Outreach and Retention Assistant

About the Position

Halifax Regional Municipality is inviting applications for the permanent position of Outreach and Retention Assistant in Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency. 

Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is committed to reflecting the community it serves and recognizing Diversity and Inclusion as one of the Municipality’s core values. We have an Employment Equity Policy and we welcome applications from African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Women in occupations or positions where they are underrepresented in the workforce, Indigenous/Aboriginal People, Persons with Disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ Persons. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify on their electronic application. 

Under the direction of the Manager, Volunteer Sector, the Outreach and Retention Assistant will support the planning and coordination, as well as execution of ongoing activities and outreach initiatives to increase volunteer interest, diversity, membership, recognition and retention. This critical work requires an energetic and personable incumbent to review best practices of past outreach activities and create, support and execute an annual project plan and calendar or events. Activities are wide ranging including community events, job fairs, station open houses, awards events, graduations, exhibitions and other activities as required. While the position will mostly be conducted during the day, Monday to Friday, these types of activities may require some evening and weekend work throughout HRM. 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Review recruitment and recognition processes for any barriers to success, focusing on diversity and inclusion.
• Report and present findings to Volunteer Sector team and other internal partners as required and assist the Manager with creation and execution of the resulting action plan. 
• Collaborate with District Chiefs, Platoon Captains and Station Captains to create a database of previous outreach activities, tracking what works well and what could be improved upon.
• Present findings to Manager and broader audience of officers as required, and assist with the creation and execution of the annual outreach plan.  Prepare social media posts that align with and support outreach, recruitment and retention, including officer appointments, station events, milestone awards, retirements, etc.
• Post events to social media channels on a regular basis to engage the community and collaborate with Corporate Communications on broader initiatives as required.
• Assist with the bi-annual recruitment cycle and all related phases, including attending info sessions, coordinating recruitment phase data, conducting background checks, assisting with fitness sessions, tracking Volunteer Recruit Training (VRT) completion and assisting at graduation.
• Through collaboration with both internal and external partners, create and maintain an updated and comprehensive list of outreach contacts in the communities (i.e. diverse groups, large employers, community groups, sports clubs, etc.).  
• Regularly reach out to these key external groups, identify key contact(s) for each and build on these relationships. 
• Create a draft annual calendar of events for the Volunteer Sector by district and station, informed by past successes and consultation with key partners.
• Assess recognition and retention activities for impact and benefit, making recommendations for future priorities.
• Coordinate priority recognition programs (i.e., service awards) including the tracking, preparation of plaques, pins and trophies.
• Track departure data and assess trends. Present findings to team quarterly.
• Collaborate with Volunteer Program Assistant regularly to review any questions pertaining to the volunteer sector.  
• Prepare progress updates and attend weekly meetings (or more frequently as projects dictate) with Manager. Review progress, collaborate with Manager on the ongoing projects to set priorities and direction and provide a regular forum for questions and feedback. May perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: 

• Completion of a two (2) year diploma program or undergraduate degree in a related discipline from a recognized educational institution (I.e. Business Administration, Human Resources, Marketing, Public Relations, Data Management). 
• Class 5 driver’s license.

Technical / Job Specific Knowledge and Abilities: 

• Proficient in the use of computer-related software (Including MS Office - Word, Excel, OneNote PowerPoint, and Outlook) as well as applicant tracking systems.
• General understanding of database concepts, with the ability to compile considerable data and then extract summary data. 
• Ability to take direction, work independently and coordinate with others both internal and external to the organization.
• Strong customer service and communication skills with the ability to adapt style to client/audience.
• Ability to develop thorough knowledge of HRFE structure, culture, and needs including the business plan and priorities.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality as this position will have access and processing duties connected to confidential application packages and associated background check details.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Demonstrated ability to understand complex situations, tasks or problems, analyze them using a systematic approach and identify patterns and connections between situations that are not inherently obvious.

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must clearly demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Security Clearance Requirements: Applicants may be required to complete an employment security screening check. 

Please Note: Testing may be conducted as a component of the selection process to assess technical and job specific knowledge. Candidates who are selected for testing, may be tested in a group setting, scheduled at the employer’s discretion.  

Competencies: Valuing Diversity, Analytical Thinking, Communications, Customer Service, Organizational Awareness, Organizing & Planning, Networking / Relationship Building, Teamwork & Cooperation, Value & Ethics, Visioning, Strategic Thinking & Innovation

Work Status: Permanent, Full-Time

Hours of Work: Monday - Friday, from 8:30am - 4:30pm for 35 hours per week. Flex options to work outside of these hours and hybrid may be available. Overtime may be required based on operational requirements.  

About the Company

Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency
40 Alderney Drive
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2N5

Company Contact

Taylor Blake
taylor.blake@halifax.ca
Preferred Contact: Online Application

Documents to be Forwarded

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Transcripts