Title: Senior Specialist

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 Senior Program/Service Specialist is a specialized professional responsible for providing deep technical knowledge and advanced solutions within their specific area of expertise. They play a key role in developing, implementing, and optimizing specialized programs, services, and initiatives that align with organizational goals and industry best practices. Leveraging their subject matter expertise, they analyze complex challenges, design innovative solutions, and provide targeted guidance and training to internal teams and external partners. They also ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks, risk management strategies, and quality standards, contribute to research and policy development, and drive continuous improvement in their specialized field to enhance program sustainability and operational resilience.

In this role, you will:

• Provide specialized knowledge, research, and data-driven insights to enhance program/service design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Lead the development and refinement of technical frameworks, guidelines, and methodologies to ensure high-quality service delivery.
• Act as a resource for complex program/service challenges, providing expert analysis and solutions based on best practices.
• Lead the development of specialized metrics, evaluation tools, and impact assessment models to measure program effectiveness.
• Analyze qualitative and quantitative data to generate evidence-based recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Provide technical guidance on monitoring, evaluation, and reporting frameworks to ensure data-driven decision-making.
• Serve as an expert representative in national and international working groups, advisory committees, and cross-sector partnerships.
• Lead technical training sessions, workshops, and knowledge-sharing initiatives for internal teams and external partners.
• Develop and contribute to research, reports, and policy recommendations to shape best practices in the sector.
• Ensure community engagement strategies integrate technical insights, equity principles, and culturally responsive practices.
• Provide guidance on ethical considerations, accessibility, and inclusive service design to remove barriers for marginalized communities.
• Facilitate participatory processes that empower communities to co-design and influence program/service direction.
• Develop specialized protocols, risk assessments, and compliance strategies to strengthen operational resilience.
• Provide technical recommendations on regulatory standards, funding compliance, and ethical considerations in service delivery.
• Ensure risk mitigation strategies align with evolving sector policies and humanitarian principles.

What we are looking for:

• Qualifications include a minimum of 4-7 years experience and a 3-year college diploma or university degree in public administration, emergency management, social sciences, health science, community development or a related field and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience . Certifications or designations may be necessary depending on legal or regulatory requirements.
• Proficiency in standard computer applications (Microsoft Office Suite).
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership development.
• 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.
• Proven experience building and managing partnerships with internal teams, community organizations, government agencies, and external stakeholders.
• Experience applying community engagement principles, participatory approaches, and culturally safe practices.
• Ability to integrate best practices and evidence-based approaches into program frameworks.

Working Conditions:

• The majority of work will be conducted from an office-like setting.
• Some domestic or international travel to generally safe locations; exposure to moderate adverse conditions requiring attention to personal safety.
• Work requires the ability to work to multiple, conflicting deadlines.
• Work requires interactions with clients who may be agitated, or are experiencing stressful situations.
• 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).