Manager, Youth & Unified Champion Schools

Special Olympics Ontario; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Generous paid time off

RRSP contribution (after 1 year)

Extended health and dental benefits

Wellness programs & company events

Casual dress code

Job summary

Special Olympics Ontario is seeking a strategic, collaborative leader to guide youth programming across Ontario, mainly through the UCS program. As part of the Program Team, the Manager will set provincial direction, translate strategy into scalable programming, and lead implementation across the province.

This role focuses on inclusive sport experiences for youth with intellectual disabilities, strengthening school partnerships, and creating pathways to lifelong participation in Special

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in education, sport or recreation management, community development, public administration, business, social sciences, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of program development and delivery experience including leading staff, consultants, projects, or cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated strategic and systems thinking with strong design, project management, evaluation, facilitation, communication, budgeting and people-leadership skills.
• Ability to translate strategy into practical plans, manage multiple priorities and ensure delivery across locations or program streams.
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership style with sound judgement and mission alignment.
• Experience with Ontario school boards, province-wide or multi-site programs, curriculum development, youth leadership or inclusive sport initiatives is a plus.
• Experience supporting or engaging with individuals with intellectual disabilities is valued.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to provincial strategy for youth and UCS programming and develop annual operating plans.
• Lead delivery and improvement of youth and UCS programming across multiple programs and schools.
• Coach and support program staff, establishing priorities, accountabilities, and performance expectations.
• Oversee program quality, inclusive practices, budgets, contracts, risks and operational requirements.
• Build and steward strategic relationships with school boards, educators, athletes, youth leaders, partners and community organizations.
• Incorporate athlete, youth and educator perspectives; use data and feedback to guide improvements.
• Establish measures, targets, and reporting; ensure data integrity and privacy.
• Prepare updates and recommendations for senior leadership and stakeholders; collaborate across SOO teams.

Skills

Staff leadership

Strategic thinking

Systems thinking

Budgeting

Facilitation

Communication

Relationship-building

Strategic planning

Team collaboration

Multitasking

Education

Post-secondary education in education/sport/recreation management or related field

Job description

For over 50 years, Special Olympics has grown from a modest program serving local athletes to become the world's largest movement dedicated to promoting respect, acceptance, inclusion, and human dignity for people with intellectual disabilities through sport.

Special Olympics Ontario has optimized the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle through sport to improve the well-being of individuals with an intellectual disability. We continue to improve and expand the quality, opportunity and accessibility of sport to individuals with an intellectual disability. Along with this, we strive to improve upon both the awareness and support of the community in regards to Special Olympics Ontario and those involved with us. As an organization, we work to ensure our volunteers are strongly committed to acting locally while thinking globally. Through these steps, we hope to continue to build upon the past success of the organization

With over 23,000 athletes and 7,500 volunteers across the province, we are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities that celebrate the abilities of every individual.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Special Olympics Ontario is seeking a strategic, collaborative leader to guide the continued growth and development of youth programming across Ontario, primarily delivered through the Unified Champion Schools (UCS) program. As a member of the Program Team, the Manager will help set provincial direction, turn strategy into practical and scalable programming, and lead the team responsible for implementation across the province.

This is an opportunity to shape inclusive sport experiences for youth with intellectual disabilities, strengthen school and community partnerships, and build pathways to lifelong involvement in Special Olympics.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contribute to the provincial strategy for youth and Unified Champion Schools programming and develop annual operating plans, priorities, timelines, and recommendations for sustainable growth.
• Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of youth and UCS programming, including Young Athletes, elementary, secondary and post-secondary programs, School Championships, and school-to-community transitions.
• Lead, coach, and support program staff, establishing clear priorities, accountabilities, workplans, and performance expectations while coordinating team capacity and deployment.
• Oversee program quality and consistency, inclusive practices, participant experience, budgets, resource allocation, contracts, risks, and operational requirements within delegated authority.
• Build and steward strategic relationships with school boards, educators, administrators, athletes, youth leaders, Special Olympics partners, and sport, inclusion, and community organizations.
• Ensure athlete, youth, educator, and school perspectives inform program decisions and use data, stakeholder feedback, research, and sector trends to evaluate effectiveness and guide continuous improvement.
• Establish program measures, targets, and reporting practices; maintain accurate records, data integrity, privacy compliance, and adherence to organizational and Special Olympics requirements.
• Prepare clear updates, reports, presentations, and recommendations for senior leadership, partners, funders, and other stakeholders, and collaborate across SOO teams to support aligned delivery.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Post-secondary education in education, sport or recreation management, community development, public administration, business, social sciences, or a related field. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• 3-5 years of experience in program development and delivery within education, sport, community, youth, or non-profit settings, including at least two years leading staff, consultants, projects, or cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated strategic and systems thinking, with strong program design, project management, evaluation, facilitation, communication, relationship-building, budgeting, and people-leadership skills.
• Ability to translate strategy into practical plans, manage multiple priorities in a changing environment, and support consistent delivery across multiple locations or program streams.
• A collaborative and inclusive leadership style, sound judgement, and a genuine commitment to the mission of Special Olympics Ontario.
• Experience working with Ontario school boards and educators; developing province-wide or multi-site programs; or leading curriculum, whole-school engagement, youth leadership, or inclusive sport initiatives, is considered a strong asset.
• Experience supporting or engaging with individuals with intellectual disabilities is highly valued.

Other Requirements

• Ability to travel within Ontario is required.
• A valid Ontario Driver's Licence and access to a reliable vehicle are required.
• A clear Vulnerable Sector Check and Criminal Record Check are required by the start date.
• Safe Sport training and the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends are required.

WHY JOIN SPECIAL OLYMPICS ONTARIO?

How We Work

Special Olympics Ontario offers a hybrid work environment, combining flexibility with purposeful in-person collaboration at our Head Office in Toronto.

The Experience We Offer

You'll join an organization that believes strongly in its mission while providing employees with the flexibility, trust and opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

We Offer:

• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact
• A diverse, inclusive, and supportive work culture
• Casual dress code
• Generous paid time off
• RRSP contribution (after 1 year)
• Extended health and dental benefits
• Wellness programs & company events

The compensation range for this role $60,000-65,000 annual salary.

This position is being recruited to fill an existing vacancy and is open to qualified internal and external candidates.

This posting will be open until October 6, 2026. Please note that while we appreciate all applications received, only those selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be contacted.

Our Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

Special Olympics Ontario is committed to equity and fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace culture that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We value the unique perspectives brought by individuals of all backgrounds and encourage applications from qualified candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of colour, immigrants, refugees, women, 2SLGBTQ+, and people with disabilities.

Accessibility Accommodation Available

Reasonable accommodations are available on request for candidates participating in all aspects of the selection process. If you require accommodation, please let us know in advance, and we will work with you to meet your needs. Requests may be made by email to [e-mail]