Senior Manager: Employment and Skills Development Programs
Position Title: Senior Manager: Employment and Skills Development Programs
Reporting to: Executive Director
Duration: This is a full-time permanent position. 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday. This position also requires working outside of regular operational hours including evenings and weekends.
Work location: This position requires onsite work and will be required to travel across our 4 locations.
Application Deadline: Open until filled
POSITION SUMMARY:
As the Senior Manager, Employment and Skills Development Programs, you will manage the full cycle of the employment, training, leadership and skills development portfolio. You will oversee all services in this portfolioand will ensure the departments under your leadership meet and exceed performance targets and maintain contract compliance in the pursuit of Customer Service Standards and Key Performance Indicators. You will provide leadership to a multi-disciplinary team to deliver quality employment and training services to Ontarians within our catchment Area. You will build strong, collaborative working relationships with different stakeholders and employers. You will advise, coach and guide your team in delivering services to jobseekers; build realistic pipeline reporting processes;challenge and address under-performance and non-compliance, and develop service delivery processes, workflow and promote a culture of service delivery and operational excellence. If you are motivated by building a team, experimenting with processes and new ideas, leading through change and hitting your targets, then please keep reading!
ABOUT NEWCOMER WOMEN’S SERVICES TORONTO:
Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto (NEW) is an award-winning not-for-profit, multi-service agency with operations in three Toronto locations serving 6000+ Immigrants and Refugees annually. The agency was awarded a Non-profit Employer of Choice Award in 2020! The Canadian Non-profit Employer of Choice™ Awards (NEOC) recognizes organizations across Canada that have committed themselves to better business management practices to achieve their mission. With 40 years of operations, NEW delivers special programs focused on immigrant women and men empowerment, leadership and skills development, settlement support set building, and career advancement for immigrant and refugee clients.
The Ideal Candidate has:
An entrepreneurial mindset, with a strong understanding of the foundations of change management, and demonstrated experience leading in a dynamic environment
Is vision and mission oriented, with the “grit” to see the long-term picture and bumpy road of success Believes in the power of social programs as a means to help people build a better life
Flexible, responsive, and open to new ways of thinking and problem-solving and a willingness to learn
Has a strong affinity (and even a passion) for data and how it can be used to inform operational decision making and strategic business case development
Understanding of case management approaches to care and program delivery is ideal
Strong understanding of how trauma can impact a person’s quality of life and barriers to settlement and employment
Believes that collaboration is the name of the game to get things done
Leadership experience in social impact, non-profit, and can demonstrate how this experience relates to the role
Duties and Responsibilities:
Programs/Services Strategy and Planning
Lead and manage all programmatic and operations staff and activities to effectively meet organizational and program goals, ensuring integration across all areas and programs.
Coordinate with the Executive Director to communicate the agency’s vision, priorities, and goals, and ensure staff are working towards said goals and priorities.
Develop program impact metrics consistent with relevant plans and create a system of ongoing evaluation, ensuring strong work plans and alignment between individual, team, and organizational goals and priorities.
Support program teams in integrating cross-program learning and ensure that lessons learned are used to inform adaptation of activities and future program design, with a particular focus on the use of quantitative and qualitative data for adaptive management and design.
Provide support to program teams including program design, program start-up, kick-off meetings, inception meeting check-ins, work planning processes, budget versus actual (BvA) monitoring, quality audits and spot checks, and end-of-program transition meetings.
In collaboration with the Executive Director, support the development of cross-team coordination mechanisms to ensure effective collaboration and integration across key program areas and functions, and within and across programs and the portfolio.
Programs/Services Management and Delivery
Responsible for coordination of program implementation, both direct and indirect delivery, of high-quality evidence-based programming on time, and on budget, in line with the agency’s strategic objectives, and clients’ needs and by funder requirements
Establish and maintain robust program management systems and standardized ways of working, including through capacity building of Program Managers in work-planning and program management.
Ensure adherence and appropriate responsibility for program management, and the ongoing use of the Program Activity Tracker: manage and support budget holders for individual projects and grants, ensuring effective budget management, for example through monthly budget reviews
Ensure key project documents are in place at project kick-off, including procurement and HR planning, implementation plans, and phased budgets, and ensure the regular review of the same.
