Project Officer: Community Pathways to Employment

Rideau-Rockcliffe-Community-Resource-Centre; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 35,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

15 days vacation

Paid holiday closure

Personal/sick days

Group health benefits

RRSP contributions

Free on-site parking

Job summary

Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre in Ottawa is seeking a Project Officer to build the Community Pathways to Employment from a funded idea into a practical program. You will lead development, coordinate with a multidisciplinary team, and work directly with participants to turn concepts into opportunities.

Reporting to the Poverty Reduction Pillar Lead, you will establish structured pathways, recruit and support participants, forge partnerships with employment, training, and housing

Qualifications

• Postsecondary education in community development, social sciences, social services, project management, employment services, business, or a related field or equivalent experience.
• Experience coordinating community-based projects or multi-stakeholder initiatives, ideally including stand-up of something new.
• Direct experience working with people facing barriers to employment, income security, or access to services.

Responsibilities

• Build & implement the pathway: develop workplans, progression models, and tools while testing approaches.
• Work alongside participants: lead outreach, intake, and role matching; reflect participants' strengths and goals.
• Build partnerships & opportunities: develop relationships across employment, training, and housing sectors; represent RRCRC.

Skills

Bilingual English/French

Project coordination

Community engagement

Partnership development

Data tracking

Education

Postsecondary education in related field

Job description

Project Officer: Community Pathways to Employment

Poverty Reduction Full Time / Temps plein Ottawa, ON $25.65 - $28.14 CAD per hour / 25,65 $ - 28,14 $ CAD par heure

Since 1982, RRCRC has built a healthier, more inclusive Ward 13 through poverty reduction, food security, community development, youth programs, crisis support, and social inclusion.

We work alongside community members, building on their strengths to open real pathways to security and well-being.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Some jobs ask you to run a program. This one asks you to build one.

RRCRC has secured funding to launch Community Pathways to Employment one structured route from volunteer learning to training, mentorship, and employment for people facing real barriers to work.

The concept is funded. The framework exists. It needs someone to build it testing, adjusting, moving forward.

We're looking for a Project Officer energized by high-ownership work that takes initiative, solves problems creatively, equally at ease in a spreadsheet or across from a participant in a hard moment.

If turning ideas into real opportunities in people's lives motivates you, keep reading.!

JOB SUMMARY

The Project Officer: Community Pathways to Employment turns a bold, funded idea into practice. Reporting to the Poverty Reduction Pillar Lead, they lead RRCRC's three-year Community Pathways to Employment through Integrated Food and Financial Systems project (funded through the Community Safety and Well-Being Fund) building structured, low-barrier pathways that connect volunteer and experiential learning to training, mentorship, leadership, and employment for community members facing barriers to work.

This is a hands-on, build-it-as-you-go role for someone who takes initiative, solves problems creatively, and is energized by turning concept into practice, working directly with participants and alongside a multidisciplinary team to build, test, and continuously improve the pathway. What matters most: genuine care about impact, and the drive to see ideas become real opportunities in people's lives.

WHAT WILL YOU ACTUALLY BE DOING?

• Build & implement the pathway. Turn the project plan into action, developing workplans, participant progression models, experiential learning roles, and tools, while testing new approaches and troubleshooting as you go.
• Work alongside participants. Lead outreach, intake, orientation, and role matching; build genuine relationships that reflect participants' strengths, goals, and readiness; create space for their voice to shape and improve the pathway.
• Build partnerships & opportunities. Develop strong relationships across employment, training, food security, financial empowerment, settlement, and housing partners turning those relationships into real training, mentorship, and employment opportunities, and representing RRCRC at city-wide tables.
• Measure, learn & share. Track participation, progression, and outcomes; use data and participant feedback to strengthen the pathway; support the Project Assistant's day-to-day work and contribute to the project's final pathway guide and toolkit.

WHAT YOU BRING?

Assets that will make you stand out: knowledge of poverty reduction, employment pathways, financial empowerment, or food security work; experience with participant engagement, training, referrals, outcome tracking, or funder reporting.

• Postsecondary education in community development, social sciences, social services, project management, employment services, business, or a related field or equivalent experience
• Experience coordinating community-based projects, programs, or multi-stakeholder initiatives ideally including standing up something new.
• Direct experience working with people facing barriers to employment, income security, or access to services.
• Strong project coordination instincts: you take initiative, manage competing priorities, and move work forward independently.
• A track record of building partnerships and collaborating across organizations.

WHAT COMPETENCIES AND SKILL ARE NEED?

• Initiative & Results Orientation: a self-starter who owns their work and moves ideas to implementation
• Creative Problem-Solving & Adaptability: resourceful, comfortable testing new approaches and adjusting as they go
• Collaboration & Relationship-Building: working effectively with participants, colleagues, volunteers, and partners.
• Project Coordination & Organization: managing multiple priorities and stakeholders with accountability.
• Communication & Facilitation: Engaging diverse audiences and leads productive conversations, with strong bilingual communication skills (English and French).
• Equity, Inclusion & Community Impact: respecting diverse lived experiences and is committed to reducing barriers.

WHY WORKING WITH RRCRC?

• Build something that matters, from the ground up. This isn't maintaining an existing program it's shaping a new one and seeing its impact directly in the community.
• A team that backs creativity. A collaborative, multidisciplinary environment that genuinely values initiative and new ideas.
• Room to grow. Professional development, mentorship, and expanding responsibilities as the project matures.
• Benefits that support you. 15 days of vacation plus paid holiday closure and personal/sick days, comprehensive group health benefits with family coverage, a healthcare spending account, and RRSP contributions.
• The small stuff too. Free on-site parking and refreshments.

A satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check is required. This role includes regular in-person work at the Rideau Community Hub and community-based sites across Ottawa, with occasional evenings and weekends based on project needs. A valid driver's licence and vehicle access are assets.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Meaningful, hands-on work with the opportunity to help build a new initiative and see its impact directly in the community.
• A collaborative and supportive work environment within a multidisciplinary team that values initiative, creativity, and new ideas.
• Opportunities for professional growth, learning, mentorship, and expanded responsibilities.
• 15 days of annual vacation, plus a paid holiday closure and personal/sick days.
• RRSP contribution program.
• Free on-site parking and refreshments.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

RRCRC is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and others who contribute to the diversity of our organization and the communities we serve. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process upon request.

We do not use automated screening or artificial intelligence tools to assess or rank candidates.