Program Assistant

Job Summary:

This position provides administrative support to the teams of the Metis Family Services programs. The Program Assistant will provide support to professional staff in the assigned team serving children and families. This position has a primary focus on providing day-to-day program support within the social services office. This position reports to the Office Manager and receives supervised program guidance and requests from delegated staff, including the CEO, directors, team leaders, and social workers. This position requires strong administrative skills and knowledge to provide program support in delegated programs such as child protection, guardianship, resources, adoption, and/or non-delegated programs such as family strengthening, early years, and other preventive programs. This position provides support to either one program or a broad number of programs. This position is a point of contact for program(s) and there is a requirement for a greater knowledge of how the social services office relates outside of the Agency, with MCFD, service providers, community organizations, and other public service organizations

Reports to: Office Manager

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

To provide program support, general administrative, records management, and clerical support to agency programs, working directly for professional staff on program responsibilities.

Records Management:

• Manages physical and electronic files according to standards and practices e.g. set-up, open, maintain and close files; prepares files for off-setting for Government storage offsite.


• Pulls file information as requested; receives transferred files from MCFD and other delegated agencies, reviews and opens new volumes, if needed, generates prior contact check reports; transfers files to MCFD and other delegated agencies.


• Searches information system for client’s previous/current ministry involvement and updates electronic data base.


• Ensures all relevant documentation has been completed, printed, and filed accordingly.


• Checks, prints, and distributes after hours memo throughout the day, as needed.


• Prepares and sends file disclosures for the lawyers and other regulatory agencies.


• Assists in corresponding with Social Workers and other professionals in different MCFD offices and other agencies regarding court documents, services, etc.


• Assists in completing and serving court documents as per professional staff’s direction (i.e. “serving” means “hand to” on agency premises).


• Transcribes, updates or edits reports, as needed.

General office duties:

• Records and type team meeting minutes; arranges out-of-office meetings and bookings for presentations, seminars, catering etc. for team: types and proof-reads confidential material, including letters, memos, and various reports;


• Reviews incoming and outgoing correspondence as required for screening/for further action.


• Processes a variety of documents and/or contracts (i.e., purchase documents, taxi orders, applying for medical coverage for child services files, updating medical forms).


• Attends to shared photocopiers’ needs e.g. ink ordering and replacement, repairs, maintenance scheduling.


• Covers reception duties, as needed.


• Helps in coordinating and setting up for various events.


• Order office supplies as well as clients’ supplies e.g. bus passes/tickets, as needed.


• Pick up grocery/food items for the Agency’s daily use or as needed.


• Provides general administrative and clerical support to the office, as required.


• Performs other related duties, as required

Qualifications, Education and Experience:

• Grade 12 graduation or equivalent (GED) Grade 12 graduation or equivalent (GED) plus completion of a program with up to a one (1) year certification in Business or Administration or the equivalent of education and experience.


• A certificate/diploma in Business Administration and/or Public Administration.


• Administrative experience working with vulnerable children and families in a human and/or social services setting


• One year of administrative support experience in an office environment.


• Six months experience working in a technological environment using various computer applications and data bases. (For example: Microsoft Office applications (Word Excel, Outlook, Skype) for word processing, spread sheeting, data entry, email, and video teleconferencing; case management or other database applications. Consideration may be given for completion of an Administrative Business Skills course or program as experience equivalency.


• Experience providing quality customer or client service, carrying out duties and responding to client needs in a professional manner.

Skills and Abilities:

• Communicates effectively orally and in writing.


• Organizes work and carry out the duties of the position with independence and attention to detail.


• Deals effectively with others.


• Effectively uses the computer application programs and other office equipment.


• Maintains confidentiality of all accounts and records.


• Demonstrated experience working independently and as a team member with a multi-disciplinary environment and with other professional staff, client, and service providers.

Additional Information:

This position requires the ability to function independently frequently under pressure while managing multiple concurrent projects and deadlines including effectively managing emergency situations.  Program delivery activities may require a moderate level of physical fitness to effectively carry out duties of the position.

Core Competencies:

Indigenous Relations Behavioural Competencies:

• Cultural Agility is the ability to work respectfully, knowledgeably, and effectively with Indigenous people. It is noticing and readily adapting to cultural uniqueness in order to create a sense of safety for all. It is openness to unfamiliar experiences, transforming feelings of nervousness or anxiety into curiosity and appreciation. It is examining one's own culture and worldview, and the culture of Métis Family Services, and to notice their commonalities, and distinctions with Indigenous cultures, and worldviews. It is recognition of the ways that personal and professional values may conflict or align with those of Indigenous people. It is the capacity to relate to or allow for differing cultural perspectives and being willing to experience a personal shift in perspective.

Behavioural Competencies

• Results Orientation Skills concern for surpassing a standard of excellence. The standard may be one’s own past performance (striving for improvement); an objective measure (achievement orientation); challenging goals that one has set; or even improving or surpassing what has already been done (continuous improvement).


• Teamwork and Co-operation is the ability to work co-operatively with diverse teams, work groups, and across the organization to achieve group and organizational goals. It includes the desire and ability to understand and respond effectively to other people from diverse backgrounds with diverse views.


• Service Orientation implies a desire to identify and serve customers/clients, who may include the public, co-workers, other branches, other ministries/agencies, other government organizations, and non-government organizations. It means focusing one's efforts on discovering and meeting the needs of the customer/client.


• Planning, Organizing and Coordinating involves proactively planning, establishing priorities and allocating resources. It is expressed by developing and implementing increasingly complex plans. It also involves monitoring and adjusting work to accomplish goals and deliver to the organization's mandate.


• Information Seeking implies going beyond the questions that are routine or required in the job. It may include “digging” or pressing for exact information; resolution of discrepancies by asking a series of questions; or less-focused environmental “scanning” for potential opportunities or miscellaneous information that may be of future use.


• Concern for Order reflects an underlying drive to reduce uncertainty in the surrounding environment. It is expressed as monitoring and checking work or information, insisting on clarity of roles and functions, etc.

Other Requirements:

• Required to use own vehicle. Valid Class 5 Driver’s License, Driver’s Abstract and a reliable and safe vehicle.


• Subject to a positive reference check.


• Successful completion of security screening requirements of Métis Family Services, which includes a criminal records check, and/or Criminal Records Review Act (CRRA) check, police record checks, enhanced security screening and degree verification.


• Satisfactory proof of legal authorization to work in Canada.

Rate of pay: Program Assistant, Grid Level 9: $27.4830 - $30.9630 an hour

Start date: As soon as possible.

Please apply for this position from our website at the following link https://www.metisfamilyservices.ca/opportunities

This position requires union membership.

Metis Family Services thanks all applicants for their interest in this career opportunity; however, only those considered for the position will be contacted.