Program Manager- Community Planning & Resilience

Title : Program Manager- Community Planning & Resilience

Employee Working Location : Partially Virtual/Hybrid (Ottawa, ON)

Employment Status : Temporary, full time (12 months)

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 2026, we are committed to having an accessible, diverse, inclusive, and barrier-free work environment.

The Program Manager is responsible for planning, implementation, and oversight of current/emerging programs and services of the Community Planning and Resilience sub-team , ensuring they align with Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Change Adaptation (DRR - CCA) objectives and community needs. This role collaborates with internal teams and external stakeholders to deliver effective, culturally responsive, and evidence-based initiatives. Key responsibilities include program development and design, knowledge management and research, communications, monitoring program performance and implementing process improvements. The Program Manager also ensures compliance with policies and standards while fostering partnerships to enhance program impact and sustainability.

In this role, you will:

• Assist in the design, planning, and implementation of DRR-CCA programs in current and/or emerging themes in collaboration with other teams and stakeholders. Program areas include: 1) Applied research on extreme weather, health and well being, including urban resilience; 2) Anticipatory Action and research on early warning multi-hazard systems (esp. heat, wildfire, flood, storms) ; and 3) Nature-based Solutions
• Ensure program activities are culturally appropriate, aligned with best practices, and responsive to community needs.
• Support program teams with resources, tools, and technical guidance to enhance service delivery.
• Build and maintain relationships with community partners, governmental bodies, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate stakeholder involvement in program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Represent the program in coordination meetings, ensuring alignment with sector standards and organizational priorities.
• Track program activities, outputs, and outcomes to ensure effective delivery.
• Support program performance assessments, integrating lessons learned into future planning.
• Assist in preparing reports for internal and external stakeholders, highlighting progress, challenges, and best practices.
• Ensure adherence to internal policies, donor requirements, and industry standards.
• Conduct quality monitoring and gather feedback from participants to improve service delivery.
• Support the review and enhancement of program tools to improve efficiency and impact.
• Identify and address operational risks to ensure sustainable and effective program implementation.
• Provide feedback on program tools and interventions to refine approaches and improve outcomes.
• Work with relevant teams to develop new resources when gaps are identified.
• Make recommendations to improve program procedures, processes, or guidelines, and support the development of new program opportunities or proposals.
• Stay informed on relevant policies, guidelines, and best practices in community or humanitarian programming, and contribute to continuous learning and improvement within the team.

What we are looking for:

• Qualifications include a minimum of 4-7 years experience and a 3-year college diploma or university degree in emergency management, social work, social sciences, psychology, health, or a related field and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Knowledge and experience with Climate Change Adaptation, DRR, Anticipatory Actions and/or Community Resilience programs, approaches and frameworks.
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, community organizations, and funding partners.
• Familiarity with program monitoring, evaluation, and reporting frameworks.
• Understanding of program development, implementation, and best practices in community-based services.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) and SharePoint.
• Ability to identify, investigate and analyze problems, identify root causes and risks, and apply technical, functional and organizational knowledge to develop solutions.
• Communication skills, diplomacy and empathy to interpret information and deliver advice, clarify client or stakeholder needs, offer solutions, and resolve escalations in new or somewhat sensitive situations.

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).