Position Title: Project Researcher
Type of Contract: Fee for Service Contract
Reports To: Project Coordinator /Advisory Group

Social enterprises are businesses trading for social and environmental purposes. Many commercial businesses would consider themselves to have social objectives, but Social Enterprises are distinctive because their social and/or environmental purpose is absolutely central to what they do - their profits are reinvested to sustain and further their mission for positive social change.

Brock Community Health Centre's Community Development Program and Health Promotion Program require a Project Researcher to develop a functional social enterprise framework for rural areas in North Durham Region in Central Ontario. The aim of this project is to explore alternative economic opportunities for rural communities, to facilitate job creation and to enhance long term community sustainability. This framework is to be shared with other rural communities across Ontario.

Project Deliverables:
• Generate an extensive research report and analysis of social enterprises best practices, challenges and opportunities, primarily in rural contexts.
• Recommend an operational framework to conceive, assess, develop and implement social enterprise, within rural contexts supported by the above evidence.
• Explore potential and opportunity to conceive a social enterprise rural alliance, aimed to further develop the social economy agenda.

Position Description & Responsibilities:
1. Perform extensive research to offer a foundational base for the development of a social enterprise framework with a rural focus.
2. Consult with and collect best practices among social enterprise practitioners, involving not-for-profits, as well as for profit businesses.
3. Investigate and analyze government and other key institution's policies and regulations related to social enterprises implementation and development.
4. Identify actual and potential stakeholders to explore the establishment of a future social enterprise, rural alliance/network.
5. Liaise and communicate with project coordinator and advisory group to discuss and review research material that will guide the development of the rural social enterprise framework.

Preferred Qualifications:
1. Self-directed individual with solid research experience, including policy and regulatory practices.
2. Previous expertise working with business development programs.
3. Professional project management experience (preferably within the context of a business)
4. Ability to perform self-directed contract work within a flexible time frame
5. Excellent volunteer, group and stakeholder facilitation skills
6. Excellent time management and communications skills (written and computer skills)
7. Excellent data management and analysis abilities
8. Holds a bachelor degree or is a senior student of business administration and/or other project related area.
9. Experience working with or in the not-for-profit sector.
10. Good knowledge of social economic initiatives including social enterprises is considered an asset.

How to Apply:
Please send resume and letter of intention by August 7, 2009 indicating interest in undertaking this research project to Cesar Caneo, Brock Community Health Centre at ccaneo@brockchc.ca or fax (705) 432 3221.