Career Advisor, Aspire

Ywca Bc; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 36,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended medical and dental benefits

Leave top up for pregnancy/parental

22 vacation days and 3 personal days

Flexible working arrangements

Employee Family Assistance Program

Mentorship program

Staff fitness centre membership

Hotel Willo discounts

Priority in YWCA Child Care centres

Job summary

YWCA BC is seeking a dedicated Aspire Career Advisor to provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive employment services to newcomer and refugee women in Vancouver. Role involves one-on-one coaching, action planning, and group workshops to help participants identify strengths, set goals, and navigate the Canadian labour market.

You will facilitate workshops, support job search strategies, and connect participants with employers, mentors, and community resources, promoting inclusive hiring and

Qualifications

• Post-secondary certificate, diploma, or degree in a relevant field (career or employment development, social services, etc.).
• 1–2 years of experience in career advising, employment counselling, or related delivery.
• Fluency in a second language is an asset; experience with newcomer/refugee communities preferred.

Responsibilities

• Actively participate in participant recruitment, intake, eligibility screening, and referrals to community services.
• Provide trauma-informed career advising and employment counselling to newcomer and refugee women.
• Help participants develop individualized career action plans and monitor progress toward outcomes.
• Assist participants in navigating the Canadian labour market and understanding workplace expectations.
• Facilitate employment readiness and job search workshops (resume, interview prep, networking).
• Support participants in building their professional brand (LinkedIn, online profiles).
• Provide tailored job search assistance and follow-up.
• Engage with employers and community organizations to identify opportunities and promote inclusive hiring.
• Connect participants with mentorship and professional networks.
• Coordinate referrals with internal YWCA programs and community partners.

Skills

Trauma-informed practice

Cultural responsiveness

Career coaching

Workshop facilitation

Interpersonal communication

Digital platforms

Education

Post-secondary certificate/diploma/degree in relevant field

Tools

SharePoint

MS Teams

Zoom

Learning Management Systems

MS Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Forms

Eventbrite

Online employment platforms

Job description

Regular Full Timeuntil March 31st, 2028 (35 hours a week)

Location

Posting Period

Job Description

Passionate about helping people work towards their goals and dreams? We are looking for someone with lived experience and career development expertise to join our mission-driven team, where their work will help amplify impact and drive change.

The Aspire Career Advisor provides individualized, trauma-informed and culturally responsive employment services to newcomer and refugee women facing multiple barriers to employment. Through one-on-one career advising, personalized employment action plans, and group workshops, the Career Advisor supports participants in identifying their strengths, building confidence, navigating the Canadian labour market, and pursuing meaningful employment opportunities.

The role involves facilitating employment readiness workshops, supporting job search activities, connecting participants with employers and community resources, and fostering professional networking and mentorship opportunities. Working collaboratively with program staff, employers, and settlement organizations, the Career Advisor helps participants overcome systemic and individual employment barriers while supporting their long-term career development and economic independence.

Whatyou'llbe doing:

Actively participate in participant recruitment, intake, eligibility screening, needs assessments, registration, and referrals to appropriate community services.

Provide individualized, trauma-informed career advising and employment counselling to newcomer and refugee women, recognizing their diverse experiences, strengths, and employment barriers.

Support participants in identifying realistic employment goals, developing individualized career action plans, and monitoring progress toward employment outcomes.

Assist participants in navigating the Canadian labour market, understanding workplace expectations, exploring career pathways, and identifying transferable skills and qualifications.

Facilitate employment readiness and job search workshops, including resume and cover letter development, interview preparation, job search strategies, workplace communication, and professional networking.

Support participants in developing their professional brand, including LinkedIn profiles, online job search platforms, and other digital employment tools.

Provide individualized job search assistance, including reviewing applications, preparing for interviews, identifying employment opportunities, and following up on job search activities.

Engage with employers, professional networks, and community organizations to identify employment opportunities, promote inclusive hiring practices, and support participants' transition into the workforce.

