City : Toronto

Category : Risk Reduction and Resilience / Réduction des risques et résilience

Industry : Civil and Social Organizations

Employer : Canadian Red Cross

Title: Senior Advisor – Risk Mitigation and Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA)

Employee Working Location: Partially Virtual / Hybrid (Canada)

Employment Status: Permanent Full-time
 

The Canadian Red Cross (Red Cross) – an inspirational not for profit organization, helps people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and supports them in strengthening their resilience. As a Canada’s Best Employers 2024, we are committed to having an accessible, diverse, inclusive, and barrier-free work environment.

The Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation's mission is to walk alongside people and communities—enhancing prevention, mitigation, preparedness, adaptation, and transformation—to strengthen their efforts in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. As a Senior Advisor you will provide subject matter expertise and advisory support to enhance the effectiveness of programs and/or service and initiatives across Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Change Adaptation (DRR-CCA) program portfolios. You will work closely with external partners and collaborators (e.g., government agencies, Indigenous communities and leadership, non-governmental organizations and research institutions) and internal teams, offering technical guidance, capacity-building support, and best practices to strengthen program delivery. You will also help assess program and/or service needs, provide recommendations for operational improvements, and ensure alignment with organizational and community priorities to drive continuous improvement and impact. This role will be critical in advancing CRC’s mission to enhance community resilience in the face of increasingly frequent and severe climate-related disasters. 
 

In this role, you will:  

• Provide subject matter expertise and strategic guidance on disaster risk reduction, climate justice and community resilience, and working in and alongside populations and communities that have faced historic and contemporary forms of marginalization (such as Indigenous communities), to strengthen program/service effectiveness, ensuring alignment with best principles and/or practices, as well as community defined priorities.

• Assess program/service gaps, analyze trends, and provide recommendations for operational enhancements to improve service delivery, accessibility, and impact.

• Serve as a key advisor to internal teams, external partners, and community stakeholders, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with government agencies, nonprofits, Indigenous organizations, and other key stakeholders to support service delivery and community engagement.

• Provide technical expertise, training, and mentorship to internal teams and external partners to enhance their capacity in program delivery and community engagement.

• Contribute to financial reporting and compliance with funding requirements, while ensuring transparency and accountability to community partners.

• Develop and implement training materials, toolkits, and resources to support program effectiveness and knowledge transfer.

• Advise on culturally safe and inclusive approaches to ensure equitable program/service access for diverse communities.

• Lead program/service evaluation efforts by analyzing performance metrics, community feedback, and impact assessments to inform decision-making.

• Ensure compliance with funding agreements, regulatory requirements, and organizational policies, providing advisory support to mitigate risks and improve accountability.

• Contribute to the development of performance reports, dashboards, and impact narratives for leadership and external stakeholders.

• Guide the development and execution of community engagement strategies that foster meaningful participation, co-design, and inclusive decision-making.

• Work with communities to identify evolving needs, emerging challenges, and opportunities for program/service enhancement.

• Advocate for community-driven solutions, ensuring program strategies reflect cultural, social, and economic considerations.

What we are looking for:

• Qualifications include a minimum of 6-9 years' experience and a 3-year college diploma or university degree in social sciences, community development, Indigenous studies, public administration or a related field and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience. May require a graduate diploma/degree in a related field and/or a professional degree, certification, or designation.

• Requires expertise in a specialized discipline or broad experience across fields, along with an understanding of interconnections between processes and business units.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) and SharePoint. • Ability to identify complex problems, analyze interrelated factors, assess and mitigate risks, and develop solutions using specialized skills.

• Communication and influence skills to gather perspectives, understand needs, and present information to reach consensus, often in somewhat sensitive situations.

• Experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership development.

• Knowledge of community engagement principles, participatory approaches, and capacity-building techniques.

• Experience working with diverse communities, including Indigenous, rural, and/or underserved populations.

Working Conditions:

• This role is a response and operational profile that requires scheduled travel, deployment and in community in-person presence.

• As we work with and support people (managers, colleagues, beneficiaries/customers, volunteers, donors and external partners) and communities in Canada and around the world, applicants whose first language is not English may be required to perform the responsibilities of the role in English.  

• Eligibility to work in Canada: At this time, we welcome applications from candidates eligible to work in Canada. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, we encourage you to carefully review your visa to find out whether you are eligible to work in the job you are considering applying for. Refer to our FAQ for more information.  

• If you are selected for this role, you will be required to complete a successful pre-employment screening process which includes a satisfactory Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC).