Description

United for Literacy is a national charitable literacy organization. Founded in 1899, we offer programs for children, youth, and adults in Canada. We aim to improve literacy levels in Canada by providing education to those who seek assistance with their learning and have been overlooked or left behind by the formal educational system. We offer a myriad of English-language and French-language literacy programs for children, youth and adults in many places across Canada such as community centres, shelters, farms and prisons. 

We are seeking a Communications Officer to support our activities. In this role, you will support outreach, marketing, communications and fundraising efforts by helping build partnerships, enhance digital presence, and contribute to event and campaign initiatives. You will gain hands-on experience across multiple areas. 

Overall Accountability: This position is funded through the Canada Summer Jobs grant and will be connected to United for Literacy’s main office, located at 35 Jackes Ave, Toronto, ON. The candidate will report to the Director, Communications and Marketing.  

Location: The successful candidate will be working from home to perform the duties. 

Time Commitment: 31 hours per week (between 9:00am – 5:00pm, Monday to Friday, 9-week commitment). 

Responsibilities: 

• Create prospects list 
• Call and/or email companies to request support in raising awareness and research new partnership/sponsorship initiatives 
• Update excel spreadsheets to track and monitor efforts 
• Research new fundraising/awareness initiatives, including third-party events that Littératie Ensemble / United for Literacy can participate in.  
• Collaborate with the communications and marketing team on Google Ad Grants by conducting keyword research (including AI-assisted research where appropriate), writing ad copy, and receiving platform training. 
• Assist in managing our social media platforms by creating posts from established templates, writing captions, identifying relevant hashtags, monitoring social media trends, and tracking post-performance. This includes helping to maintain and update the social media calendar to ensure content aligns with our strategy and schedule across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Google My Business, LinkedIn, and our website. AI tools may be used to support content drafting, translation and trend identification where appropriate. 
• Conduct keyword research to support both SEO and Google Ads campaigns, including the use of AI-supported tools to optimize content visibility and reach.  
• Administrative duties as required.  

You will be required to use your own laptop/computer and phone for the duration of the 10 weeks, and you must have reliable internet and phone plan.  

Eligibility for the program and the position include: 

• be between 15 and 30 years of age at the beginning of the employment period 
• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment and 
• have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations. 
• International students are not eligible participants. As the objective of the CSJ program is to support youth entering the Canadian labour market, the temporary nature of an international student's time in Canada does not allow for a long-term connection to the labour market. 

Benefits: 

• Develop administrative skills using MS Word, Google Spreadsheets/ Google Drive and Outlook to track efforts. 
• Gain valuable experience in communications, marketing, fundraising, project management and sales. 
• Make a contribution to your community by representing a reputable charity who supports literacy in Canada.   

Qualifications & Requirements: 

• Experience working with MS Office (specifically Excel) and email communication through Microsoft Outlook.  
• Experience working in google documents. 
• Comfortable calling/emailing. 
• Excellent oral/written communication and interpersonal skills; comfortable speaking with all members of the public; strong command of the English language.  
• Strong understanding of social media platforms and their functionalities, with the ability to engage audiences effectively. 
• Basic understanding of online ads, including how they work on search engines and social media platforms. 

Compensation: Hourly wage, $17.60/hr. 

If you are interested in applying, please submit your resume and cover letter to Madeline Brun, Director Communications and Marketing at United for Literacy to [email protected]  

Closing Date: Until filled.  

For more information about United for Literacy visit www.unitedforliteracy.ca.  

We encourage applications that reflect the diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds we serve at United for Literacy. In keeping with our ongoing efforts to promote equity and reflect the diversity of our organization, we encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities. Furthermore, we welcome applications from individuals who self-identify on the basis of any of the protected grounds under the Human Rights Code. We are committed to integration and maintaining the independence of individuals and removing barriers to accessibility in the workplace. We are committed to full compliance with the Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. We invite applicants to request accommodation, as required, throughout the application and hiring process. You will be contacted if you are selected for an interview.