Program Assistant, Development and Rehabilitation – Permanent Casual

Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) is seeking a Program Assistant to support Recreation Therapy and ASD Respite programs across multiple CHEO sites in Ottawa. The role requires evening and weekend availability and involves direct activity execution, safety, and logistics coordination for children and youth with disabilities.

The position emphasizes on-site operational duties, collaboration with therapists, and effective communication with families and staff.

Qualifications

• Graduate from a related post-secondary education program (Essential).
• Minimum two years of related work experience supporting children and youth with physical and/or developmental disabilities (Essential).
• Demonstrated flexibility working within various clinical settings and in collaboration with supervising therapists (Essential).
• Excellent verbal communication skills as they relate to children, youth, families and other team members (Essential).
• Ability to problem-solve, adapt to a frequently changing operational schedule, and organize daily logistics (Essential).
• Vulnerable Sector Check, CPR Level C, and NVCI certificates (Essential).

Responsibilities

• Serves as the primary operational point person on shift to execute daily Recreation Therapy and ASD Respite activities.
• Communicates daily activity schedules, shares logistics, and assists Attendants with workflow transitions and shift execution.
• Develops, organizes, and implements structured activities under the clinical direction of the supervising therapist.
• Performs setup, teardown, and environmental preparation for daily activities, group sessions, and outings.
• Maintains inventory and orders required program supplies; supports intake and documentation tasks.
• Collaborates with families and interdisciplinary team members to support safe, engaging client experiences.

Skills

Verbal communication

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Bilingualism (EN/FR)

Education

Post-secondary education in a related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Epic

Job description

Compensation Pay Range: $28.93-$35.51

Ottawa is built on un-ceded Algonquin Anishinaabe territory. The peoples of the Algonquin Anishinabek Nation have lived on this territory for millennia and we honour them and this land. Their culture and presence have nurtured and continue to nurture this land. CHEO also honours all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and their valuable past and present contributions to this land.

CHEO is one of the few stand-alone, global leaders in pediatric health and is home to more than 6,500 staff, clinicians, scientists and researchers, as well as volunteers – all of whom work together to help children and youth achieve their best lives.

Within its own walls and through partnerships with community providers, CHEO has transformed from a 20th century acute care hospital into a 21st century integrated child and youth health system. Ranked in the top 1% of Canadian hospitals for the digitization of its clinical infrastructure, CHEO combines excellence in clinical care, research, and education to advance seamless care that’s provided where, when, and how it is needed.

CHEO’s Research Institute is dedicated to world-class clinical, translational, and basic science research covering a wide range of children’s health concerns. CHEO has been named Canada’s best health-care employer by Forbes in 2024, 2025 and 2026 and is ranked second among Canadian hospitals on its list of Canada’s Best Employers for multiple consecutive years.

For the 14th consecutive year in a row, the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers has recognized CHEO as a top employer in the National Capital Region. Every year CHEO helps more than 500,000 children and youth from Eastern Ontario, western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern Ontario.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Assistant works as an integral operational support to the Recreation Therapy and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Respite programs, ensuring the smooth execution of daily schedules and activities. Serving as the primary on-site operational point person during programming, this position actively carries out daily therapeutic recreation and respite activities while serving as a central resource and workflow contact to assist Attendants with shift execution and logistics. This position is required to provide services across multiple locations, including the Thurston Site, Smyth Site, Industrial Site, and within community settings. The required working hours include evenings and weekends (Saturdays and Sundays).

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Execution, Setup & Sanitation

• Serves as the primary operational point person on shift to execute daily Recreation Therapy, ASD Respite, and Out-of-Home (OOH) Respite activities as planned.
• Acts as a central shift contact to communicate daily activity schedules, share logistics, and assist Attendants with workflow transitions and shift execution.
• Develops, organizes, and implements structured individual and group activities for programming under the clinical direction of the supervising therapist.
• Performs full setup, teardown, and environmental preparation for all daily activities, group sessions, and specialized community outings.
• Performs mandatory cleaning, sanitization, safety checks, and routine maintenance of program spaces, facilities, and therapeutic equipment before, during, and after shifts.
• Maintains a clean, orderly environment across all program sites and ensures all materials are stored properly after use.

Direct Client Care & Safety

• Performs direct physical care required for clients attending programs, including lifting, transferring, assisting with toileting, positioning, and feeding, in accordance with client care plans and safety protocols.
• Strictly maintains safety standards, universal precautions, and individualized client treatment plans during all activities.
• Educates clients and their families on program safety practices and their role in maintaining a safe environment.

Administration, Scheduling & Logistics

• Organizes, plans, and executes client registration processes, shift scheduling logistics, and activity arrangements for ASD Respite, Recreation Therapy, and OOH Respite programs.
• Maintains accurate inventory records for resource materials and equipment; routinely reviews, tracks, and orders required program supplies.
• Assists with progress note documentation, administrative reporting, and the preparation of therapeutic activity materials.
• Responds to general inquiries from families and community service providers regarding Recreation Therapy services and programs.
• Assists as requested with administrative tasks related to intake, such as gathering information for client referral screenings, compiling and updating info packages, and distributing materials to families.
• Communicates and liaises with families and interdisciplinary team members regarding client status or service delivery, with the consent and oversight of the supervising therapist.

Teamwork & Volunteer Support

• Works collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team structure and attends discipline-specific, program-based, and client-related team meetings as requested.
• Orients, guides, and supports volunteers assigned to the program, ensuring they understand their assigned daily tasks.
• Participates in ongoing professional education, skill development, and program improvement activities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduate from a related post-secondary (College or University) education program (Essential)
• Minimum two (2) years of recent, related work experience supporting children and youth who have physical and/or developmental disabilities with associated behavioral and learning difficulties (Essential)
• Demonstrated flexibility working within various clinical settings and in collaboration with various supervising therapists (Essential)
• Excellent verbal communication skills as they relate to children, youth, families and other team members (Essential)
• Ability to problem-solve, adapt to a frequently changing operational schedule, and organize daily logistics (Essential)
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team environment (Essential)
• Good computer skills, experience with Microsoft Office and Epic is an asset (Essential)
• Valid Ontario driver’s license and access to a vehicle (Essential)
• Vulnerable Sector Check (Essential)
• Current CPR Level C Certification (Essential)
• Current NVCI certificate (Essential)
• Bilingualism (French/English) (Preferred)

CHEO values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process and welcome interest from all qualified applicants.

We thank all those who apply, however, only those to be interviewed will be contacted.

We play a crucial role in building a healthy future for our community. Working at CHEO means a rewarding career. A career at CHEO provides a: competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package unique culture that fosters dedication, communication, respect and teamwork place where your opinions will be respected, contributions valued and your initiatives rewarded family-friendly environment that supports you and your own family, as well as the children, youth and families we serve chance to grow — personally and professionally — through our comprehensive orientation program and on-the-job learning support for continued education and learning potential for a relocation reimbursement benefit truly unique work environment. We are redefining what it means to be a hospital. Exceptional and integrated care is what families, children and youth deserve. We are committed to partnering with them and the community to provide this care — where, when and how it’s needed.

CHEO continues to be selected by local, national and international competitions showcasing employers who lead their sector in offering exceptional workplaces for their employees.

For the eleventh time, CHEO has been recognized as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers.

We were given this honour based on our outstanding: workplace atmosphere benefits employee communications training and skills development community involvement