opirg u of t job

JOB POSTING: Administration and Finances Coordinator, OPIRG Toronto

The Ontario Public Interest Research Group at the University of Toronto (OPIRG Toronto) is a student funded, volunteer-driven, not-for-profit, community/campus organization mandated to facilitate action, education and research around issues of social and environmental justice. OPIRG Toronto strives to provide an anti-racist, trans and queer positive, accessible, harassment-free space for students and community members to utilize and further develop skills as community organizers while making links with larger movements in working for social change. OPIRG-Toronto also provides information and resources to its members and the broader community.

OPIRG welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and invites aboriginal people, people of colour, women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, trans and queer-oriented people, single parents, members of ethnic minorities, immigrants and people with disabilities to apply.

The Role of Permanent Staff

Permanent OPIRG staff are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 1281. Because volunteer turnover is frequent, permanent staff ensure the organization’s stability. They maintain the organization’s integrity, assist volunteers in their activism and networking, and facilitate problem-solving to address internal structural deficiencies.

This is a full-time position. OPIRG Toronto is located on a university campus and follows four-month semester university cycle. Work load varies depending on the time of term. Evening and weekend work is expected and is regulated by the collective agreement. The work environment has little day-to-day supervision. The Administration and Finances Coordinator works cooperatively with the Volunteer and Programming Coordinator, in continual consultation with OPIRG volunteers. Both staff members provide monthly reports to the Board of Directors.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• An explicit, integral and dedicated commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression
• Ability to prioritize work and manage numerous tasks simultaneously
• Ability to work well with students, community volunteers and staff in a small workplace environment
• Experience with bookkeeping and financial management and knowledge of accounting software (Quickbooks)
• Experience writing and administering grants
• Familiarity with current social justice and environmental campaigns, and familiarity with campus organizing issues
• Self-directed and able to take initiative and meet deadlines in a loosely structured and unsupervised, dynamic work environment
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong organizational, office coordination and time management skills
• Understanding of consensus decision-making and ability to work in groups within this framework
• Commitment to apply an anti-oppression analysis into all levels of organizing and decision-making

OTHER ASSETS:

• Knowledge of the Toronto communities, University of Toronto campus and local NGOs, social and environmental justice organizations
• Capacity for basic website maintenance or HTML skills.
• Familiarity with anti-oppression work as it relates to areas of focus at the OPIRG, such as indigenous solidarity, migrant justice work, Palestinian human rights, environmental justice, anti-poverty work.
• Knowledge of the PIRGs generally and/ or OPIRG-Toronto specifically
• Experience coordinating projects, campaigns and events
• Experience creating promotional and educational materials

RESPONSIBILITIES:
With the support of the Board of Directors and staff, the Administration and Finances Coordinator is responsible for the following work.

Financial management

• Banking: accounts payable, payroll, annual budget, audit, financial records
• Write and submit grant proposals
• Administer Working Group funds
• Report to the Board of Directors and campus levy-administering groups.
• Creating monthly financial reports to the Board of Directors.
• Participate in fundraising activities as required and/or appropriate.

Record Keeping

• Maintain and build systems that support organizational learning and memory: overall filing systems, archives, operating manuals, computer systems, organizational policy.

General Administration

• Manage sponsorship proposals, endorsement requests, and room booking requests.
• Managing the office and online events board, job board and housing board.
• Implement board policy as it relates to work responsibilities.
• Participate in job description and work plan development.
• Participate in hiring processes.
• Acquire training for professional development as appropriate and/or required.
• Supervise grant staff as required and/or appropriate.

Office organization

• Maintain and order office supplies
• Participate with other staff and volunteers in the maintenance of regular office hours, cleaning, maintenance, and improvements.
• Assist in maintaining files and archives in areas of work responsibilities.

Communication and Organizational Representation

• Correspond with levy administering groups, and with relevant administrative bodies at the university about: funding, campus status, space issues, maintenance.
• Committees: Represent OPIRG-Toronto to University Administrative bodies and committees.
• Answer/respond to email and phone inquiries, forward inquiries responsibly.
• Respond to media inquiries.

Resource Centre

• Participate in joint committee with the Centre for Women and Trans People to develop budgeting and promotion for the library, and resource purchasing.
• Assist library users.

Project and Event Assistance

• Assist board, other staff, action groups and volunteers with event/project planning and event follow-up with Administrative and Financial support.
• Coordinate layout and submissions for OPIRG Action Speaks Louder newsletter
• Assist with anti-oppression training and program implementation.
• Coordinate planning of the Annual General Meeting.
• Assist the Volunteer and Programming Coordinator in programming/coalitions as appropriate and/or required (e.g. Disorientation Week, Tools for Change).
• Assist the Volunteer and Programming Coordinator with recruitment, orientation, placement, training, & supervision of volunteers.
• Assist with the maintenance of volunteer database, and support, evaluation & appreciation of volunteers/action groups.

Promotion and Outreach

• Coordinate printing of OPIRG materials. Assisting Action Groups in printing and mechanisms for promotion (online, etc).

Participating in Decision-Making

• Attend board meetings, staff meetings, working group & committee meetings when needed. Assist in the development and implementation of policy.
• Attend OPIRG provincial meetings & staff meetings.
• Assist with Board elections through the AGM and orientation

Employment Terms:

This is a full-time permanent staff position with 30 hours per week at a rate of $19.44/hour with extended health care & benefits as defined under the Collective Agreement. All newly hired employees shall be considered to be on probation for six months from the commencement date of employment.

How to Apply:

Applicants must provide a resume, cover letter, three references (with phone numbers) and one-page statement about “Community organizing and working through oppression and privilege.” This page is intended to give the hiring committee a sense of your community organizing experience and how you locate/understand yourself within that work. We encourage applicants to describe the contributions and experience that they, as individuals who identify with marginalized communities, would bring to the OPIRG organization in their cover letter. Applications that do not include a statement will not be considered for short listing.

For the purpose of the statement it is important to note that OPIRG-Toronto sees anti-oppression as a process which acknowledges the existence of systemic oppressions (including, but not limited to, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism). Through practices and policies, we seek to actively identify, challenge, and address oppression wherever it exists, in all its various forms.

Deadline for Submissions: Thursday April 1, 2010 5PM
Position Start Date: ASAP

Please drop off applications to the attention of:
Hiring Committee
OPIRG-Toronto, 563 Spadina Ave, Room 101
North Borden Building - University of Toronto
Toronto, ON, M5S 2J7

Or email: opirgtoronto.hiring@gmail.com
or fax: 416-971-2292

The OPIRG Office is open Monday to Thursday, 11am-6 pm. Please contact the office by phone with any questions: 416-978-7770.

OPIRG Toronto thanks all applicants, but only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted, no later than 9pm on Tuesday April 6. Should an interview candidate be unable to attend the interview in person, we can likely accommodate with an alternative arrangement. Please indicate in your cover letter if you think such accommodations will be necessary.