Research Assistant

Be the Spark! Join our passionate team and help us to achieve great things in our community!

The Government Relations Research Assistant plays a crucial role in supporting the Government Relations team in developing and implementing effective strategies to engage with government officials and stakeholders. This position focuses on conducting research and analysis to inform and enhance government partnerships including researching funding opportunities analyzing policy changes drafting briefing notes and supporting the participation of YMCA staff at external meetings and events.

In this role you will:

• Conduct research analyzepolicyand prepare briefing materials to support government outreach opportunities.

• Collect feedback on legislative and regulatory changes and contribute to the development of policy submissions.

• Conduct policy research and literature reviews related to the YMCAs municipal government relations strategy including mapping YMCA assets by constituency identifying key municipal decision-makers such as councillors mayors and committee chairs and tracking municipal funding streams and engagement opportunities across the Greater Toronto Area; contribute to the development of evidence-based policy recommendations.

• Monitor and summarize relevant government initiatives legislation and debates that couldimpactthe YMCAs operations and strategicobjectives.

• Collaborate with other YMCA departments to ensure alignment of government relations strategies with overall organizational goals and priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

You bring:

• Be between 16to 30 years of age at the start ofthe employment.

• Be a Canadian citizen permanent resident or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

• Post-secondary education in political science public administration business administration public policysocial sciences or equivalent experience.

• Knowledge or previous experience with government relations policy development or research is an asset.

• Proficiencywith personal computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite and internet search engines.

• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to distill complicated issues into plain language that can be easily understood.

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

• Detail-oriented and conscientious with a commitment to producing high-quality work.

• Commitment to diversity equity inclusion and building a sense of belonging.

What you need to succeed:

• Commitment to the YMCAs MissionVisionand Values.
• Focus on the health safety and wellbeing of all children youth and vulnerable people in YMCA programs including understanding legal and moral obligations related to reporting suspected child abuse to Child Protection Services.
• YMCA Competencies: Accountable Relationship-Builder Improvement-Orientated Team Player & Leader Equity and Wellbeing Promoter.

Why work for the YMCA

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people helping them grow lead and give back to their communities. We are committed to helping our employees reach their full potential and are recognized as a great place to work. We offer meaningful jobs and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of our communities. See what you can expect from the YMCA here.

Joining the Y means contributing to over 170 years of providing opportunities for people to shine through programs and services such as health and fitness licensed child care camps employment and immigrant services education and training and services for youth families and seniors. Learn more in ourstrategic plan Greater Togetherwhich outlines how we are focused on building communities where people feel healthier and more connected to their neighbours.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging. We strive to remove barriers to employment and recognize that diverse staff who reflect the communities we work in enrich the experiences of our participants and our team. As an equal opportunity employer we invite applications from all qualified candidates including racialized people/people of colour Indigenous Peoples disabled people/people with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQIA communities.

If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you please let us know when we reach out about a job opportunity so we can work with you to accommodate your needs.

In keeping with our commitment to safety and child protection job offers are contingent on the successful completion of a Police Records Check. Within the first four months and every three years thereafter a Vulnerable Police Records Check is required. Learn more about these checks here.

The YMCA only considers applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest however due to the volume of applications we receive we can only contact candidates who are selected for an interview.

Check out the next steps in our recruitment process and see what others are saying about working at the YMCA.

Required Experience:

Junior IC