The Theology and Ministry Leadership Unit is seeking an individual to fill the role of Communications and Administrative Assistant on a Term Contract basis (17.5 hours per week). This is a position that can be filled from any location in Canada.
This position represents a current, active vacancy within our organization. For all applications received through The United Church of Canada’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) for all publicly advertised positions, AI might be used to support certain applicant evaluations; however, all applications are manually reviewed by our hiring team to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all candidates. All decisions are made solely by the hiring team.
This is a five-year project that concludes December 31, 2030. This is a contract position for the length of the Reimagining Theological Education Project. An extension may be granted at that time to the end of the academic year.
The “Reimagining Theological Education: Next Generation of Pastoral Leadership for the United Church of Canada” initiative has been funded by a Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow grant for collaboration between The United Church of Canada and its theological schools in offering theological education in communities of faith to build and sustain ongoing discipleship, formation, and service under inspired pastoral leadership. Over the period of the grant, the schools and church aim to strengthen the ecosystem of theological education in The United Church of Canada through deepening integration as schools and connecting them more deeply to other parts of the church involved in ministerial formation.
Position Purpose:
The Communications and Administrative Assistant supports the work of the Lilly Grant project team by providing communications, administrative, and coordination support that enables effective collaboration, clear information sharing, and well-organized events. The role contributes to the development and delivery of written communications, supports events and meetings, and assists with day-to-day coordination, working closely with the Director and team members and engaging with partner organizations, including The United Church of Canada’s eight theological schools.
Primary Areas of Responsibility
1. Communications and Content Development (60–70%)
- Create, edit, and coordinate content for newsletters, emails, and digital platforms;
- Plan and manage newsletter production schedules including drafting, editing, and distribution;
- Develop original written content and refine content contributed by team members and partners;
- Support ongoing updates to digital communications related to team initiatives and projects; and ensure communications are clear, timely, and aligned with organizational voice and priorities.
2. Administrative and Event Coordination (20–30%)
- Provide administrative support to the Director and support overall team activities;
- Coordinate logistics for events, meetings, and gatherings (virtual and in‑person);
- Support event registration, communications, and follow-up; and serve as a liaison with theological schools and other partner organizations as required.
3. Meeting and Project Support (10%)
- Prepare meeting agendas and supporting materials;
- Track action items and follow up with relevant stakeholders;
- Provide coordination support for ad hoc meetings and project work.
- Post-secondary education; Education in Communications, English, Journalism, or a related field considered an asset. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered, where appropriate;
- 3-5 years of work experience in communications, administrative or project support roles; nonprofit experience preferred;
- Experience creating, editing, and coordinating media content across digital platforms, including newsletters;
- Experience providing administrative and coordination support to individuals or teams, including organizing activities and tracking follow-up items;
- Experience working with multiple stakeholders and managing competing priorities in a collaborative environment.
- Strong writing, proofreading and editing skills, with a keen eye for detail and the ability to produce clear, engaging, and well-structured content;
- Solid administrative, planning, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, track details, and meet deadlines;
- Ability to work independently while taking direction and collaborating effectively with team members;
- Flexibility to effectively manage changing situations or priorities, as well as the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously;
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate tasks, follow through on action items, and support project workflows;
- Comfort working across institutions and with diverse stakeholders in a collaborative environment;
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy in written, administrative, and coordination work and proactive problem-solving skills;
- Proficiency with digital communications and office tools, including Office 365, Dynamics, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Zoom, and other social media and online platforms;
- Alignment with the vision and values of The United Church of Canada – respect, integrity, passion and diversity. An understanding of The United Church of Canada priorities, programs and structure is an asset;
- Demonstrated capacity to embrace change, take risks, experiment, reflect, and adapt, motivation, initiative, and the ability to identify needs;
- Good judgment, tact, discretion, resourcefulness, and creativity in problem-solving; and recognition of personal and professional limitations.
The United Church of Canada has adopted a hybrid workplace model, providing flexibility for this position, working both off-site and in the General Council Office, currently located at 50 Wynford Road in North York, ON. The incumbent will be provided, for work purposes, use of secure devices and must be available by email, phone, teams or zoom during regular office hours Monday to Friday. Sitting and viewing a computer screen for long periods, keyboarding/using assistive devices or technologies, intermittent physical activity including sitting, standing and being on a call for long periods of time will be required. Occasional additional hours may be required.
As part of our ongoing commitment to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Human Rights Code, The United Church of Canada will provide reasonable accommodations to employees with human-rights related needs.
The salary range for this position is $28,740 to $38,319. This is based on category 5 (pro-rated) on our salary range. Placement on the salary range will be based on factors such as market condition, internal equity, candidate experience skills and qualifications relevant to the role. Pension and group benefit plans coverage and annual vacation round out this compensation package.
