Specialized Advisor – Alternative Suspension, Canada and International

Under the direction of the School Success and Youth Division, the Specialized Advisor contributes to the consolidation, development, sustainability, and expansion of the Alternative Suspension network in Canada and internationally, while ensuring efficient communication and collaboration among all stakeholders involved. The Alternative Suspension program aims to prevent and address issues related to school dropout, and the Specialized Advisor’s objective will be to support the network and contribute to the consolidation of this program and the development of innovative and effective approaches.

Main Responsibilities

Support for Franchisees:

• In conjunction with the immediate supervisor and in collaboration with the School Success team, define and apply strategies, directions, policies, and objectives for the Alternative Suspension program.
• In collaboration with site managers, establish annual objectives for these programs and teams, aiming for excellence in the quality of programs and services offered.
• Implement follow-up measures, functional supervision, and program evaluation in collaboration with franchisees and the sector team.
• Contribute to the development and deployment of protocols and detailed action plans related to collaboration mechanisms, operations, communication, and follow-up on requests (support, training, supervision, evaluation). These plans should be tailored to the realities of each territory, regularly reviewed, and updated based on lessons learned and changes in programming contexts.

Consolidation and Content:

• In collaboration with the Youth unit (lead advisor and specialist advisors), participate in the creation of educational, informational, and structural content based on the program's needs and emerging realities in school retention.
• Serve as the primary expert within the organization for the Alternative Suspension program with franchisees and external partners.
• Prepare regular reports for internal and external stakeholders to provide updates on the program's progress, results, and challenges encountered.
• Strengthen, create, and maintain meaningful relationships with the franchisee network.

As a collaborator in the Youth and School Success sector, the operations advisor works with other sectors in the Development, Expertise, and Partnerships (DEV) Directorate:

Impact and Evaluation:

• Identify, explore, and maintain a competitive intelligence system and an inventory of best practices, identifying the most effective approaches (provincial, national, and international) and successes related to the YMCA’s programs under their oversight.
• Promote the creation of beneficial partnerships with various school boards, public and private organizations, YMCA, community organizations, and funders.
• Monitor performance indicators for programs and recommend corrective actions to meet the established goals.

Representation, Development, and Funding:

• Identify funding sources for existing and new programs.
• Identify the specific needs of targeted communities by conducting surveys, market studies, interviews, and analyses to understand the issues, concerns, and goals of each community or population served.
• Actively seek potential partners from research centers, universities, and other academic institutions aligned with the youth objectives.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field for the position.
• At least 3 years of experience in a community-based environment with proven achievements related to the position.
• Significant experience in program and partnership development.
• Strong skills in change management and the ability to demonstrate managerial courage.
• Ability to monitor general budgets and service agreements.
• Strong ability to collaborate, provide recommendations, and advise.
• Ability to travel independently to different program sites.
• Ability to build, manage, train, and coach multidisciplinary teams and demonstrate excellent interpersonal communication.
• Strong knowledge of social issues, challenges, trends, target populations, and key stakeholders in the field of school success.
• Knowledge of the Alternative Suspension program is an asset.
• Proficiency in both French and English, written and spoken.
• No criminal record related to the position.