Program Specialist, AI@Work

Communitech; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Communitech is seeking a Program Specialist to support AI@WORK growth and delivery. You will recruit participants, coordinate program activities, and deliver an exceptional experience for businesses and students throughout the cohort lifecycle.

Working closely with Program Managers, participants, and external partners, you'll help ensure cohorts are recruited, onboarded, supported, and engaged from start to finish.

Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in program coordination, recruitment, talent acquisition, participant engagement, customer success, or a related field
• Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills
• Experience managing multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and solve problems proactively
• Experience coordinating projects, programs, events, or participant experiences
• Comfort using CRM systems, applicant tracking systems, or participant management tools
• Passion for technology, innovation, workforce development, and community building

Responsibilities

• Build and manage participant pipelines for AI@WORK cohorts
• Develop outreach strategies to attract qualified businesses and students
• Conduct outreach, information sessions, and discovery conversations
• Assess participant fit and guide applicants through the selection process
• Build relationships with ecosystem partners, post-secondary institutions, businesses, and community stakeholders
• Track recruitment activity and support achievement of cohort targets
• Support student recruitment processes, refining position descriptions, reviewing applications, coordinating schedules, and conducting screening interviews as needed
• Serve as a primary point of contact for participants throughout the program
• Support onboarding, orientation, and cohort launch activities
• Deliver a high-quality participant experience from application through program completion
• Respond to participant inquiries and proactively resolve issues or concerns
• Gather participant feedback and identify opportunities for improvement
• Foster engagement and retention throughout each cohort
• Support Program Managers in planning and execution of AI@WORK cohorts
• Coordinate participant communications, scheduling, and engagement activities
• Support participant matching, onboarding, and cohort logistics
• Maintain accurate participant records, program documentation, and reporting
• Track program outcomes, success stories, and key performance metrics
• Collaborate with internal teams, partners, and stakeholders to support successful program delivery
• Contribute to continuous improvement of program processes and participant experiences

Skills

Relationship-building

Communication

Organizational skills

Independent work

Project coordination

Tools

CRM systems

Applicant tracking systems

Participant management tools

Job description

Communitech helps tech companies start, grow, and succeed in Waterloo Region.

We’re building a tech ecosystem that’s proudly local, globally ambitious and powered by community.

Since 1997, Communitech has brought community and tech together to build Canada’s most vibrant innovation ecosystem. We connect local startups and scale-ups to the support they need to grow, compete and lead.

Today, that means helping trusted AI solutions reach the market, turning bold ideas into valuable IP, expanding peer and advisory networks for founders, and uniting voices through the Waterloo Tech Coalition to take on the issues that matter most.

Our goal is to keep Waterloo Region the most connected, collaborative, and resilient tech hub in the country.

We’re looking to grow our team with passionate people – people who believe in our mission and who are willing to do what it takes to help our founders succeed. If you like to work collaboratively, get s#!t done and be a champion for Canadian tech, we want to hear from you. Wonder what it’s like to work at Communitech? Learn more at https://www.communitech.ca/corporate-stuff/careers/

Communitech is based in downtown Kitchener, Ontario. We work in-office five days a week because great things happen when we're together — creating space for deeper collaboration and stronger relationships with each other and the ecosystem we support.

About AI@WORK

AI is changing how businesses operate, compete and grow. AI@WORK helps small and medium-sized businesses adopt practical AI solutions while creating meaningful work-integrated learning opportunities for post-secondary students.

Through the program, participating businesses are matched with talented students who work alongside them to identify opportunities, implement AI solutions and build organizational AI capabilities.

The Opportunity

We're looking for a Program Specialist to support the growth and delivery of AI@WORK.

As a Program Specialist, you will play a key role in recruiting participants, coordinating program activities, and delivering an exceptional experience for businesses and students throughout the cohort lifecycle. Working closely with Program Managers, participants, and external partners, you'll help ensure cohorts are successfully recruited, onboarded, supported, and engaged from start to finish.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building relationships, managing multiple moving pieces, creating exceptional participant experiences, and helping programs achieve meaningful outcomes.

What You'll Do

• Build and manage participant pipelines for AI@WORK cohorts
• Develop outreach strategies to attract qualified businesses and students
• Conduct outreach, information sessions, and discovery conversations
• Assess participant fit and guide applicants through the selection process
• Build relationships with ecosystem partners, post-secondary institutions, businesses, and community stakeholders
• Track recruitment activity and support achievement of cohort targets
• Support student recruitment processes, refining position descriptions, reviewing applications, coordinating schedules, and conducting screening interviews as needed

Participant Experience & Engagement

• Serve as a primary point of contact for participants throughout the program
• Support onboarding, orientation, and cohort launch activities
• Deliver a high-quality participant experience from application through program completion
• Respond to participant inquiries and proactively resolve issues or concerns
• Gather participant feedback and identify opportunities for improvement
• Foster engagement and retention throughout each cohort

Program Coordination & Delivery

• Support Program Managers in the planning and execution of AI@WORK cohorts
• Coordinate participant communications, scheduling, and engagement activities
• Support participant matching, onboarding, and cohort logistics
• Maintain accurate participant records, program documentation, and reporting
• Track program outcomes, success stories, and key performance metrics
• Collaborate with internal teams, partners, and stakeholders to support successful program delivery
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of program processes and participant experiences

What We're Looking For

• 3 years of experience in program coordination, recruitment, talent acquisition, participant engagement, customer success, or a related field
• Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills
• Experience managing multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and solve problems proactively
• Experience coordinating projects, programs, events, or participant experiences
• Comfort using CRM systems, applicant tracking systems, or participant management tools
• Passion for technology, innovation, workforce development, and community building

Bonus Points If You Have

• Experience recruiting technical talent, including students or professionals in technology, engineering, data, AI, or related fields
• Experience working with startups, small businesses, or the technology sector
• Experience in campus recruitment, workforce development, or work-integrated learning programs
• Knowledge of AI, emerging technologies, or digital transformation
• Experience supporting grant-funded, government-funded, or cohort-based programs

Success in This Role

You are someone who:

• Builds trust and relationships quickly
• Enjoys connecting people with opportunities
• Is energized by outreach, engagement, and community-building activities
• Takes ownership and follows through on commitmentsThrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Is highly organized and comfortable managing many moving pieces at once

Compensation

This is a full-time temporary contract position through August 2027, with the possibility of extension.

The annual base salary range is $55,000–$64,000. Actual compensation will be based on a variety of factors, including skills, experience, education, internal equity, and market considerations.