Drug checking administrative assistant
Job description
MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions’ Drug Checking Unit, housed within St. Michael’s Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto, is recruiting an assistant to provide organizational and administrative support to our provincial public health program, Ontario’s Drug Checking Community. A primary source of real-time unregulated drug market monitoring in Canada, Ontario’s Drug Checking Community aims to reduce the harms associated with substance use and, specifically, to prevent overdose.
Toronto’s Drug Checking Service is the flagship program of Ontario’s Drug Checking Community and was the first drug checking program in the province. Since launching in October of 2019, Toronto’s Drug Checking Service has checked over 18,000 samples, helping people who use drugs make informed drug use decisions, while equipping health and social service providers provincially, nationally, and internationally with evidence to respond to the worsening toxic drug supply crisis.
The program has recently received additional funding from Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program to expand service delivery across the province. To help us accomplish this lofty goal, we are seeking a self-motivated individual with outstanding attention to detail, someone with a curious mind, who takes initiative, and has a clear desire to launch or further their career in administration. The successful candidate will be responsible for executing the administrative tasks related to the program’s operational needs.
This is a full-time temporary position (12 months: October 2025 – October 2026, with the possibility of extension).
Please note that while our program is housed within a research centre, it is not research but an essential public health service. This role and its responsibilities are purely administrative. Should you be interested in pursuing scientific, research, or frontline community-based work, this position would not be well suited for you.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS

• Undergraduate degree or diploma in relevant fields (e.g., business administration, project management, communications) and relevant experience, OR demonstrable equivalent combination of specialized education and experience
• 1-2 years previous in an administrative assistant or comparable role
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to identify process gaps and develop solutions to improve efficiency/accuracy of administrative processes and tasks
• Excellent communication (verbal/written) and interpersonal skills
• Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple tasks in a timely manner and flexibility to adapt to changing workload
• Strong computer skills; particularly database, spreadsheet, and word processing
• Familiarity and experience with popular social media platforms (i.e., Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok)
• Takes initiative
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Able to keep detailed written records
• Able to understand written and verbal directions
• Experience with coordinating or managing software development an asset
• Experience with WordPress, MailChimp, online graphic design tools (e.g., Canva) an asset
  Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that people in underrepresented communities are less likely to apply to jobs when they don’t meet every single qualification. We are dedicated to building an inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we still welcome you to apply.
  Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We strive to provide a recruitment process that is barrier-free and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We understand that you may require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. When you are contacted, please inform the Talent Acquisition Specialist and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs. We want to emphasize that all accommodation requests are handled with the utmost confidentiality, respecting your privacy and dignity.

o Maintaining the program’s website, preparing and publishing website content, developing in- depth knowledge and expertise related to the program’s content management system (WordPress at this time)

• Miscellaneous (e.g., travelling between collection and analysis site members in Toronto as needed

• Coordinating sample flow using the program’s custom web-based software:
  o Ensuring samples are correctly collected and managed, resolving problems as they arise, supporting collection site members, and escalating issues to senior team members when required
  o Coordinating the transportation of samples between member organizations by transportation providers
  o Ensuring results are correctly reported, resolving problems as they arise, supporting analysis site members, and escalating issues to senior team members when required
  o Testing features of the program’s custom software, identifying and documenting issues that impact sample management, escalating issues to senior team members as required
  o Developing in-depth knowledge and expertise related to the software’s functionality to support daily operations, documentation development, and future iterations

o Data entry, cleaning, and maintenance

• Providing central administrative support:

o Tracking expenses, contracts, important program deadlines, and program outputs
o Preparing and submitting financial (including payroll), legal, and administrative documents to appropriate UHT departments and staff
o Interacting with UHT departments, such as research finance, human resources, procurement, accounts payable, research contracts, and laboratory services in order to provide program- related administrative support
o Performing general office duties (e.g., filing, printing, and record keeping)

o Coordinating both virtual and in-person meetings, and managing scheduling requests, including contacting attendees and preparing meeting materials

• Supplies management:

o Ordering and maintaining supply inventory required for the program
o Preparing supplies for collection and analysis sites as needed (e.g., labeling and registering vials and used equipment bags)

o Performing well-defined, routine, and repetitive scientific tasks as needed (e.g., weighing vials used to collect samples using an analytical balance)

• Communications:

o Leading the development of social media content, monitoring social media channels, and communicating with followers (e.g., Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok) based on information and content developed by the program
o Leading the development of a quarterly newsletter, bringing forth suggested content and drafting content in collaboration with other team members
o Responding to general inquiries from the public, program members, or partner organizations and escalating requests to senior team members when required
o Formatting basic programmatic reports, communications, and content for public dissemination using various design and campaign platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, Canva)

o Maintaining the program’s website, preparing and publishing website content, developing in- depth knowledge and expertise related to the program’s content management system (WordPress at this time)

• Miscellaneous (e.g., travelling between collection and analysis site members in Toronto as needed)