EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

High School Programs Director

Application deadline: Sept 19th, 2008
Start date: Early November, 2008

Location: Ottawa

 

The Otesha Project is a national youth-run charitable organization created in 2002. We use theatre to mobilize young people to create local and global change through their everyday consumer choices. To date, we have reached more than 80,000 Canadians directly with our theatre presentations and workshops that inspire youth to re-evaluate their daily consumer choices to reflect the kind of world they want to live in.

 

The High School Programs Director will be responsible for co-ordinating, delivering, training, and promoting Otesha's high school programs as well as refining curriculum, program visioning, evaluation and supporting Otesha's other programs.

About the Triple-H Program

The Otesha Project's high school program is fondly called "Hopeful High school Hooligans" or Triple-H for short. While this program has been running since 2004, this year we are piloting a new plan for the program. As such, we're looking for an innovative new coordinator, who can implement, evaluate, and adapt this new plan. While the position has a degree of structure, the candidate should be prepared to work independently, and take a flexible approach towards program implementation and visioning.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This position is a rare opportunity to become a part of a small team of dedicated and passionate individuals working to create positive societal change through youth education. Because of the organization's small size and flexible organizational structure, the candidate will have the opportunity to engage in all of Otesha's programs, and use his or her skills to continually better the organization and increase its impact.

 

The Otesha Project operates with a non-hierarchical organizational structure. As opposed to a boss evaluating the work of employees, employees evaluate one another. Accordingly, candidates must be comfortable delivering and receiving honest and constructive feedback to other staff members. 

 

Specific areas of responsibility include:

 

1) Program Dissemination

• Develop resources for teams to train themselves outside of Ottawa
• Recruit High Schools to join the Triple-H program
• Implement, revise and evaluate the Triple-H dissemination plan with the aim to have 10-15 Triple-H trainings across Canada by 2010.

 

2) Program Development

• Review and adapt the Triple-H program three-year-plan as lessons are learned in the pilot year of our new program.
• Explore the possibility of starting up our Triple-H program on university campuses.

 

3) Training

• Plan and implement high school training weekends for Otesha's Hopeful High school Hooligan program - training young people to be sustainability ambassadors, and gain the skills needed to perform the Otesha play.
• Train Otesha alumni as facilitators and mentors for Triple-H trainings.
• Support Triple-H teams, as well as the alumni facilitators and mentors throughout the school year.

 

4) Evaluation and Reporting

• Create and implement evaluation plan for the first year of our new Triple-H program.
• Set up data collection system to track the Triple-H teams performances.
• Communicate program planning with Triple-H Advisory Committee.

 

5) Promotion and Mentorship

• Support Alumni Triple-H training.
• Promote Triple-H program in Ottawa and beyond
• Mentor Bike Tour teams to perform Otesha training weekends

 

6) Support other Otesha Programs

• Various other tasks, such as outreach and promotion, to support Otesha's Bike Tours and other outreach programs

 

IDEAL ATTRIBUTES AND SKILLS

 

Rather than stipulate minimum levels of education, or years of experience in the non-profit sector, we encourage you to consider whether you have an aptitude for all aspects of program co-ordination, for training others and taking on a leadership role, and the flexible, yet meticulous, work ethic that is required for this position. Whether you are a seasoned and accomplished Programs Director, or someone with an incredible aptitude for quickly learning new skills and rising to the challenge, we welcome your application.

 

Beneficial (although not required) skills or experience include:

 

• Project planning and management experience
• Charismatic, assertive and confident manner
• Experience and desire to work with high school aged students
• Experience working on sustainability and social justice issues
• Experience in public speaking and/or theatre
• Experience with group facilitation
• Comfort with working both independently and as a part of a team
• Interest and ability to travel (most often by train and bus)

 

Due to the flexible nature of our work environment, additional tasks are divided amongst the office team based on skills and interest. We are looking for individuals with the following attributes to strengthen our overall team.  If you have any of these 'bonus' skills please highlight them in your application.

• Experience working with Quick Books or other accounting software
• French language skills
• Experience with web development, online communities and/or tech support
• Otesha program experience
• A driver's license

 

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

 

All staff start with $1,750 per month for the 1styear, with a raise to $2,000 per month in the second year.

 

Staff accommodation may be available at the Hopeful Manor of Marvelous Mayhem (a.k.a. the Otesha office/house/community) for very reasonable rates.

 

Additional benefits include:

• Beautiful, sunny, friendly office environment
• Four weeks paid vacation per year
• One half day per week reserved for personal or professional development of your choice
• Opportunity to help train at least one Otesha bike tour and cycle with them for up to one week
• Two staff retreats/trips per year which may involve a bike trip, x-country ski trip, or other modes of people powered transport depending on staff interest.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applications close September 19th at 5pm EST. Your application should include the following:

1.    A cover letter (maximum two pages) detailing why you are an ideal candidate for this position

2.    A detailed résumé

 

These two components should be submitted in confidence to info@otesha.ca. Please send applications over e-mail with ‘Your name, High School Programs Director' in the subject line, and all documents included in one attachment. If you have any questions please contact Elizabeth Fraser at 613-237-6065.

 

We are a Youth for Youth organization, and for that reason an age screen is applied in the selection process. We accept applications from individuals aged 18-35.

 

The Otesha Project is an equal opportunity employer. We value the expertise and diversity of our people. To the best of our ability we will strive to make the Otesha workplace as accessible as possible for people with a range of disabilities.

 

We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. For more information on the Otesha Project, please see our website at www.otesha.ca