Administrative Assistant Certifications

The Alliance Française de la Région de la Capitale Nationale du Canada, hereinafter referred to as AF Ottawa, is a local non-profit association founded in 1905. AF Ottawa is part of the Alliance Française network, the largest cultural organization in the world. AF Ottawa is a French language school with over 1,200 students per year, a cultural centre showcasing all French-speaking cultures, a resource centre for teaching and documentation, and an officially accredited examination centre.

Job description

The employee is placed under the direct authority of the Course Director.
He/she is responsible for the implementation of the policies and strategies defined upstream by the management and the course management for the certifications division in an autonomous manner, and more specifically for the following main activities

I. Administering the certifications division

• To carry out regular activity reviews of the unit with the course management
• Propose a calendar of sessions to the course management for validation in accordance with the determined objectives
• Ensure the administrative follow-up of the examination centre approvals of the AF Ottawa, keep a register of them and update them if necessary, ensure that the regulatory framework is formally respected
• Develop and analyse session reports and statistics for the division
• Manage the daily organisation in an efficient manner by implementing optimised procedures
• Manage external relations (supervisory bodies, partners, testing centres, etc.)
• Participate in the promotion of qualifications in collaboration with the communication department: AFO materials, information for learners, website, social networks, etc.
• Participate in the annual update of the price list

II. Manage teachers who are eligible for certification

• To ensure the administrative follow-up of examiners’ accreditations, to keep a register of them and to communicate on the needs for training with the management of the courses
• Manage the accreditation of examiner-correctors (DELF/DALF, TEF, TCF and others): keep an updated list of accredited teacher-examiners
• Identify AF Ottawa’s annual needs in terms of recruitment and training, anticipate training and possible departures, and ensure that there is a sufficient number of certified examiners at all times
• Organise examination boards and supervise working sessions in accordance with the regulations in force
• Participate in oral examinations and corrections if necessary
• If necessary, welcome, train and supervise new examiner-correctors

III. Operational management of certification sessions

• Informing and advising clients on certifications in collaboration with the account managers and the office manager. Follow-up of registrations and convocations
• Working closely with partners and the administrative team
• Responding to atypical requests, in conjunction with the client managers (requests for test adjustments, tests not offered on a regular basis or not included in the session calendar, etc.)
• Management of test times and locations, session documents for invigilators/examiners/candidates, management of schedules, hours and tasks performed by examiners, provision of materials, delivery of results and certificates, etc.
• Coordinating and participating in the material and logistical preparation of the examination sessions: setting up the examination rooms and waiting rooms before the sessions
• Managing registrations on ad hoc software (GAEL, TEO, the CCIP Portal, and others)
• If necessary, in collaboration with the IT service provider, check and update the IT equipment (tablets, applications, computers, headsets, etc.)
• Verify compliance and ensure confidentiality of exam content before, during and after the exam
• Ensuring that the recommended measures to combat fraud are put in place
• Transmitting session documents to the competent authorities: sending copies, closing the session, anomalies, possible corrective measures (correction or updating of registration data such as surnames, first names, date of birth, etc.)
• Transmit to the accounting department the information necessary for invoicing and the payment of certificates, if necessary

IV. Coordinate projects specific to qualifications

• Coordinating the management of certification projects outside of “regular” sessions, e.g. exceptional sessions, delocalised exams, specific projects with partners
• Administer specific assessments at the request of clients, under the responsibility of the Course Director
• Depending on the needs of AF Ottawa and at the request of his/her supervisors, the employee may be required to carry out other tasks related to the activity of the Education and Qualifications Department.

Profile Sought

Diplomas/training

• Diploma or relevant experience in the field of FLE/FLS desirable
• DELF/DALF, TEF and TCF accreditations already obtained or in progress would be a plus

Knowledge and skills

• French mother tongue or proven C2 level
• English level B2 minimum
• Knowledge of the CEFR levels and of the various certifications offered at AF Ottawa is desirable
• Previous knowledge of IT tools related to the sector of activity (Arc-en-ciel, GAEL, TEO, etc.) desirable
• Mastery of office automation tools (Office 365) necessary for the position, in particular Outlook (management of mail and dedicated e-mail address), Teams, Word and Excel
• Ability to keep up to date with the latest developments and to integrate them into your work

Function-related skills

• Work both independently and in a team
• Team player and collaborative spirit
• Good interpersonal skills, ability to solve problems or deal with unforeseen events: solution-oriented mindset
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in French and English with tact and diplomacy, in particular to explain, guide and convince
• Ability to adapt to fluctuations in workload
• Flexibility, good capacity for change
• Rigour, reliability, attention to detail
• Sense of responsibility and priorities
• Excellent organisational skills
• Ability to make proposals for the development and improvement of the sector and the institution

Working conditions

• Desired start date: 4 January 2023
• Fixed-term contract to replace parental leave, minimum 15 months
• Part-time: 22.5 h/week. In case of a FLE/FLS teacher profile, a complement with teaching hours could be proposed
• Remuneration: between $20.14 and $24.38 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications
• Workplace: 352 Maclaren Street, Ottawa ON K2P 0M6. Telecommuting and business travel possible depending on the needs of the department

How to apply

• Send your CV and cover letter to Samuel Coeytaux, Executive Director of AF Ottawa, by email to direction@af.ca.  Include in the subject line “Application for certification assistant”.
• Copies of diplomas and letters of reference to be provided only upon request, after the 1st selection. Priority will be given to Canadian citizens, permanent residents or temporary residents with a valid Canadian work permit. Only successful applicants will be contacted.
• Application deadline: 9 December 2022.