Social and environmental change, Local government

Position: Constituency Assistant
Organization: City of Toronto, Office of City Councillor Mike Layton
Location: Toronto ON

About the job

This position is being offered within the Office of Toronto City Councillor Mike Layton for Ward 11, University–Rosedale.

The Constituency Assistant is the face and voice of the office for residents. As a Constituency Assistant, you support residents in navigating city services and resolving local concerns related to city services. You help the Councillor in the role as a local representative and legislator, helping anticipate problems before they arise.

The successful candidate will care deeply about advancing progressive social and environmental change in the City of Toronto, including, but not limited to, affordable housing, ending homelessness, climate action, safe streets, good public transit and strong public services.

We also strive for excellence as we serve our constituents and respond to their priorities and needs. We work in the open, we listen first, and we like practical solutions.

What you will do

Help residents

• Ensure questions and concerns from residents are answered in a timely fashion, and clear records are kept.
• Research issues, liaise with relevant City staff, and draft responses.
• Follow up on requests the Councillor has made to City staff until they are resolved.

Reach out to the community

• Plan and conduct outreach across the ward, and watch for local issues that could affect residents.
• Attend residents' association, BIA and other public meetings as necessary and follow up on issues as they arise.
• Contribute to the constituency newsletter.
• Assist in maintenance of database and Councillor’s web page.

Support the Councillor

• Work with the Councillor, Councillor staff, and City staff on programs and issues affecting the ward.
• Prepare presentations, motions and speeches when needed.
• Stay on top of ward, neighbourhood and City-wide issues and make sure the Councillor has the briefing material needed for Council, committee and other meetings.
• Maintain confidentiality with respect to issues involving constituents, the City and the Councillor, and adhere to the City’s Conflict of Interest Policy
• Take on special assignments from the Councillor.

Knowledge & Experience

• College diploma or University degree in a related field, or equivalent experience; experience in constituency, casework or community work, ideally in a politician's office or a community organization.
• Strong MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) skills.
• Strong writing and research skills with attention to detail.
• Patience and ability to demonstrate empathy and understanding with constituents, stakeholders, and City of Toronto staff.
• Comfort speaking in public and at community meetings.
• Skill with databases, email newsletters, and website tools.
• A commitment to building a progressive city.
• Able to work evenings and weekends for community events.
• Knowledge of City of Toronto divisions and Ontario planning process considered an asset
• Fluency in French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Portuguese, and Italian considered an asset
• Social media, graphic design and content creation considered an asset.

Compensation

• $55,000 – $75,000 per year, based on experience.
• Full benefits and pension package.
• Hybrid work environment offered.

Apply

To apply, please e-mail your resume and a brief covering letter to:
info@mikelayton.ca
subject: Constituency Assistant

• Applications will be reviewed as submitted until the closing date on November 13th at Noon. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications ASAP.
• Only those candidates being considered will be contacted for an interview.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including Indigenous, Black and racialized people, women, 2SLGBTQ+ people, newcomers and people with disabilities. Tell us if you need anything to take part in the hiring process.

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