Front Desk Associate

Covenant House Vancouver; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 34,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

A dedicated youth support organization in Metro Vancouver is hiring a Front Desk Associate to oversee front desk activities. Your role includes providing customer service to youth and other visitors and managing incoming calls. The ideal candidate will have experience in social services, be organized, and demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills. This full-time position offers a salary range of $34,944.00 to $43,680.00, with competitive benefits and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Excellent extended health and dental benefits

Three weeks’ paid vacation

Registered pension plan

Investment in professional development

Qualifications

• 1 year of administrative working experience preferred.
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training an asset.
• Able to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Provide friendly customer service to youth, donors, volunteers and other visitors.
• Answer and direct incoming calls to the appropriate departments.
• Coordinate clearing of the lobby for incidents.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Problem-solving skills

Organized with excellent multi-tasking skills

Able to maintain professional boundaries

Education

Degree or Diploma in a Social Services field

Job description

Our fall double match campaign is on now! Find out how you can help prevent youth homelessness.

Please note: A cover letter and resume are mandatory for all applications. This is a 100% onsite position.

As we serve vulnerable youth, all employees working for Covenant House Vancouver must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Proof of vaccination status will be required prior to your start date.

Since 1997, Covenant House Vancouver has provided relentless support for youth experiencing, or at‑risk of experiencing, homelessness. We provide support to young people age 16 to 24 who have experienced a wide range of early life and ongoing, complex trauma; including physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect. Our purpose is to serve all youth, with absolute respect and unconditional love, to help youth experiencing homelessness, and provide a safe and supportive environment for all youth in need.

Working at Covenant House will be one of the most meaningful things that you’ll do in your life. However, you will be confronted with significant issues in this work and frankly, this work is not for everyone. In the course of doing your work, particularly for those doing frontline work, you will be exposed to the trauma of others. The youth we serve may also experience overdose, physical harm perpetuated by self or others and even death. Because we provide a relational model of care, the harms our youth experience can impact us in varying degrees.
While we provide training for youth workers on avoiding what we call vicarious trauma (namely, the trauma you can experience or take on by hearing other’s traumatic stories), and a generous allowance for counselling, it is still difficult work that can and does take its toll on many employees. Self‑awareness and self‑care are key. Some candidates and employees decide during the recruiting and probationary periods that this work isn’t for them, and that is totally fair.
We will provide more information on vicarious trauma during recruiting and on‑boarding, to help you decide if Covenant House is the place for you.

The Impact a Front Desk Associate can make:

The Front Desk Associate will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating all front desk activities and managing the incoming and outgoing traffic. The front desk is a high traffic area for youth, donors, volunteers and staff and you will be the first point of contact for those who come through our doors. This role is supported by our program Youth Workers, who share the desk in the event a Youth requires support or de‑escalation is required. You will bring absolute respect and love to every interaction that you have and help to make Covenant House a welcoming environment for all.

How you will contribute:

• Provide friendly customer service to youth, donors, volunteers and other visitors
• Provide information and assistance to youth as required
• Answer and direct incoming calls to the appropriate departments
• Communicate and coordinate with other members of the front desk team and various departments as required
• Receive and distribute mail and packages
• Stay up to date on property restrictions
• With the program Team Leaders, coordinate clearing of the lobby for incidents
• Other related duties as assigned

Who are we looking for?

Education and Experience:

• Degree or Diploma in a Social Services field considered an asset
• Non‑Violent Crisis Intervention Training an asset
• 1 year of administrative working experience preferred
• Able to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment with minimal supervision
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to display tact, respect, and diplomacy
• Excellent problem‑solving skills
• Adaptable with a can‑do attitude
• Organized with excellent multi‑tasking skills
• Able to maintain professional boundaries with the Youth.

Compensation

The successful candidate can expect a starting salary of between $34,944.00 and $43,680.00 depending on factors such as internal equity, experience, competencies, and education. Once hired, salaries are reviewed annually following the annual performance review and successful employees have the opportunity for their salary to increase, over time, up to the maximum of the pay band, currently $52,416.00.

Total Rewards

Beginning immediately, this position has excellent extended health and dental benefits for you, your spouse, and your children, including generous counselling benefits. During the first year, employees receive three weeks’ paid vacation, increasing to four in the second year. We have paid sick leave, paid personal leave, a registered pension plan, investment in professional development, and more. If you’d like more information on what we offer, please ask!

We were recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers in 2024!

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Covenant House Vancouver is a secular organization that welcomes and serves young people from all backgrounds. While the international federation to which we belong was founded in the 1970s by members of the Catholic Church, we are not aligned with any specific faith traditions.

CHV is committed to upholding diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workplace. We actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

• Persons from groups marginalized due to race, ancestry, colour, religion/spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
• Persons with visible (physical) and/or invisible (mental) disabilities;
• Persons who identify as women;
• Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions; and

We recognize that many of these identities intersect and that therefore, diversity, equity, and inclusion can be complex. We value the contributions that each person brings and are committed to ensuring full and equal participation for all at Covenant House Vancouver.

We love what we do and try to make a difference every day. Covenant House Vancouver offers a competitive salary with a great benefits package and excellent opportunity for training and career advancement. If you are looking to join a place where we have a purpose and aim to achieve positive outcomes, please join us by applying.

If our recruitment process does not work for you, let us know. Let’s see how we can work together to get to know you and see what might be a great fit!