1. OVERVIEW:
Position: Program Assistant
Reporting to: Executive Director
Term: Part-time employee position (21 hours/week)
Wage: Starting at $29 per hour, to be evaluated based on experience, + 6% accrued vacation pay, mileage rates, health and dental benefits after three month probationary period and other benefits including cell phone allowance and office supplies.
Location: Home office based anywhere within the Regional District of East Kootenay (Cranbrook/Kimberley area preferred).
2. BACKGROUND:
The East Kootenay Invasive Species Council (EKISC) is an environmental non-profit organization with the mission to mitigate the negative environmental, social, and economic impacts of invasive species. EKISC has a variety of programs, initiatives, and partnerships regarding invasive species management and outreach. Further information on EKISC’s operations can be found at our website: www.ekisc.com
EKISC is proud to be a Certified Living Wage Employer! From our seasonal summer staff to our year-round team and trusted contractors, we’re committed to ensuring everyone can thrive, not just survive. Learn more about the Living Wage movement at: www.livingwagebc.ca
3. JOB SUMMARY
The Program Assistant provides broad organizational, administrative, and program support to ensure the effective delivery of EKISC’s invasive species management, education, outreach, and coordination initiatives. Working closely with the Executive Director and program staff, this role supports strategic planning, grant writing and reporting, and the identification of funding and partnership opportunities. The Program Assistant also helps maintain internal systems, including tracking deliverables, updating policies and procedures, and supporting organizational reporting requirements.
This position plays a key role in supporting governance and membership functions, including assisting with Board meetings, AGM preparation, and maintaining member and volunteer engagement through communications, mailouts, and appreciation initiatives. The Program Assistant also manages key communications channels such as the general inbox, job postings, and the iNaturalist program, helping to ensure accurate information flow and strong public engagement.
In addition, the role supports events, meetings, and partnerships by assisting with coordination and representation at stakeholder meetings, workshops, field tours, and regional initiatives when needed. Field-based responsibilities may include invasive species surveys, monitoring, and providing field safety support during the field season.
Overall, the Program Assistant is a flexible and collaborative team member who strengthens EKISC’s operational capacity across administration, outreach, fieldwork, and community engagement.
4. TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Program Assistant is a flexible role that supports a wide range of organizational, programmatic, and administrative functions. This position fills gaps where needed while also proactively anticipating team needs and contributing to the effective operation of EKISC as a not-for-profit organization.
Organization Mission and Strategy:
- Support the Executive Director with strategic planning and related activities.
- Research and identify new funding, donation, and partnership opportunities.
- Contribute to the development of funding proposals in collaboration with the Executive Director and program coordinators.
- Stay current on emerging invasive species threats and research, and share relevant updates with staff.
General Administration
- Support the Executive Director with the maintenance of policy and procedure manuals.
- Assist with administrative and human resources-related tasks as required, coordinating meetings, and supporting field scheduling.
- Attend meetings, events, and provide presentations when required.
- Support and complete project reporting and tracking as needed.
- Maintain and organize EKISC filing systems, tracking tools, calendars, and planning documents to ensure accuracy and accessibility.
- Support organizational operations as needed, including a wide range of assigned tasks.
Board Activities & Organizational Development
- Support the Executive Director with Board-related tasks, including:
- Assisting with meeting preparation (e.g., draft agendas, monitoring reports, and documentation)
- Taking and filing meeting minutes when required
- Tracking policy acknowledgements and conflict of interest forms
- Attend internal planning meetings and provide updates, input, and recommendations to the Executive Director.
- Support the planning and delivery of the Annual General Meeting, Annual Land Managers’ Meeting, and other organizational meetings and events as required.
Field Support
- Conduct occasional field work as required, including terrestrial and aquatic invasive species surveys, inventories, research trials and data collection.
- Support invasive plant treatment monitoring, data recording, and field reporting.
- Assist with development of contractor work plans, spatial data delivery, and coordination of field materials (e.g., herbicides and supplies) when requested.
- Coordinate and participate in field site visits with contractors, funding partners, and project leads as required.
- Support data management and entry into provincial invasive species databases when needed.
Education & Outreach Support
- Build and maintain relationships with stewardship groups, communities, ranchers, First Nations, industry partners, regional invasive species organizations, and other collaborators alongside the Outreach team.
- Research and identify funding, donation, and partnership opportunities for education and outreach programming.
- Support the Education and Outreach Manager with workshops, events, training sessions, and outreach initiatives.
- Assist with report writing and grant applications for education and outreach programs.
- Represent EKISC at events, meetings, and outreach activities as needed.
5. SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:
The Program Assistant should possess the following:
- Diploma of Science, Diploma of Leadership, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Education with at least four years of related work experience in the Natural Sciences (biology, ecology, conservation, resource management, forestry, etc.).
- Positive and supportive attitude, especially in challenging and changing situations.
- Knowledge of regional native and invasive species (terrestrial and aquatic).
- Experience conducting diverse field work in variable conditions.
- Experience in grant and report writing.
- Familiarity with navigation, maps, GPS, and tablets, including map making softwares such as ArcGIS and QGIS.
- Flexibility to work on weekends, holidays, and some evenings.
- Ability to work from a home office (use of your own cell phone with data required).
- OFA Level 1 First Aid certification.
- BC driver’s license, and use of a personal vehicle required for field work.
- Candidate must be self-motivated, be able to work as a team, and have excellent communication skills.
- Experience working with a board of directors and board governance are assets.
- Experience with accounting software, annual budgets, and expenditure tracking an asset.
6. ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for this position, candidates must:
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- Be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations.
7. APPLICATION:
Please submit a resume and cover letter indicating you meet the hiring criteria to: Katie Reid, Executive Director, at [email protected] with subject line: Program Assistant Application
Your application will undergo an evaluation using an AI detection system. Any applications primarily generated by AI will not be considered.
Closing date: open until position is filled [we will conduct interviews on a continuous basis]
Please direct any questions to [email protected]
Pay: From $29.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Cranbrook, BC
