Summer Program Assistant

Full-Time Summer Position (May-August), Ottawa ON 

Northern Youth Abroad (NYA) is a small, charitable organization that serves youth living in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories (http://nya.ca/about-us/). We offer experiential education programs that aim to foster cross-cultural awareness, individual career goals, and global citizenship in Northern youth. Created in 1998, NYA has more than 600 program alumni from across Nunavut and the NWT, 98% of whom are Inuit, First Nation, or Métis. We are looking to hire a Program Assistant to join our staff during our most active program phase (May to August). 

This is a full-time contract position, ideal for someone—especially a student—interested in playing a meaningful role in providing life-changing experiences for youth and working as part of a small and dedicated team. 

Working at NYA

  • The most important aspect of every job at NYA is supporting the success of our Participants and Alumni. This means that our approach, hours, and philosophies support their needs, their potential, and their excellence. 
  • Our work and approach are directed by our guiding principles (http://nya.ca/about-us/who-we-are/). 
  • We are a northern-serving and northern-focused organization. It’s important that every staff member is knowledgeable and connected to the people and places we serve. Through diversity, openness, and collaboration, NYA provides a unique opportunity to learn, share, and grow while reflecting the culture and lifestyle of the Canadian North. 
  • NYA’s environment is a balance of fun, flexibility, and friendliness; passionate and energetic; and totally committed. This means it is a good fit for people who like versatility, a fast pace, and working together to take on big challenges. 
  • We consider ourselves a training organization and offer lots of opportunities to be involved in program creation, learning new areas, and contributing ideas and input, even for short-term staff. 

Job Details

  • Work with program staff to coordinate and facilitate NYA’s summer programming and its participants. This will involve being a part of many parts of the organization, working with all team members, and balancing individual work with collaboration. 
  • Assist with the coordination of participant work placements, including recruiting partner organizations, providing orientation before placement, support during placement, and assisting in the evaluation post-placement. 
  • Assist in the preparation of the NYA Orientation and Reorientation events and attend. 
  • Support and arrange logistics relating to travel, event coordination, and program placements. 
  • Assist in participant, host family, and work placement support. 
  • Work independently while the Executive Director and/or senior staff are away from the office. 
  • Assist with program administration, promotion, and publicity. 

What We’d Like You to Bring

  • This position is funded by Canada Summer Jobs, and therefore our preference will be for candidates that meet that program’s eligibility requirements, which are: to be between the ages of 15-30 (as of May), to be a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or refugee, and to have a valid Social Insurance Number. If you meet these criteria, please let us know on your application. 
  • We strongly encourage applications from NYA Alumni and others with a connection to the North, including Inuit, First Nations, and Métis candidates. For all candidates, knowledge of the Canadian North and its people is a strong asset. 
  • A combination of work experience, education, and personality that supports you in taking on this role. 
  • An interest in a position where you can learn new things, set and achieve ambitious goals, and see the outcome of your efforts. This means being open-minded, willing to try new things and ask for help, and putting a lot of effort into learning and growing during your time here, with support and mentorship. 
  • Experience working in a supportive role with youth is an asset, as is experience in non-profits and with volunteers. 
  • A strong desire to play a big role on a small team – we value relationships based on kindness, generosity, collaboration, and mutual support. 
  • We like technology – we think it makes our small team able to do a lot more and really just makes us better. We use a combination of traditional software suites like Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Cloud, along with leveraging newer apps and technology like Slack, Clickup, and Airtable. Therefore, we want you to be comfortable with technology and generally open and willing to learn. We are mostly a MAC office. 
  • Comfortable working in a dynamic and sometimes hectic work environment, with a group of deeply passionate, youth-focused staff. 
  • Ability to work flexible hours and overtime, including evenings and weekends during peak program times, and during special events and activities. 
  • Driver’s License (preferred). 

Apply Now

Apply by March 3rd, 2025

Please apply using the online form below. Only those invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Apply Now