Event and Community Engagement Specialist

KidsAbility Centre for Child Development; Waterloo; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

KidsAbility Centre for Child Development is seeking an Event & Community Engagement Coordinator to lead event planning and execution. This full-time, permanent position involves collaboration with various departments to support community engagement initiatives, requiring strong organizational and communication skills. If you are passionate about empowering children and family-centered care, this opportunity is for you.

Benefits

Ongoing training and development opportunities

Employee and Family Assistance Program

Comprehensive benefits package

Generous vacation package

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of professional events and project management experience.
• Excellent project management skills and knowledge of software.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop and InDesign.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and coordination of events, both in-person and virtual.
• Manage event logistics, including vendor coordination and budgeting.
• Collaborate with teams across KidsAbility for successful event execution.

Skills

Project Management

Planning and Organizational Abilities

Written and Oral Communication

Time Management

Initiative and Teamwork

Education

Post-secondary education in marketing, communications, or event management

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

Virtual Event Platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams)

Job description

Posting Date: June 3, 2025

Closing Date: June 11, 2025

Event & Community Engagement Coordinator

1.0 FTE, Permanent | Start Date: ASAP

About KidsAbility:

Our mission at KidsAbility is to empower children and youth to realize their full potential. We are a not-for-profit, equal opportunity employer supporting over 17,000 children and youth to reach their communication, social, physical, and behavioural goals each year. Providing early and exceptional family-centred services in the Waterloo and Guelph-Wellington regions. We believe that by living our values, our impact can be profound, and together, we can build brighter futures.

We’re looking for the right people to join our team; supporting children, youth, and families to realize their potential, while realizing your own. At KidsAbility, we offer:

• Ongoing training and development opportunities, empowering you to enhance your skills
• A supportive, collaborative, and inclusive work environment dedicated to family-centered care
• Organizational commitment to innovation and research; continually evolving our approaches so we may serve with purpose and value
• Initiatives to support your well-being including social events, opportunities to give back to your community and access to Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Comprehensive benefits and optional group RRSP program, short- and long-term disability income protection benefits, and generous vacation package and paid personal leave days

About the Opportunity:

The Event & Community Engagement Coordinator is the lead for event execution and works collaboratively to support the work plans of all KidsAbility departments. The coordinator supports the marketing and communications strategy through event planning, logistics, support, execution, budgeting, and post-event evaluation. The coordinator will take the lead on internal and external (non-fundraising) events and will work in partnership with the KidsAbility Foundation and KidsAbility School teams to support strategic events as needed. This person will be reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications.

The Event & Community Engagement Coordinator’s specific areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

• Event Planning, Logistics & Execution
• Develops an annual roster of events as informed by business workplans and overall strategic objectives.
• Works in partnership with teams across KidsAbility to lead the planning and coordination of (non-fundraising) in-person, virtual and hybrid events and leads in all working groups related to events.
• Leads the planning and coordination of employee events and large meetings such as Town Halls and employee recognition events, including scheduling planning meetings, creating agendas, and organizing catering as required.
• Manages all event logistics (i.e. monitoring registration databases, evaluating requirements, booking rooms and equipment, ordering food, ordering signage, ordering supplies, producing name tags and ordering t-shirts).
• Acts as the project lead for all events with a complete understanding of event scenarios and volunteer roles/responsibilities.
• Confirms event budget with the appropriate stakeholders and manages expenses accordingly.
• Works with the Volunteer Coordinator to recruit, schedule, and communicate with the volunteers required for successful events.
• Supports speakers with creative content framework including PowerPoint templates and managing AV event requirements.
• Works with virtual event platforms (i.e. Zoom, Microsoft Teams) to manage virtual events and meetings, including managing panelists, setting up events, running video content and polls, monitoring live chats and offering technical support to participants as needed.
• Solicits and compiles feedback for post-event “wrap-up” sessions and shares with key stakeholders for continued improvement of events.
• Creates event reports for monthly analytics.
• Event Support
• Works with the Marketing and Communications team to develop and implement marketing and promotional materials, including social media content to promote events.
• Provides event promotion support to departments and groups across KidsAbility (i.e. monitor event registration forms, post promotional event content, etc.)
• Collaborates with peers across KidsAbility to build partnerships and effective working relationships.
• Project manages marketing initiatives for events (including print and video production), ensuring deliverables are produced according to schedule and budget.

More About You:

To qualify, applicants must have post-secondary education in marketing, communications, event management, or equivalent combination of education, and 1-3 years of professional events and project management experience, in addition to:

• Excellent project management skills and working knowledge of project management software.
• Exceptional planning and organizational abilities, ability to multi-task to manage a large volume of projects with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Proven ability to meet strict deadlines without compromising quality.
• Goal oriented, self-motivated with demonstrated ability to take initiative to work independently and effectively as part of a team.
• Demonstrated experience with Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop and InDesign.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office applications and web content management systems.
• Experience using virtual event platforms including Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
• Some local travel is required. The ability to work a flexible schedule including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

In addition to the above qualifications, the following skills and experience will be strong assets:

• Experience working in a not-for-profit organization.
• Experience with the specialized requirements associated with updating web content and familiarity with a content management system.
• Experience with updating digital screens for event promotion.

We invite applications from those interested in this position to submit a letter of interest and resume.

KidsAbility strives to create an accessible and inclusive application and selection process and is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants who may require provisions to participate in the selection process. Should any applicant require accommodation please contact Human Resources in advance for assistance.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are the core values of KidsAbility. We are a diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas that benefit our clients and the community. It is the policy of KidsAbility to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment. We welcome applications from visible minority groups, women, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information or any other ground protected by applicable law.

Please note that all prospective KidsAbility employees are subject to mandatory immunization requirements, including the full and ongoing COVID-19 vaccination, as a condition of obtaining and maintaining employment. We will make accommodations as directed by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the Chief Medical Officer of Health.