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PEI Business Women’s Association

Project Coordinator (Web Development)

PEI Business Women’s Association is seeking a professional and qualified team player to serve as the Project Coordinator for a Web-Development based project launching in April 2021. This project will support women business owners in PEI to move their current business operations to an online eCommerce platform, so they can continue to grow their businesses throughout and beyond COVID-19. 

Starting immediately, this position is funded until July 31, 2021, with potential to extend. It involves 37.5 work hours per week, and compensation is in the $25-$30/hr. range. The Project Coordinator will report to Margaret Magner, Executive Director.

Responsibilities of this position:

• Intake form receipt and dissemination. 

• Promote programming, review applications and intake participants.

• Contract management with vendors.

• Manage the database of providers, recipients and applicants.

• Transferring and tracking invoices for payment. 

• Interface with the bookkeeper to ensure payments.

• Provide documentation and reports for funders.  

• Manage evaluation of the project.

• Organize and participate in in-person or online team meetings.

• Answer phones and check email, providing information in a professional manner and/or directing inquiries to the appropriate staff members.

• Maintain an effective, confidential, and accountable filing system for PEIBWA documents and records..

• Other duties as required by the Executive Director.

Skills and experience required:

• Project coordination and management experience.

• Working knowledge of eCommerce, website design and development. 

• Marketing expertise and excellent oral and written communication skills.. 

• Proficient in budgeting, forecasting, and accounts payable.

• Experience dealing with external contractors and service providers.

• Good time-management and organizational skills. 

• Excellent troubleshooting skills. A self-starter who can prioritize tasks and juggle multiple projects while meeting deadlines. Self-directed and comfortable working with minimal supervision.

• A keen interest in supporting the needs of women in business. 

• Intermediate to advanced skills in MS Office, particularly Word and Excel. Able to navigate online and utilize Dropbox and GSuite. 

• Experience working with non-profit organizations, bookkeeping, and/or accounting experience would be considered an asset.

• Knowledge of customer relationship management system; experience using Wild Apricot, in particular, would be an asset.

• Get along with supervisors and co-workers; respect the leadership of the organization; work collaboratively and harmoniously as part of a team; and deal effectively with situations that involve attitudes, opinions and feelings of others.

• Reliable and client-focused. 

Qualified applicants should forward a cover letter and electronic resume to PEI Business Women’s Association at office@peibwa.org with “Project Coordinator (Web Development)” in the subject line. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MONDAY, MARCH 29TH, AT 5:00 P.M.

Thank you to all that apply; however, only those that are selected for an interview will be contacted.

PEI Business Women’s Association

Project Coordinator (Consulting Services and Training Accelerator)

PEI Business Women’s Association is seeking a professional and qualified team player to serve as the Project Coordinator for Consulting Services and Training Accelerator programming launching in April 2021. This project will support women business owners in PEI, so they can continue to grow their businesses throughout and beyond COVID-19. 

Starting immediately, this position is funded until July 31, 2021, with potential to extend. It involves 37.5 work hours per week, and compensation is in the $25-$30/hr. range. The Project Coordinator will report to Margaret Magner, Executive Director. 

Responsibilities of this position: 

• Intake form receipt and dissemination. 

• Contract management with vendors and clients..

• Coordinate fit up of accelerator space and technology.

• Manage the database of providers, speakers, mentors, and applicants.

• Transferring and tracking invoices for payment. 

• Interface with the bookkeeper to ensure payments.

• Provide documentation and reports for funders.  

• Manage evaluation of the project.

• Organize and participate in in-person or online team meetings.

• Maintain an effective, confidential, and accountable filing system for PEIBWA documents and records.

• Other duties as required by the Executive Director.

• Travel between Charlottetown and Central Bedeque locations periodically

Skills and experience required:

• Project coordination and management experience.

• Marketing expertise, including social media marketing content development.  

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Some knowledge of website design and development.

• Proficient in budgeting, forecasting, and accounts payable.

• Experience dealing with external contractors and service providers.

• Good time management and organizational skills. 

• Excellent troubleshooting skills. A self-starter who can prioritize tasks and juggle multiple projects while meeting deadlines. Self-directed and comfortable working with minimal supervision.

• A keen interest in supporting the needs of women in business. 

