada by connecting social purpose organizations, IRP partners, and other supporters to each other as well as helpful information. You will support the success of the IRP by carefully listening to the insights, needs, and opportunities of various partners, you’ll communicate in a way that helps to build a stronger ecosystem of support for social purpose organizations. 

OPPORTUNITY

As a strategic partner and communicator, this is your opportunity to use your information management and community engagement skills to contribute to creating a social innovation and social finance ecosystem that is easy to navigate and learn about, particularly regarding the IRP. 

• Engage with and builds relationships with IPR partners and other relevant actors in order to support their successful involvement and navigation of the project.
• Update and create content for https://irp-ppi.ca/en/ by working closely with program partner Startup Canada, who are responsible for developing a complementary digital platform for IRP partners.
• Maintain a public IRP mailing list and prepare email content in collaboration with the Partnership Team who may recommend complementing this with social media content.
• Respond to website help desk inquiries through direct referrals or pulling together relevant information from a variety of sources, and do this with ease by becoming increasingly familiar with the IRP partners, their projects, and general knowledge of related social innovation fields.
• Support collaboration amongst the IRP Partnership Team by attending and taking detailed, and accurate, notes at team meetings where we coordinate work on partner meetings, digital connection, evaluation, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Partnership Manager, IRP to plan and coordinate logistics for all-partner meetings, which will be digital to begin with, but we hope will include one in-person gathering later in the program.
• Complete the project on budget by managing spending related to content creation, third-party communication or web development partners, and other partnership costs. 
• Contribute project information to the Regional Networks Director’s reports to ESDC, to demonstrate CCEDNet’s progress and outcomes. 
• Connect across the CCEDNet landscape to learn more about our broader work, informing your convening role, and building your own network.

TEAM & ENVIRONMENT

As part of the IRP team at CCEDNet, you will report directly to the Regional Networks Director and work closely with the Partnership Manager, IRP to meet CCEDNet’s objectives in the IRP. At CCEDNet, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with staff team members working on national and regional engagement as well as administration and finance. In the IRP ecosystem, you’ll work most closely with staff of the Partnership Team, and have many chances to engage with IRP partners broadly.

CCEDNet staff team offices are located in Victoriaville (Québec), Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa, with staff currently working primarily remotely.  We welcome applications from those legally eligible to work in Canada and able to accommodate a flexible work schedule to meet the needs of working across time zones. This role is primary office based during business hours with some evenings and overtime potential. Domestic travel may also be required. 

ABOUT YOU

As a bilingual (preferred) communicator with exceptional skills in relationship building, communication and service to a wide array of actors, and community engagement, you are comfortable establishing and building connections in the digital space. Your skills and experience in helping others navigate complex systems and information are matched by a deep commitment to social change. You have spent time in communications content development, community outreach or engagement, or partnership coordination positions and are comfortable with programs such as G-Suite (Google Apps), Wordpress, MailChimp, and social media platforms.

You have knowledge of, and more importantly, a desire to keep learning about community economic development, social economy, social innovation, and social finance as well as an understanding of current actors and organizations involved. You want to work for an organization that aligns with your personal values and commitment to gender equity, poverty reduction, reconciliation, anti-racism / anti-oppression, diversity, and inclusion. 

You are a connector and partner. The thought of creating a system where everyone involved has the information and relationships they need, and a project that connects with leaders in the social innovation and social finance field as they build a stronger ecosystem of support for social purpose organizations is motivating, exciting, and exactly how you want to be spending your time. 

PROJECT OVERVIEW

By the end of your first 2 months:

• You will have familiarized yourself with CCEDNet, the IRP, and our project scope.
• You will be establishing relationships with the IRP Partnership Team and supporting their coordination with careful note taking, and you'll also be starting to create relationships with the wider partnership
• You will have completed a basic update of the existing IRP public website including set-up of the help desk. You will also have set up the public mailing list and sent initial information, and will be coordinating these efforts with Startup Canada as they develop the partner’s digital platform
• You'll have established a strong working relationship with the Partnership Manager, IRP

By March 31, 2023:

• You will have kept the IRP public site up to date with useful information, demonstrating progressively better engagement with the site. (You’ll work on this with Startup Canada and other IRP partners.)
• You will have responded to all help desk inquiries and created a system for timely response
• You will have deepened your understanding of social innovation, social finance, and practices for diversity, inclusion, equity, and access.
• You will have supported delivery of at least 3 well coordinated and facilitated meetings for all IRP partners
• You'll have contributed to a program evaluation, the ecosystem mapping project, and many peer-learning and connection activities

You'll have strengthened your professional network  with deepening relationships in CCEDNet's team and the IRP partners

APPLICATION PROCESS 

Please send your resume and cover letter to hr-rh (at) ccednet-rcdec.ca by the end of day August 21 with “Engagement Manager, IRP” in the subject line. 

In your cover letter, please answer the following questions: 

• What knowledge and experience are you excited to bring to this role?
• What are your skills and strengths you will apply to this position? 
• What are you most curious to learn in this position? 

CCEDNet provides accommodation during all parts of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with stated needs. If contacted to proceed to the selection process, please advise us if you require any accommodation.

We appreciate all applications. After a notice that the application has been received, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This is a term position until at least March 31, 2023.  Extension of the funding is under consideration. This is a full-time position (37.5 hours / week) starting as soon as possible. We support our employees by offering salaries that reflect regional variances in cost of living. For this position, the starting salary range is $50,472 - $55,415 if you are located in Victoriaville (where our head office is located) or $58,917 to $64,687 if you are in Toronto, with other regions in between. We are happy to discuss the starting salary range for your region during the interview process.

• A competitive benefit package and health plan paid by CCEDNet
• RRSP contributions
• Paid time off including up to 3 weeks of vacation (annually, prorated), an office closure from December 25 - January 1, sick time, and personal obligation days
• Professional development opportunities
• A flexible and supportive work environment

WHY JOIN THE CCEDNET TEAM

We are a team of Convenors, Connectors, Facilitators, Advocates and Partners dedicated to community empowerment and economic justice. We challenge the status quo and build alternatives using intersection, intersectoral, and collaborative approaches. Our depth and breadth of experience, knowledge, and commitment to learning can be seen in the impact we have and the results we achieve. We care about our work and we care about each other.