Troubleshoot issues affecting program delivery, drawing on support from relevant departments, and work with program leadership and other teams to identify root causes and address these accordingly
In close coordination with relevant departments, participate in the program proposal process and participate in designing, innovative and high-quality programs (feasibility, consolidation, methodology, implementation)
Require Program Managers to prepare timely and high-quality progress reports, program reports, and donor reports in a manner to allow review and consolidation efficiently.
Programs/Services Performance and Standards
Set the highest standards of program performance and quality for the program leadership, establishing rigorous cadence and execution discipline to monitor and execute programs on time, on scope and on budget with the highest of quality.
Act as the focal point for full compliance with funding guidelines and standards for program management.
Conduct regular follow-up (through onsite visits, spot checks, audit) of of all programs and services
Maintain high-level of ambition and accountability amongst program leadership to ensure best-in-class approach taken to implement initiative and push teams to deliver against program outcomes / milestones.
Oversee monthly program performance office meetings and engage key personnel as needed and actions are captured, tracked, and closed to continue and sustain successful program performance.
Support Program Managers by providing them with the tools and mentorship needed to ensure delivery of program outcomes and manage overall program performance; provide targeted capacity building, and hands-on support/coaching, to program leadership team (such as, in developing and maintaining detailed implementation plans/work breakdown structures; procurement and recruitment plans; in-depth understanding of grant agreements and compliance, reviewing/writing program reports for accuracy and program impact; and supporting program close-out etc.).
As needed, define, and align on interim measures / indicators for outcomes and milestones to provide more frequent, directional indication of progress toward outcomes and milestones.
Create a culture of continuous improvement across all the program teams; leverage performance and conduct ongoing analysis to inform continuous improvement and corrections for overall program performance
Proactively flag issues or barriers to success for ongoing activities, as appropriate to ensure program progress is not impeded and to mitigate future risks/challenges.
Team Management
Supervise, coach, and collaborate with all program managers to ensure programmatic and team success,as well as to support the team’s ongoing professional development and growth.
Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
Provide team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
Operations and Risk Management
Develop, update and ensure compliance with operational systems, including procedures, policies and standards, in the areas of human resources, financial management, procurement, program delivery, and security management.
Ensure our programs have contextually relevant staff policies, including performance management and professional development.
Ensure development of program-level security management plans, including training plans and communication protocols, to achieve compliance with organization security management and framework, as well as donor best practice guidelines.
Monitor, assess and mitigate risks associated with program operations. Participate in organizational risk management processes.
Resource Development and Proposal Writing
Work with the Executive Director and Programs Managers to research best practices within the workforce development, settlement sector, and social services sector to develop innovative solutions and opportunities.
Identify potential funding sources for existing programs, and prepare proposals for Executive Director approval to ensure ongoing funding of existing programs.
Identify potential funding sources for new programs which have been envisioned in the Strategic Plan
Qualifications:
MBA or a Master degree in Social Work, program design and evaluation or an equivalent degree.
A minimum of five years leadership experience in a nonprofit, for-profit, government, or philanthropy,
working on growth, business development, strategy, planning or related issues.
Minimum 5 years’ experience in program management and team supervision under Employment
Ontario (EO) funded programming is required.
Experience managing teams in the new EO pay-for-performance model is a strong asset.
Detailed understanding of Ontario employment services programs and the employability sector.
Experience in other jurisdictions may be considered.
Demonstrated experience building and managing a high-performing team in a multi-tiered structure.
Demonstrated experience working in a unionized environment.
Comprehensive working knowledge of organizational planning, organizational structure, budgeting, administrative operations, and fundraising.
Strong grants and proposal writing skills
Proven ability to analyze complex data and develop practical strategies and solutions to complex financial and logistical problems.
Demonstrated ability to analyze and compile complex data for planning purposes.
Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to represent the organization externally across a wide range of stakeholders and constituencies.
Strong relationship builder with the ability to find common ground, build consensus, and strengthen collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
Strong community awareness and astuteness.
Ability to successfully navigate in a fast-paced, and outcomes-driven environment
Experience with strategic planning and change management.
Demonstrated successful experience with project management – including organization-wide project implementations.
How to Apply
If you are an individual who thrives in a fast-paced, challenging work environment and wants to join a diverse and collaborative team, this could be the position for you. Please submit a cover letter and resume to hr@newcomerwomen.org and quote “Senior Manager, Employment and Skills Development Programs”, in the subject line.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require accommodation, please let us know in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs.