Summary

Working within a private foundation, the successful candidate will be engaged in granting, research, and working with stakeholders active in early learning and child care

Description

POSITION DESCRIPTION

PROGRAM OFFICER – EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD CARE

Position Type:           Full-time position (subject to completion of six-month probationary period)

Location:                    Edmonton.  Unless travelling, Foundation staff work in the office four days a week (Monday-Thursday) and remotely one day a week (Friday). Occasional evening and weekend work will be required as will off-site visits and meetings as part of the regular work week.

Reports to:                 Associate Executive Director

Start Date:                 October 1, 2025

The Muttart Foundation is a private foundation based in Edmonton.  It makes grants to support certain charities and carries out a number of charitable activities directly.  Its work is largely in two areas:
 

    • early childhood education and care, where it seeks to ensure the development of policies that lead to a high-quality system of nonprofit childcare, primarily in Alberta and Saskatchewan; and

 

    • strengthening the charitable sector, where it seeks to support and advance policies, regulations and practices that provide registered charities with the tools and scope to serve their beneficiaries.

In both programs, the Foundation works closely with charities (including other foundations), government staff, charitable sector researchers and allied professionals.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Associate Executive Director, the Program Officer will undertake the following duties:
 

  • adjudicate and oversee small grant programs that support capacity building for social service and early learning and child care charitable organizations

 

  • review applications for larger grants from eligible charities that align with the Foundation’s funding interests and priority areas established by the Board of Directors

 

  • monitor and review grants approved by the Foundation Board of Directors to eligible social service and early learning and child care charitable organizations

 

  • support the design and implementation of Foundation supported research on issues impacting on early learning and child care charities specifically and social service charities more broadly

 

  • develop and maintain strong working relationships with early learning and child care stakeholders (including other public and private foundations) and select social service stakeholders

 

  • organize, support and participate in meetings with a range of early learning and child care stakeholders including senior and front-line staff, agency boards, government representatives and staff/board members from national and regional umbrella organizations as well as similar meetings with representatives from social service charities

 

  • participate in sector-wide meetings and webinars (on-line and in-person) that explore key policy and service delivery matters impacting on the early learning and child care sector primarily and the social service sector more broadly

 

  • represent the Foundation on select working groups, community initiatives and regional and national stakeholder projects as determined by the Associate Executive Director

 

  • prepare reports, memoranda, briefing notes and other material for internal use by the Board of Directors, other Foundation staff as well as similar materials for external use by other stakeholders

Qualifications

The successful applicant will have a combination of the following education, knowledge, experience and skills.
 

  • a degree in a related discipline or a combination of relevant education and experience

 

  • strong knowledge of the early learning and child care sectors in the Foundation’s funding area and a working knowledge of related human service sectors

 

  • well-developed research skills including knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches and analysis

 

  • superior written and oral communication skills, including the ability to present complex issues and concepts in language that is accessible to a range of audiences

 

  • significant previous experience in drafting formal research reports and briefs for a range of audiences

 

  • demonstrated experience in building strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and in convening groups which may include stakeholders with different perspectives and priorities

 

  • experience in working with external consultants and external parties on joint initiatives

 

  • some government relations work and experience

The successful candidate must have:
 

  • a valid driver’s licence

 

  • the ability to travel within the Foundation’s funding area and elsewhere in Canada

 

  • the legal ability to work in Canada as of the date of application

Application closing date:  June 15, 2025

Applications should include a covering letter, resumé and salary expectations and should be sent (preferably in PDF format to csmith@muttart.org
 
Do not submit applications through any online program or portal.

The salary range for the position is between $80,000 and $110,000, depending on the successful candidate’s level of education and professional experience.

Foundation employees receive a generous benefits package.

Only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

No agency inquiries please.