Holocaust Survivor Relations Specialist

Azrieli Foundation; Toronto; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A major philanthropic organization in Toronto is seeking a Holocaust Survivor Relations Specialist. This role focuses on developing trauma-informed relationships with Holocaust survivors and their families. Responsibilities include coordinating survivor activities, maintaining accurate records, and providing respectful support. Ideal candidates will have experience in social services and a strong commitment to empathy and confidentiality. Join a mission-driven team aimed at empowering vulnerable communities.

Benefits

Inclusive workplace

Equity and diversity commitments

Qualifications

• Relevant experience in social service or nonprofit environments may replace formal education when appropriate.
• Experience providing client-centered support or relationship management is essential.
• Familiarity with maintaining confidential records in compliance with privacy standards.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary contact for Holocaust survivors and their families.
• Coordinate survivor participation across various programs.
• Maintain accurate records related to survivor participation and needs.

Skills

Empathy

Professionalism

Patience

Emotional intelligence

Organizational skills

Education

College or university degree

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

The Azrieli Foundation is one of Canada’s largest philanthropic foundations, supporting initiatives in education, science & healthcare, research and the arts. Through strategic grants and partnerships, we strive to foster innovation, empowerment and drive positive change within these critical sectors in Canada and Israel.

Position Summary

The Holocaust Survivor Relations Specialist plays a central role in fostering compassionate, trauma-informed relationships with Holocaust survivors and their families while ensuring that all program operations, administrative processes, and data systems support and strengthen survivor engagement.

This position is responsible for maintaining consistent, respectful communication; coordinating survivor-related activities across publishing, outreach, and education; and ensuring that all administrative and operational tasks uphold accuracy, dignity, and survivor-centered program excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Survivor and Family Support

• Serve as a primary point of contact for Holocaust survivors and their families, providing respectful, patient, and trauma-informed support
• Review background information and maintain familiarity with survivor histories, communication preferences, accessibility needs, and family context
• Assist survivors and families in understanding program options, participation opportunities, and timelines, and provide ongoing support throughout engagement
• Support survivors participating in educational programs, media engagements, and public events by coordinating logistics and ensuring accessibility and emotional readiness
• Provide compassionate support to families of deceased survivors regarding legacy materials, permissions, archival requests, and continued program involvement

Program Coordination and Service Delivery

• Coordinate survivor participation across publishing, education, outreach, and public programming to ensure consistent and survivor-centred service delivery
• Assist in implementing survivor-focused programs and initiatives under the direction of senior staff
• Respond to survivor- and family-related inquiries regarding publishing processes, distribution, events, digital access, and legacy matters
• Liaise with internal teams and external partners, including educators, libraries, publishers, and service providers, to support coordinated program delivery

Records, Tracking, and Program Evaluation

• Maintain accurate, confidential records related to survivor authors, families, program participation, permissions, and accessibility needs
• Track survivor involvement, program participation, and distribution activities to support coordination and program evaluation
• Assist in maintaining program statistics and preparing reports related to survivor engagement, distribution, and program reach
• Support the organization’s evaluation of survivor-focused programs by monitoring participation trends and outcomes

Administrative and Operational Support

• Provide administrative support related to survivor-focused projects, including scheduling, workflow tracking, and documentation
• Assist with survivor-related publishing workflows, including permissions follow-up, review coordination, and manuscript tracking
• Support inventory tracking and distribution coordination for survivor memoirs to schools, libraries, and community partners
• Uphold privacy, confidentiality, and data protection standards when handling sensitive survivor and family information

Qualifications

• Completion of a college or university program is required
• Relevant experience working in a social service, community-based, nonprofit, or support-oriented environment may be considered in place of formal education, where appropriate
• Demonstrated experience supporting seniors, Holocaust survivors, trauma-affected individuals, or other vulnerable populations is a significant asset
• Strong empathy, professionalism, patience, and emotional intelligence, with the ability to engage respectfully with individuals who have experienced significant trauma
• Experience providing direct, client-centred support, relationship management, or coordination within structured programs or services
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage detailed records, track participation or engagement, and support program coordination
• Experience maintaining confidential records or databases in compliance with privacy and data protection standards
• Ability to communicate clearly and sensitively, both verbally and in writing, with clients, families, and internal stakeholders
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary or cross-functional team environment
• Familiarity with CRM systems, databases, or program tracking tools is an asset
• Experience in nonprofit, educational, cultural, archival, or publishing environments is an asset

Living Our Values

• Integrity & respect
• Taking on big challenges
• Excellence
• Passion for making a difference
• Results-oriented mindset
• Sustainable impact

Inclusivity and Accessibility

Living our values means creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, supported and empowered to contribute. Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is one way we put those values into practice.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and value diverse backgrounds, abilities and ways of thinking. Diversity and inclusion make our organization strong, productive and innovative. Applicants with lived experience who identify as neurodivergent are strongly encouraged to apply.

We are committed to creating inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. If you require an accommodation during the application or recruitment process, please reach out to [e-mail].

About the Foundation

Driven by a strong belief in philanthropy’s powerful role and responsibility, the Azrieli Foundation empowers people by supporting a broad range of organizations, facilitating innovative outcomes and increasing knowledge and understanding in the search for practical and novel solutions.

With a firm conviction that everyone has potential, we work to open doors, break ground and nurture networks, empowering the most vulnerable to the most exceptional to achieve their best and contribute to society.

In addition to strategic philanthropic investments, the Azrieli Foundation operates several initiatives including the Azrieli Fellows Program, the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, the Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program, the Azrieli Music, Arts and Culture Centre and others.