SEA Unit Administrative Assistant

Mission:             Empowering Teen Parents to Succeed 

Vision:                Teen Parent Families Thrive and Enrich our Community  

Job ID:             22-022TERRA

As a non-profit organization that has been serving pregnant and parenting teens in Edmonton for over 50 years Terra is recognized for its leadership, innovation and collaboration.  Annually more than 1,000 young parents and their children benefit from a comprehensive range of services. Through the compassionate work of the staff, we help parents and children to develop and reach their full potential by recognizing and responding to their unique and individual needs.   Terra Centre staff are guided by the Code of Honour which supports, respects, and celebrates our families and staff (https://terracentre.ca/what-is-terra/careers/).  If you share our values and support our mission and vision please consider joining our team. 

Job Overview:

The SEA Program provides direct service to pregnant and parenting families attending Braemar School with a focus on strengthening the parent/child relationship; supporting the achievement of education and employment goals; and building the family’s natural and community resources. 

The Administrative Assistant performs reception and administrative duties for the Services for Educational Achievement & Employment Unit and the Strengthening Hope Funding Program using trauma-informed approach to manage and triage the needs of participants and visitors accessing the SEA office and services.

A typical day starts by welcoming participants to the office and handing out items from our basic needs closet.  As classes begin, you send participant with scheduled appointments a reminder text.  As you are texting, a participant comes into the office upset because she missed her bus which made her late for first block. You provide a listening ear and redirect the participant to their teacher, while making a note to have their support worker check-in on them later.

You continue to work on priority tasks, stopping regularly to greet participants and get them requested items. At lunch, you are busy scheduling appointments as the office is full of participants who want to see their support worker immediately. After lunch you work on administrative tasks and connect with the volunteer coordinator about volunteers coming on-site the following week. As school ends, the office is once again filled with participants but how they have brought their infants and toddlers to visit with you and to pick up a snack before leaving for the day. 

Job Conditions:

The Administrative Assistant position is a permanent full-time (35 hours/week) position with work hours 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.  The position will be working out of the Braemar School located at 9359 67A Street NW.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Provide triage support for participants, visitors, and other professionals coming into the SEA Office
• Schedule participant appointments on behalf of the SEA Workers
• Assess Strengthening Hope Program Funding eligibility for new Braemar School registrants
• Maintains the SEA Office basic needs cabinet for participants in need to access.
• Coordinates Braemar School’s onsite Medical Services and schedules participant medical appointments
• Monitors and communicates participants’ in-kind needs to Terra’s Volunteer Coordinator to support access to items that meet those needs.
• Receive, re-direct, and track incoming phone calls, email, faxes, mail, and other correspondence
• Orders, sort, store, and maintain the inventory of office and photocopier supplies
• Provide administrative support to the other Terra departments such as document creation, data entry in Microsoft Forms, maintain spreadsheets, accept and monitor RSVP’s for events and programs, create informational materials for groups and program activities, and assist to monitor and update information on Terra’s Website
• Complete cheque requisitions for SEA Program Invoices and SEA staff expenses
• Engage in Terra and Braemar School special events as required
• Accept, inventory, and organize In-Kind and Clothes Closet donations
• Review forms and applications for accuracy of information
• Mail and monitor the Learner’s Income Support Applications and Change in Circumstance forms for processing at the Learner’s Income Support Office and liaise with the Office on application status
• Create and send correspondence for participants under the guidance of the Supervisor, Services for Educational Achievement & Employment
• Cooperate with the Terra Occupational Health & Safety Management Program 

Qualifications: 

• Post-Secondary Diploma including formal computer training
• Minimum 3 years of data entry and office administration experience
• Knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications and software
• Experience with databases and websites is preferred

Knowledge and Abilities: 

• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills with good time management ability
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision
• Respect the confidential matters of all Terra staff and employees
• Always committed to quality work
• Required to have a self-directed work ethic and demonstrate initiative with tasks
• Warm and friendly personality and behave professionally

Other requirements: 

• Clear Criminal Record Check and Child Intervention Check that are dated within 90 Days of the start date 

Core Behavioral Competencies  

Terra values are core to the organization. We strive to hire individuals who possess these behavioral competencies at all levels of the organization.  

• Personal Leadership: Practices inclusion, communicates openly and effectively, demonstrates self-awareness 
• Productive Relationships: Develops networks, collaborates, develops self and others 
• Results Focus: Applies outcomes-based problem solving and systems thinking, demonstrates evidence-informed decision making  
• Service Excellence: Practices innovation, facilitates a culture of learning, demonstrates continuous improvement  
• Program Planning; design, plan, coordinate, facilitation of groups
• Finance; manage allocated financial resources for program delivery 
• Communication skills; excellent both written and oral; evidenced in grant writing and reporting to funders
• Community Relations; well developed engagement skills, strong networking 

Diversity  

Fifty one percent of the young parents served by Terra are Indigenous.  The agency promotes and expects staff to invest in building knowledge and skills to be culturally competent in serving this population and all Black Indigenous and People of Colour.  Engaging in ceremony and cultural activities is stressed to promote experiential learning.  The Strategic Plan includes intentional actions to advance the agency efforts related to diversity, equity and inclusion. 

As an agency we are working to build a foundation of knowledge and skills to be an antiracist organization, to understand and respond to systemic racism that creates barriers and inequality in the workplace and in society. 

No person will be denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to their abilities. Recruitment and advancement will not discriminate on the grounds of any protected characteristics under Alberta Human Rights or Canadian Human Rights legislation.  

Individuals will be recruited to positions based on their skills, qualifications and attributes required for employment and alignment to agency core values. 

Vaccine Policy  

As a condition of employment, all Terra employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID 19 or regularly undergo COVID 19 testing before entering the workplace.  Successful applicants will be required to provide proof of their COVID 19 vaccination prior to commencement.  If you are the successful applicant and cannot be fully vaccinated on the basis of a protected ground under human rights legislation you may request an accommodation that will be reviewed by Terra.  

Salary: The salary range for the position is $41,200/year. Upon completion of a probationary period, we offer a comprehensive, competitive, extended health benefits package including RRSP contribution.  A Wellness Fund is allocated to staff to support their ongoing well-being.  Staff have three weeks’ vacation, and, in addition, the agency is closed between Christmas and New Year’s.

As a learning organization, Terra supports ongoing professional development among employees through formal training, informal mentoring, and personalized growth plans.  Terra is continuing to grow our programming and there are anticipated opportunities for further professional growth within the agency. 

Closing Date: This position will be open until a suitable candidate is found