Closing Date: April 13, 2018 at 4:30 pm (this posting will remain open after this date until a suitable candidate  is selected)
Position: Administrative Assistant (R eception)
Hours of Work: 35 hours per week (full-time)
Location of Work: 930 Balmoral Road, Victoria, BC
Rate of Pay: $19.41 per hour (benefits after successful completion of probation)

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) helps individuals and organizations connect across cultures. We provide information, support and tools to help immigrants reach their goals. By engaging people through networks, education and arts programming, we create a welcoming community. ICA offers services for newcomers, including settlement and integration counselling, translation and interpretation, English classes, mentoring, volunteer matching, and peer support. We also provide outreach and education in the community through arts programming, as well as workshops on anti-racism, multiculturalism, diversity awareness, immigration and human rights.

Job description: Provides reception and welcoming services to clients over the phone and in-person. Serves as first point of contact for new clients. Sets up appointments, supports interpretation/translation services for contract-funded and the fee-for-service activities. Provides backup intake services and refers clients to appropriate ICA programs. Reports to the Office Coordinator.

Qualifications

Minimum Grade 12 education; diploma in a related discipline preferred (e.g. business administration, office management/administration), or equivalent combination of education, training and experience. Related professional courses on themes pertinent to reception, office administration, especially proficiency in computer skills and knowledge of relevant software such as MS Office, database applications, and QuickBooks. Proficiency in a major immigrant language (Mandarin, Tagalog) and immigration experience, is an asset.
Minimum of three years’ experience in a similar client service environment. Previous work experience in social services or nonprofit organizations and experience working with persons from a wide variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds is a definite asset. Experience working with immigrants and/or refugees preferred.

Key responsibilities

• Greets guests in a welcoming and friendly manner. Answers the phone and in-person inquiries and refers to appropriate staff member as required.
• Responds to routine queries about ICA services.
• Processes cash, credit card and other financial transactions (fee-for-service programs, donations) as required and makes the requisite entries into the QuickBooks accounting system.
• Maintains message centre and staff mail boxes.
• Sorts and distributes incoming mail and prepares outgoing mail.
• Determines office supply needs and places order with supplier/s. Checks delivered supplies against order placed and distributes supplies to staff.
• Ensures that reception area, photocopy area, supply/storage room and cabinets are maintained in a clean and tidy manner.
• Supports administration of interpretation/translation services. Maintains a roster of qualified translators/interpreters; organizes interpreters for ICA settlement, employment and language training programs; organizes translation of ICA documents into a variety of immigrant languages, as directed; administers the fee-for-service interpretation/translation services for clients.
• Provides intake services with new clients (determination of eligibility; checking of immigration documents; inputting client information into client management database system) and makes appointment with appropriate staff member for needs assessment.
• Participates in training opportunities to stay current on issues impacting ICA’s operations.
• Participates in regular team and organization-wide staff meetings; Follows all ICA policies and administrative procedures.

Job skills and abilities

• Demonstrate good knowledge of the organization, its systems, processes and programs and how they relate to the services for which ICA has been contracted.
• Provide and/or collect clear, concise and accurate explanations and/or information for immigrant and refugee newcomers at initial point of contact.
• Demonstrate an advanced level of computer proficiency and knowledge of a variety of software products, database applications and client management systems.
• Demonstrate superior customer service and customer relations skills, including strong oral communication skills.
• Exercise sound judgment in working with ICA-approved translators/interpreters to support settlement programming.
• Demonstrate superior organizational and planning skills with a high level of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Demonstrate numeracy and basic accounting skills/knowledge.
• Practice time and resource management techniques.
• Demonstrate effective team work in a diverse team setting.
• Practice effective interpersonal and intercultural communication techniques. Demonstrate conflict resolution techniques.
• Demonstrate knowledge of terms of employment, organizational policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.
• Create and maintain professional boundaries.

Additional information

• Some travel to community locations within Greater Victoria will be required. Occasional travel to locations in other parts of British Columbia and/or Canada for purposes like professional development, networking, or conferences may also be required.
• Some work outside of regular office hours, including evenings and weekends, will be required. Flex time schedules will be made to accommodate non-regular work hours.
• ICA compensates overtime hours with time in lieu.
• Valid BC driver’s license and access to a car would be an asset.
• As a condition of hire, a current clear criminal record check, including vulnerable populations check, and WHMIS training is required.

Closing date

Please submit a cover letter and current resume (in pdf. format), noting relevant qualifications and experience to the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, Attention: HR Manager, via email to careers at icavictoria.org by 4:30 pm on April 13, 2018.
Please quote Competition #2018-04-03-AA-R in the subject line. This posting will remain open after this date until a suitable candidate is selected.

Please note: This is a unionized position subject to the terms and conditions of our Collective Agreement and of our funding agreements with various funders. As per the Collective Agreement, internal applicants will be given consideration with respect to filling the position prior to external candidates being hired. This position is open to applicants of all genders. This position requires union membership. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.