Connect participants with mentorship opportunities, informational interviews, professional networks, and industry-specific resources to strengthen their employment prospects.

Collaborate with internal YWCA programs, settlement agencies, and community partners to coordinate appropriate referrals and address barriers related to language, childcare, digital literacy, credential recognition, and other settlement needs.

Assist with curriculum development, workshop planning, and continuous improvement of program activities based on participant needs and feedback.

Facilitate workshops and participant activities in person and virtually, using appropriate technology and inclusive facilitation approaches.

Provide ongoing employment follow-up, encouragement, and practical support to participants throughout their career development journey.

Contribute to program outcomes and continuous improvement by collecting participant feedback, documenting success stories, and assisting the Program Manager with narrative reporting as needed.

Maintain accurate, complete, and timely participant records, including case notes, service activities, employment outcomes, and follow-up documentation, in accordance with program and funder requirements.

Maintain strict confidentiality and uphold organizational privacy and data security standards.

Participate in team meetings, case conferences, professional development, and other program activities to support coordinated service delivery.

Other duties as required.

What you’ll need:

• A post-secondary certificate, diploma, or degree in a relevant field, such as career or employment development, vocational rehabilitation, social work, psychology, sociology, human services, counselling, education, or human resources management.
• 1–2 years of demonstrated experience in career advising, employment counselling, career coaching, workshop facilitation, or employment program delivery.
• Strong understanding of the unique challenges faced by newcomer and refugee women in accessing employment, including language barriers, limited Canadian work experience, credential recognition, systemic discrimination, and competing settlement and family responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive, client-centred services while applying an intersectional Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) lens.
• Experience supporting individuals facing multiple barriers to employment, with an understanding of the importance of empowerment, self-determination, and strengths-based career development.
• Knowledge of the Canadian labour market, employment readiness practices, job search strategies, recruitment processes, and workplace expectations.
• Strong career coaching and counselling skills, including the ability to conduct needs assessments, develop individualized employment action plans, and support participants in achieving measurable goals.
• Experience designing and facilitating engaging employment readiness workshops for diverse adult learners, both in person and virtually.
• Ability to adapt communication and facilitation approaches to participants with varying English language proficiency, digital literacy levels, and educational backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with employers, community organizations, settlement agencies, and other service providers.
• Experience supporting employment referrals, job placements, mentorship, and professional networking opportunities.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage a participant caseload, prioritize competing responsibilities, and meet program deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, research, and documentation skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Strong computer skills, including SharePoint, MS Teams, Zoom, Learning Management Systems (LMS), MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Forms, Eventbrite, and online employment platforms.
• Ability to use digital platforms effectively for in-person and virtual service delivery.
• Knowledge of newcomer settlement services, community resources, and employment support programs in Metro Vancouver.
• Fluency in a second language commonly spoken by newcomer and refugee communities is considered an asset.
• Lived experience of immigration, forced displacement, or navigating employment barriers as a newcomer is considered an asset.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development in trauma-informed practice, cultural responsiveness, equity, and GBA+.
• Strong commitment to confidentiality, professional boundaries, and data security in accordance with organizational privacy policies.
• Willingness to travel within Metro Vancouver for employer outreach, community engagement, and meetings.
• Ability to work at the designated physical office location during office hours to deliver in-person participant services.
• A valid clear criminal record check, including working with vulnerable populations, is required.

What do we offer:

We offer our eligible employees the following benefits as part of theirtotal rewards package:

Extended medical and dental benefits

Pregnancy,parentaland adoption leave top up

22 vacation days and 3 personal days, in addition to paid sick leave

Flexible working arrangements for applicable positions

Employee Family Assistance Program, a confidential and voluntary support service for employees and their eligible family members

A workplace that prioritizes employee health,safetyand well-being, including many learning and growth opportunities such as our employee mentorship program and three equity committees that help to support our goals towards achieving meaningful equity and inclusion.

Free staff membership to our Health & Fitness Centre

Discounts at our Hotel Willo

Priority in YWCA Child Carecentres

Pay Rate: $31.94 per hour