CSJ Program Assistant

We are currently seeking the ideal candidate to fill the position of:

Program Assistant Canada Summer Jobs

At FoodShare we advocate for food justice by supporting community-based food initiatives and through ongoing advocacy and public education. Our vision is a Toronto where all people can feed themselves their loved ones and their communities with dignity and joy. We operate on a people-first model that values fair compensation policies that respect a work/life balance and the contributions of our team members at all levels.

Overview:

The Community Markets Support (CMS) program supports the development of culturally appropriate fresh produce markets across Toronto. The program assistant will provide support to the CMS program through administrative tasks database updates and research. The program assistant will also provide administrative and bookkeeping support to the Supportive Partnerships Platform (SPP) program and its stakeholders and develop communication materials. The SPP platform is available for groups that are self-determined are led by people who experience marginalization in the food system (particularly BIPOC low-income & newcomer communities) and who are working on food justice issues. The program assistant will play a key role in the research of funding opportunities and the daily operations of both programs. This role will work closely with the GFM facilitator and SPP coordinator.

This position is funded through the Canada Summer Jobs Program and requires that the applicants:

• Be between 15-30 years of age (inclusive)
• Be Canadian Citizens permanent residents or persons on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
• Be legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial legislation and regulations

Duties include (but are not limited to):

• Assist the Supportive Partnership Platform Senior Coordinator in data entry file management/Google Drive organization develop communication materials and any other administrative duties as required
• Assist the Community Markets Support Senior Coordinator in any task related to CMS including attending meetings taking minutes and site visits
• Conduct field-based research including visiting retail locations to collect and compare product pricing and accurately record findings using standardized data collection templates.
• Research funding opportunities resources events and job opportunities to share with stakeholders or include in program newsletters
• Support with the design and development of communications and outreach materials for programs projects and events (ie. newsletters webpages brochures manuals presentations posters reports)
• Document weekly activities and track relevant information. Support bookkeeping and filing for the community groups that we support.
• Update program databases and tracking tools to ensure that the appropriate demographic pricing and contact information is included
• Participate in FoodShare staff meetings all staff training and handle other duties as assigned
• Support grassroots groups in animating their own community-led food initiatives by assisting with organizing community meetings participating in events and outreach activities and keeping up-to-date records on activity progress
• Support the organization and logistics of community events trainings and meetings including organizing catering booking vehicles and leading outreach activities.
• Conduct market visits and support in-person community markets events as needed.

Required Qualifications Knowledge and Experience:

• 2 years of experience in community-led food or food justice projects and/or neighbourhood-based community organizing
• 2 years of experience conducting field-based or community-based research including data collection site visits and working directly with diverse communities
• 1 year of administrative experience within an office/virtual setting
• Familiar and proficient with G-Suite in (Google Drive Sheets Docs Calendar Gmail etc.)
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of food justice
• Attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to work within a diverse community (people of different ages abilities and cultural backgrounds)
• Effective communication time-management and organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team

Job Requirements:

• Must meet Canada Summer Jobs Program requirements outlined above
• Lifting and moving up to 40 pounds
• Working outdoors and on your feet for long periods of time
• Available to work on weekends and evenings

Salary and Benefits:

Total Compensation

• Salary: $25.50/hr
• Benefits: Vacation in pay (8%) paid days for wellness days & sick days and personal days will be prorated based on days worked/contract dates health benefits reimbursement (prorated) and a daily lunch stipend.
• Contract Type: Fixed term Fixed hours
• Duration: 8 weeks (35 hours/week)
• Reports to: Community Action Support Program Sr. Manager
• Location: 75% in-person and 25% remote
• Available positions: 1
• Anticipated Start Day: June 8 2026

*Note that as part of FoodShares commitment to equity all staff get equal pay for equal work. As a result salaries and benefits are non-negotiable.

TO APPLY: Please submit your resume and cover letter by 5:00pm Wednesday May 13 2026 by clicking the link below:

note that we may only be able to contact candidates selected to move forward in the hiring process.

Selection Process:

1. FoodShares HR team will screen applications to determine which demonstrate meeting the postings base qualifications. Please make sure to detail your experience in your resume/cover letter to ensure the committee has the information they need to assess your qualifications for the role. This process takes at least 2 weeks from the application deadline.
2. The hiring committee will review the applications that pass the initial screening and decide which candidates to invite to interview. This process usually takes about 1 week.
3. The hiring committee will conduct first and second if applicable round interviews with selected candidates. Candidates will be sent the interview questions 48 hours in advance of their scheduled interview. Candidates are welcome but not expected or required to send any questions they have for the hiring committee in advance of the interview. These usually occur about 4 weeks after the application deadline.
4. In recognition of the time and labour of preparing for and attending an interview FoodShare financially compensates interviewees at a fixed rate of $75 per interview.
5. HR will conduct reference checks for the candidate they intend to extend an offer to. This process usually takes about 1 week.
6. HR will send the selected candidate an Employment Agreement which the candidate will have at least 1 week to review and return.

Please note:

FoodShare is a food justice organization. This means that we are committed to working to identify and dismantle systemic forms of oppression that cause and perpetuate food security inequities.

Racialized people and others from equity-seeking groups are over-represented in food insecurity and poverty statistics but are significantly under-represented in community based food organizations. We believe that those most affected by an issue must have access to paid positions in organizations tasked with challenging poverty and food insecurity. FoodShare strives to create a workspace that reflects the diversity of identities and lived experiences that exist within the communities we work alongside.

You may require accommodation during the application process. If thats the case please do not hesitate to contact Human Resources at at your earliest convenience to let them know what type of accommodation you need.

Required Experience:

Junior IC