Career Development Specialist

About HIEC

HIEC is an innovative not-for-profit social enterprise that focuses on partnership, mentorship and workforce development in Ontario. With over 30 years of experience as an active community-focused organization, HIECs goal is to enhance career education and inspire youth to make informed career decisions.

Why Us?

At HIEC, our goal is to make a positive impact in the career journeys of others, and this also applies to our own internal team! We offer a team environment that encourages innovative ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging so everyone feels valued, respected, and heard. Simply put, we care about our employees (have a look for yourself!)

This role also offers:

- Competitive salary (we included the details!)

- Comprehensive company paid for benefits after 3 months

- Mental Health Supports (Calm App Subscription, Better Help Sessions)

- 2 Weeks Vacation + a Holiday ShutDown

- Hybrid Work Model

- PD/Career Development Opportunities

Position Description

This role is responsible for developing and coordinating a comprehensive range of career development activities and programs within the organization. The Career Development Specialist will assess, support, and implement services and strategies that impact the achievement of departmental and organizational goals. The role will include coordinating and cultivating external partnerships and creating internal dialogue amongst our program delivery teams. The successful candidate will be well-versed in innovative curriculum design, evaluation, and facilitation. They will bring sound career development principles and thinking to our programming as well as suggest strategies that complement our current programming.

Job Responsibilities and Key Accountabilities

• Lead the creation of high-quality, engaging career development content, including guides, toolkits, workshops, and digital resources
• Take a lead role in conversations relating to career development/career curriculum.
• Design, develop, and facilitate content on career and professional development.
• Assess and recommend improvements and/or additions that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of HIECs programs and efforts.
• Ensure that an equity focus is a vital part of career development implementation and be able to lead discussions about the removal of barriers to underrepresented groups.
• Actively seeks and assists in the application for funding resources and grants to support career development.
• Provide and expand support for career partnerships, including local organizations, post-secondary partners, community-based organizations, municipalities, etc.
• Master a high level of understanding around 21st Century Skills and the ability to teach those skills.
• Expand and improve the effectiveness and use of career-related software within the organization.
• Develop and implement evaluation tools to gather meaningful feedback on workshops and career development programs, analyzing results to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Present actionable recommendations to enhance program effectiveness and support developing and implementing continuous improvement plans for career development initiatives, using feedback to enhance participant satisfaction, learning outcomes, and overall program impact.
• Assist program participants and users of ApprenticeSearch.com with career exploration, planning, and work search issues by helping students/adults, individuals, and in groups to plan and implement effective, realistic career and work-search plans.
• Develop and implement evaluation tools to gather meaningful feedback on workshops and career development programs, analyzing results to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Present actionable recommendations to enhance program effectiveness and support developing and implementing continuous improvement plans for career development initiatives, using feedback to enhance participant satisfaction, learning outcomes, and overall program impact.
• Plans, develops, and delivers career talks, skills sessions and workshops.
• Regularly reviews and identifies new opportunities to develop innovative career programs and to pilot new ideas/projects/workshops.
• Conduct specialized research and maintain sound and up-to-date knowledge of market trends and communicate those/implements into programming.
• Provide individual coaching services and guidance in developing HIEC marketing and branding tools including, but not limited to, job search strategies, resume critiques, preparation of cover letters and personal statements, interview skills, networking, portfolio development, and negotiation skills.
• Write a variety of documents including, but not limited to, general correspondence, reports, training manuals, career and skill development materials, interview tools, and workshop plans.
• Create, implement, and maintain policies and procedures related to the program and career services offered.
• Plan and coordinate a variety of workshops, seminars and events.

Qualifications to Succeed

• Bachelors degree or equivalent in education, social sciences, or a related field of study; equivalent work experience and employment will be considered
• Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP) designation is required
• Strong knowledge of Labour Market data and trends is essential.
• Extensive experience in developing and implementing career development programs and services.
• Experience with developing and delivering employability skills workshops and providing one-on-one advice regarding employability skills.
• Experience in developing and delivering training programs for various demographics (i.e. students, adults, newcomers, etc.)
• Bilingualism in French is a strong asset.
  

Key Competencies

• Strong understanding of best practices, programs, and models related to career development.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to respond to inquiries with diplomacy and tact.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of building and leading teams to achieve organizational and individual goals.
• Strong judgement, analytical, and problem-solving skills to work collaboratively and in consult with others to address underlying issues and identify opportunities and solutions.
• Excellent time management skills and a demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple tasks and meet competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated and eager to identify new opportunities.
• Ability to work with diverse communities with respect, sensitivity, creativity, innovation, and cultural understanding.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, showing initiative, strategic thinking, and a results-driven approach.
• A high degree of resourcefulness, flexibility, and adaptability.
• A well-defined sense of diplomacy, including solid negotiation, conflict resolution, and people management skills.
• Strong counselling skills.

Working Conditions:

• Travel required within Ontario or Canada for presentations, partnership meetings, conferences, etc.
• Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) and/or Criminal Background check will be required
• A valid Driver's license and access to a vehicle is required

We thank everyone who submits an application for their interest! This job opening represents an existing vacancy. Although our team is mighty, it's still small; only successful applicants will be contacted. To ensure that each candidate's journey is consistent and that it is a fair and equitable hiring process, we will not respond to any personal messages regarding this role.

HIEC is committed to equity and creating a respectful and inclusive workplace culture that reflects the broad diversity of communities we work with. This includes people who identify as immigrants, refugees, women, Indigenous, Black, LGBTQ2S+ people of colour, and people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for qualified candidates during each stage of the recruitment process. Please note that candidates applying for Canadian job openings should be authorized to work in Canada. Please contact Human Resources by phone at (905) 634-2575 ext. 107