• Intermediate to advanced skills in Google (Docs, GMail, etc.) Survey Monkey, Adobe, Microsoft 365, and MS Office, particularly Word and Excel. Able to navigate online and utilize Dropbox and GSuite. 

• Experience working with non-profit organizations, bookkeeping, and/or accounting experience would be considered an asset.

• Knowledge of customer relationship management system; experience using Wild Apricot, in particular, would be an asset.

• Get along with supervisors and co-workers; respect the leadership of the organization; work collaboratively and harmoniously as part of a team; and deal effectively with situations that involve attitudes, opinions and feelings of others.

• Reliable and client-focused. 

Qualified applicants should forward a cover letter and electronic resume to PEI Business Women’s Association at office@peibwa.org with “Project Coordinator (Consulting Services and Training Accelerator)” in the subject line. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MONDAY, MARCH 29TH, AT 5:00 P.M.

Thank you to all that apply; however, only those that are selected for an interview will be contacted.

Dr. Marlene Bryenton is a retired Employment and Insurance Officer who had a 36-year career with Service Canada. In 2003, she received an Honourary Doctor of Laws Degree from University of Prince Edward Island. She also received the Order of PEI in 1998. Following her retirement, she discovered the joys of writing for young audiences, with her third book set to be released this May.

We asked her to share the story of this newest adventure with us.

(photo caption: Dr. Marlene Bryenton with grandchildren Anna and James and illustrator Leanne Bowlan)

Tell us about your new career as a children’s author.

I have written three children's storybooks namely, Anna's Pink and Purple Glasses, Jaya's Magic Wheelchair and The Magic Toothbrush. Anna's and Jaya's storybooks were distributed to 3000 children in kindergarten and grade two all across the Island. We hope to launch The Magic Toothbrush in May 2021. This is thanks to businesses and charities that sponsor the storybooks. Our goal is to once again distribute the storybooks all across PEI. We have won awards including The Public Schools Branch Inspire Award, and three Purple Dragonfly Awards for Best Cover, Best Illustrations and Best Interior Design. Anna's and Jaya's storybooks also won Canada Book Awards.

What inspired you to start your business?

We started in October 2019.  I noticed Leanne Bowlan posting doodles on Facebook. I contacted her and asked if she would like to illustrate a children's storybook. I was laid up at the time requiring a hip replacement but I was able to use the computer to write.

Have you experienced any unexpected surprises since starting your business?

My biggest surprise is that I was able to write not one but three storybooks. They feature my four grandchildren: Jaya, Brynn, Anna, and James.

What have your successes been?

Writing the three storybooks and winning awards; and the fact that 3000 children have received each of my storybooks!

How has COVID-19 affected your business? Has it changed the way you operate? Taught you any important lessons?

My team includes an illustrator, an editor and a formatter. We could not meet as a team during the COVID-19 lockdown so we depended on our computers. We could not sell our books at local stores and we could not do book signings. This greatly limited our ability to sell storybooks. It is also difficult to obtain sponsors for the storybooks during COVID-19.

Other than COVID-19, what challenges has your business faced and how have you overcome them?

The biggest challenge was securing sponsors. I gave myself more time to do this function.

Is there anything else we should know about your business?

I hope to have my storybooks in all provinces across Canada. I found a sponsor for Jaya's Magic Wheelchair in Surrey, B.C. where Jaya lives. Surrey Firefighters and B.C. Physiotherapy both sponsored storybooks for children in Jaya's school. I also found a sponsor for Katzie Elementary, Surrey, B.C. The Jays Care Foundation affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays has also sponsored my storybooks and are including Jaya’s storybook in a pilot of their Challenger Baseball Program. If it’s a success, they’ll  sponsor more storybooks.

For more information about Marlene’s books or to contact her, visit her website or her Facebook page.

If you are a current PEIBWA member and would like to submit your profile for future consideration, please fill out this simple online form!

Part-time Office Administrator

PEI Business Women’s Association is seeking a professional and qualified team player as its part-time Office Administrator to conduct day-to-day office administrative duties, assist other PEIBWA staff members, and support special projects. This position is based at the PEIBWA  Charlottetown office, 20 hours per week. Salary dependent on skills & experience.

Reporting to the Executive Director, these are the responsibilities of this position:

• Provide administrative support as needed to the Executive Director, including assistance with regular reporting to funders and to the PEIBWA Board of Directors.

