Canadian Spondylitis Association

PROJECT & RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Position Information:

  • Position is remote and contingent on funding from the Canada Summer Jobs program.
  • Duration of this position is 16 weeks @ 37 hours/week. 
  • Home office environment with access to a laptop and internet is required. 
  • Bilingual an asset
  • Compensation is $17.00/hour.
  • Will be required to meet with the Executive Director regularly by phone and in person.
  • The Canada Summer Jobs program is open to individuals enrolled in post-secondary education.
  • Candidates meeting these requirements will be screened and offered an interview.

As Canadians are increasingly being diagnosed, and affected, by Spondyloarthritis, the Canadian Spondylitis Association (CSA) plays an essential role in helping patients achieve their full health potential and live a better life.  

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) describes a group of chronic inflammatory arthritis diseases with common features, including inflammation of the spine, eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract. Often beginning in adolescence, spondyloarthritis can be difficult to diagnose and often goes untreated for several years as a result. Early diagnosis and treatment intervention is key to slowing disease progression reducing irreversible damage. It is often painful and debilitating. There is no cure. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

  1. Awareness
    1. Healthcare Professionals
      1. Working from an existing database, explore opportunities with national and provincial professional associations to raise awarenss and provide educational resources on SpA. 
      2. Assist in the development of tools as deemed appropriate for each audience.
    2. Corporate / Employer Awareness
      1. Conduct an environmental scan and create a database of the top (largest) employers in Canada.
      2. Assist in outreach.
      3. Assist in the development of appropriate tools and resources. 
  1. Education
    1. Assist in the development of a resource library.
  2. Chronic Mental Distress Resources
    1. Environmental scan of resources available specific to chronic disease.
    2. Assist with facilitation and co-ordination of input from the community (survey, interviews, roundtable).
    3. Assess and collate feedback and identify trends, themes and gaps.
    4. Provide input into development of content & resources.
  3. Support the Executive Director with operational tasks as necessary:
    1. Business development.
    2. Administration.

SKILLS REQUIRED:

  1. Ability to work independently;
  2. Proven problem-solving/multitasking skills;
  3. Experience with social media and other web-based communication methods;  
  4. Strong verbal and written communication skills;  
  5. Attention to detail and design; and
  6. Keyboarding skills and familiarity with MS Office programs in a windows environment.

Supervision and Mentoring Plans

The successful candidate will be supervised by the Executive Director with scheduled regular touchpoints to monitor progress, prioritize tasks and develop a weekly workplan and share information. The Executive Director will be available to provide support in between touchpoints. The candidate will be included in key meetings as appropriate. Access to field professionals (social media, communications, graphic design, etc.) will be facilitated to support the student and give exposure to project planning principles and interdisciplinary teamwork.

The candidate will be provided a thorough orientation and onboarding that will include our policy on health & safety in the workplace. As part of the orientation, the student will have an introductory meeting with the volunteer Board chair. The orientation and onboarding will clearly defining the scope of the projects and expectations of the work required.

Career Related Fields of Study

SCIENCES: knowledge of anatomy, familiarity of basic medical terms and how the body works.

BUSINESS/PROJECT MANAGEMENT: experience managing a project with multiple tasks requiring execution simultaneously.

COMMUNICATIONS/SOCIAL MEDIA:  hands-on experience using social media and professional communications in an organizational context to promote the mission of a national, non-profit charitable organization.

NON-PROFIT ADMINISTRATION:  exposure to multidisciplinary skills required to effectively manage a non-profit organization including: fundraising, project management, budgeting, and advocacy.

Cover letter and resume can be submitted to [email protected].

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