Policy & Advocacy Coordinator

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Policy & Advocacy Coordinator contributes significantly to advancing CCEDNet Manitoba’s vision for more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable communities directing their own futures. The position supports CCEDNet Manitoba’s work connecting people and ideas for action to build local economies that strengthen communities and benefit everyone.

Working from CCEDNet Manitoba’s Winnipeg office, the Policy & Advocacy Coordinator works in particular on the Manitoba Network Weaving program area, building connection and power between CCEDNet Manitoba members, community organizations, and social economy enterprises.

The position will work collaboratively with the Manitoba Network Manager and other staff members on core member network activities, including the process where members work to set a public policy mandate. This position will take the lead on public engagement and community education, government relations activities, and Network support through facilitation and administrative help to key coalitions, such as Make Poverty History Manitoba. 

Success in this position will include an increased amount of joint action on Network priorities for change, collaboration between multiple people and organizations, and potentially action from governments toward Network priorities.

OPPORTUNITY

This is an exciting opportunity to help facilitate positive social and economic change within a dynamic organization! The position helps put a vision for change into action. It is an exciting opportunity to work collaboratively with many different people and organizations, including CCEDNet member organizations, government, other community groups, advocates, and activists. It’s a great opportunity to put your skills in things like community organizing, government relations/policy work, communications, facilitation, or more to use.

If you’d also like to work with an organization that is actively engaging in strengthening communities and economic justice, then this position is a good fit for you.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Coordinate the annual public policy process to motivate ideas for change and facilitate a dynamic Policy Summit event.
• Coordinate action to advance the member-led policy mandate through:
  • Preparing written communications including briefs, letters, budget submissions, website texts, and newsletter submissions;  
  • Promoting CCEDNet Manitoba’s policy priorities through direct government relations
  • Providing operational support for advocacy coalitions, campaigns, and working groups advancing social change, including Make Poverty History Manitoba;
  • Networking and building relationships with a wide variety of other partners
• Support Member Network activities, including collaborating with other staff members on the annual member meeting and local communications development
• Build capacity for public policy advocacy for Community Economic Development and other Network priorities through public engagement and community education opportunities, such as facilitating workshops or meetings
• Help track and demonstrate impact of the Network’s work building connections and power to make change

HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE OFFER

• A supportive work environment with a flexible work schedule
• A competitive benefit package 100% paid by CCEDNet that starts the day you do
• RRSP contributions 
• Paid time off that includes 3 weeks of vacation to start, an office closure from December 25 – January 1, Personal Time Off (PTO) days, and compassionate leave. 
• Professional development opportunities including Learning and Growth Funds

TEAM & ENVIRONMENT

The Policy & Advocacy Coordinator will work closely with the Manitoba Network Manager and the Events & Engagement Coordinator. The Manitoba Network Manager will be working remotely from Toronto from September – April, but will be available for direct support, coaching, and mentoring throughout. Additional support will be available from the Associate Director. 

The entire CCEDNet Manitoba staff team is a dynamic, engaging, and fun group of people, who regularly engage in conversation to expand our understanding and approach to social, environmental and economic justice. 

The team works out of the Social Enterprise Centre in Winnipeg, a space in North Point Douglas with a number of member organizations directly located in the building. The office features collaborative space, quiet work rooms, and break and meeting areas.

ABOUT YOU

You are eager to contribute to CCEDNet’s mission and advance our vision for change. You have knowledge of, and more importantly, a desire to keep learning about community organizing, public policy advocacy, and government relations. You are interested and see the potential of community economic development and the social economy to facilitate social, economic, and environmental justice. 

You want to work for an organization that aligns with your personal values and commitment to gender equity, poverty reduction, reconciliation, anti-racism / anti-oppression, diversity, and inclusion. You are aware of your own lived experience of systemic barriers or privilege, and how that shapes your unique contribution to strategic social change.  

You are an advocate and connector, working in an organized way while building relationships and effectively communicating with a diverse range of organizations and individuals. 

You may have a post-secondary degree in political science, public policy, economics, community development, urban studies, or a related discipline, and you may have experience with facilitation and convening groups.

ONBOARDING SNAPSHOT

Within 1 month, you will have:

• Been oriented fully to the Network Weaving program
• Met with and built relationship with many member organizations and partners
• Been introduced to the full CCEDNet staff team and oriented to our organization’s Theory of Change and policies and procedures

Within 6 months, you will have:

• Helped coordinate the annual Member Meeting
• Supported the activities of community coalitions including Make Poverty History Manitoba
• Attended and supported the Annual Gathering of Community Builders, engaging with numerous members and partners
• Developed a provincial budget submission and led government relations in advance of Manitoba Budget 2025
• Facilitated learning opportunities on advocacy and public policy change

ABOUT THE CANADIAN CED NETWORK

CCEDNet is a values-based, non-profit association committed to connecting people and ideas for action that builds local economies, strengthens communities, and benefits everyone. We have members throughout Canada, including organizations, networks, and individuals who are strengthening sustainable and equitable local economies. Members are active across many sectors such as community development, social enterprise, rural development, co-operative development, employment development, and housing.

We are committed to the values of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Dignity, Self-Determination, Solidarity, and Local Control. Together, we are working towards sustainable and inclusive communities directing their own social, environmental, and economic futures through our Theory of Change. 

APPLICATION PROCESS 

Please send your resume and cover letter to "> by July 21, 2024 with “Policy & Advocacy Coordinator” in the subject line. 

In your cover letter, you are welcome to speak to the following questions: 

• What knowledge and experience are you excited to bring to this role? You may choose to  include your personal experience of systemic barriers to strategic social change. 
• What are your skills and strengths you will apply to this position? 
• What are you most curious to learn in this position?

CCEDNet provides accommodation during all parts of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with stated needs. If contacted to proceed to the selection process, please advise us if you require any accommodation.

We appreciate all applications. After a notice that the application has been received, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time term position working 30 hours / week starting August 1, 2024 and ending August 31, 2025. There is potential for the contract to extend beyond that time.

Our hiring wage range is $24.55/h (38,298 annually) to $25.58/h (39,905 annually)

We support our employees by offering salaries that reflect regional variances in cost of living. Employment offers are made between the minimum and midpoint of our salary bands and are determined by knowledge, experience and internal equity. 

WHY JOIN THE CCEDNET TEAM?  

We are a team of convenors, connectors, facilitators, advocates and partners dedicated to community empowerment and economic justice.  We challenge the status quo and build alternatives using intersection, intersectoral, and collaborative approaches. Our depth and breadth of experience, knowledge, and commitment to learning can be seen in the results we achieve. We care about our work and we care about each other.