• Support the accounting process as acting as a liaison between the organization and accounting services. Prepare and make all bank deposits.

• Provide financial information to the PEIBWA team accurately and in a timely fashion.

• Organize and participate in in-person or online team meetings.

• Answer phones and check email, providing information in a professional manner and/or directing inquiries to the appropriate staff members.

• Maintain and manage G Suite and other software programs as the organization’s Administrator.

• Track upcoming community events and maintain a shared community events calendar to be referenced by all PEIBWA staff.

• Maintain an effective, confidential, and accountable filing system for PEIBWA documents and records..

• Assist all staff in the planning and execution of PEIBWA events, communication, and other tasks as directed by the Executive Director..

• Assist the Business Development and Membership Officer in maintaining good communication with members using the Wild Apricot customer relationship management system. 

• Maintain the PEIBWA online lending library of resource materials and oversee the lending process to members.

• Manage the booking & use of PEIBWA rental spaces.

• Order office supplies, maintain inventory, and ensure a professional office environment.  

• Other duties as required by the Executive Director.

Formal Education/Training Required:

Office Administration training or equivalent work experience (minimum 3-5 years). Experience working with non-profit organizations, bookkeeping, and/or accounting experience would be considered an asset.

A keen interest in supporting the needs of women in business. Motivated and eager to build upon their own knowledge through continuous learning.

Excellent troubleshooting skills. A self-starter who can prioritize tasks and juggle multiple projects while meeting deadlines. Self-directed and comfortable working with minimal supervision.

Intermediate to advanced skills in MS Office, particularly Word and Excel. Able to navigate online and utilize Dropbox and GSuite. Experience with or willingness to learn and use online team collaboration tools such as Slack, Google Teams, Sharepoint, etc.

Knowledge of customer relationship management system; experience using Wild Apricot, in particular, would be an asset.

Excellent oral and written communication skills with an eye for detail. 

Get along with supervisors and co-workers; respect the leadership of the organization; work collaboratively and harmoniously as part of a team; and deal effectively with situations that involve attitudes, opinions and feelings of others.

Reliable and client-focused. 

Qualified applicants should forward an electronic resume and cover letter to PEI Business Women’s Association at office@peibwa.org with “Part-Time Office Administrator” in the subject line.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MONDAY, MARCH 22ND, AT 5:00 P.M.

Thank you to all that apply; however, only those that are selected for an interview will be contacted.

Join us Monday, March 8th from 11:00 am - 12:00 Noon for a unique online event in celebration of International Women’s Day 2021.

Choosing to Challenge will feature guests Senator Diane Griffin and Sweta Daboo, two prominent PEI figures who have pursued careers in groundbreaking public service, each one in a different stage of her professional journey.   

These women, representing two different generations of change-makers, will discuss the similarities and disparities of their professional paths and share insights on how they believe women have succeeded or continue to struggle to obtain equality in public service.

Everyone is welcome to join this free online event, which will be moderated by PEIBWA Executive Director Margaret Magner. 

CLICK HERE to register and we look forward to seeing you there!

Respecting the modified Red-level Alert COVID-19 restrictions announced by the PEI Office of Public Health, the PEIBWA office in Charlottetown and Rural Women's Business Centre in Central Bedeque (including our co-working and Work and Study Hub space) will be closed from Monday, March 1st to Wednesday, March 3rd.

Our team will be working remotely and may be reached via email. Please refer to our website (peibwa.org/Staff) for our individual email addresses. You may also leave a voicemail message for us at 902-892-6040 (Charlottetown) and 902-887-3171 (Bedeque) and we'll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Like her name, Faith LeClair is a believer in taking chances when it comes to pursing her business goals.

When the fabric shop where she had worked for eight years closed, she was “devasted”, not only at the loss of a job she loved, but also at the prospect of being 57 and starting a new job search.

Not wanting to give up her passion for sewing and quilting and knowing from experience there was a demand for product and expertise in central and western PEI, she took the leap into self-employment, establishing Sew Blessed Quilters in the renovated garage of her home.  The business was such a success, by 2019 it had expanded into the sewing room of her house as well as the basement of the Senior Centre in Kensington, where she held sewing classes.

Up until that time, Faith had primarily used Facebook to promote her business, which sold quilting fabric and supplies, Island made quilts, quilt kits, and small textile home décor items like table runners and pillows.