Youth Climate Action

Organization: Youth Climate Corps BC
Location: Kelowna, BC

Closing Date for Applications: August 6, 2025

Job Title: Program Lead, Kelowna
Reports to: Assistant Director of Programs
Location: Onsite and Office (home and/or provide office space)
Position Status: 35 hr/weekly, 26-week contract starting on or around September 15, 2025

Wage: $29.92/hr plus 4% vacation pay

Position Overview: In partnership with the City of Kelowna, YCCBC is seeking a Program Lead to oversee the operations of the newly established Climate Resilient Kelowna Strategy, guiding its successful delivery and alignment with both YCCBC and municipal climate goals.

As a local government, the City of Kelowna is uniquely positioned to influence how the community grows, commutes, interacts, and protects natural ecosystems, all in a low-emission and climate-resilient manner. This program is designed to support these efforts through education, outreach, and community engagement.

In alignment with YCCBC’s values, the Program Lead is responsible for high-level program planning, partnership development, and administrative coordination, while also working hands-on alongside the Mobilizers and Program Coordinator. The Lead directly supervises the Program Coordinator and up to three Community Climate Action Mobilizers, ensuring a supportive, inclusive, and empowering team environment.

This role collaborates with the City of Kelowna, surrounding communities, and local organizations to build and oversee a portfolio of projects for the Mobilizer team. These projects will support key municipal climate initiatives, including creating and implementing public outreach strategies, promoting energy efficiency, advancing nature-based solutions, and educating the community on climate resilience.

By integrating leadership, strategic planning, and a strong commitment to climate action, the Program Lead will play a central role in empowering youth to make a meaningful contribution to community climate goals.

About Youth Climate Corps BC: Youth Climate Corps BC (YCCBC) empowers young people to take meaningful action against the climate crisis. Through paid work and hands-on training, YCCBC equips youth with the skills to implement climate action projects that directly benefit their communities. By reducing emissions, building resilience, and fostering adaptation, YCCBC ensures real impact at the local level.

YCCBC strengthens community capacity by developing a motivated, organized, and adaptable youth workforce to bring climate plans to life. Participants aged 17-30 collaborate for four to six months, gaining essential skills, scaling up climate initiatives, and growing their leadership and community networks.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Leadership, Supervision & Support:

• Facilitate youth leadership development and career skill-building opportunities.
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and performance reviews to the Program Coordinator and Mobilizers.
• Support team cohesion, celebrate successes, and manage team dynamics equitably.
• Serve as the escalation point for challenges raised by the Program Coordinator.

Program Planning & Operations:

• Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Programs, the City of Kelowna, and local communities to design programming, coordinate logistics, and prepare training materials.
• Participate in the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of the Program Coordinator and Mobilizer team.
• Oversee day-to-day program operations, including project coordination, resource allocation, and risk management.
• Work alongside the Mobilizers to ensure project success and maintain a safe, inclusive work environment.

Community & Partnership Engagement:

• Develop and maintain relationships with community partners, local organizations, and Indigenous rights holders.
• Identify opportunities for meaningful climate action projects in collaboration with the City of Kelowna and other stakeholders.
• Represent YCCBC in public engagements, outreach events, and media opportunities.

Administrative Duties:

• Allocate resources, manage budgets, and produce reports to track program outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with organizational and WorkSafeBC standards.
• Collaborate with the YCCBC Communications Team to highlight program activities on social media and other platforms.

Qualifications:

No ‘formal’ post-secondary education is required, as we recognize that ‘formal’ education at colleges and universities is just one version of many types of meaningful education.

• Must be between 17 and 30 years old and reside in the Kelowna area.
• Personal values and commitment to climate action, social justice, anti-racism / anti-oppression, diversity, and inclusion, reconciliation and decolonization.
• Awareness of one's own lived experience of systemic barriers or privilege, and how that shapes your unique contribution to strategic social change.
• Knowledge of climate science, climate risks, and effective ways to take action in the community.
• Flexibility to work a variety of hours including some evenings and weekends to accommodate projects that may take place outside of regular business hours.
• The legal authority to work in Canada.
• A criminal record check may be required.
• Physical ability that allows for extended periods of standing, walking, moving supplies or equipment weighing up to 20 pounds, and tasks that involve bending or stooping.

Experience, skills, and attributes:

• Experience in program design and management, facilitation, and team leadership.
• Experience supervising a team.
• Experience working with organizations in the Kelowna area is an asset.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Familiarity with health and safety standards, including WorkSafeBC requirements.
• Experience working with diverse project partners.
• Experience in public communication, public speaking, presentations and environmental education.
• Experience working with youth, in a mentorship or leadership role.
• Financial management, administrative, and organizational skills, including budget tracking and preparing team schedules.
• Knowledge of and work experience in climate change, anti-oppression work, and related fields such as food security, energy, forestry, and climate justice.
• Confident with G-Suite (Google Apps), Office, basic databases, videoconferencing, and other applications.

Assets:

• Standard First Aid certification or higher training may be provided.
• Driver’s Licence

Working Conditions

• 50% home office environment; 50% various job sites including outdoor work in varied weather conditions and physical labour.

How to Apply: Interested candidates are asked to complete their application by:

Consider attending one of the Community Climate Action Mobilizer’s information session to learn more about YCCBC and the projects and team you will be supporting. You can register at this link: https://linktr.ee/YCCBC

Candidates are asked to complete their application by:

1. Clicking the “Apply Now” button and uploading their resume at https://www.youthclimatecorps.com/career
2. Submitting a 2-3 minute “video cover letter” to people@youthclimatecorps.com with the job title in the subject line. Production quality is not important.

Please let us know:

• Why are you interested in this position?
• How will you help move the YCCBC mission forward?

YCCBC is committed to equity and inclusion in our hiring processes and work environment, and we encourage women, people of colour, people of Indigenous ancestry, and LGBTQ2+ individuals to apply for this position. We strive to ensure that YCCBC is a safe place and are continually deepening our commitment to anti-oppressive operations within YCCBC.

Youth Climate Corps seeks to address climate justice for all Canadians. We are strengthened and guided by our diverse community and encourage applications from all identity groups, those with lived experiences and those who have been historically excluded or marginalized.

Join us in empowering youth and fostering climate resilience in Kelowna!

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