Description
Founded in 1995, YES Employment + Entrepreneurship is a non-profit community-based organization dedicated to enriching the community by providing English-language support services to help Quebecers find employment and start and grow businesses.
Position Summary
The Self-Employment Coach for Artists provides client-centered exploration, assessment, and decisionsupport services to artists and aspiring artists who are considering self-employment as a career pathway. This role supports clients in answering the question: “Is self-employment the right form of work for me, and what would it realistically require?”
The Coach works with clients to:
• Clarify career direction (self-employment vs. salaried employment or hybrid pathway)
• Assess readiness, motivation, and understanding of self-employment realities
• Identify personal, financial, and psychosocial barriers
• Develop an initial action plan (up to 4 sessions) to support informed decision-making
This role does not provide business development coaching, but instead serves as:
• The primary intake and triage point for artists entering services
• A bridge to Artist Business Coaches once clients are assessed as ready for business development
The position also plays a key role in:
• Filtering and preparing clients for art business development with artist business coaches
• Delivering self-employment awareness workshops
• Ensuring clients are matched to the appropriate service stream
Position Responsibilities
1. Intake, Assessment & Client Triage
• Conduct all artist program intakes, establishing a trusting and supportive helping relationship
• Assess client
• Identify barriers (financial, personal, psychosocial, structural) impacting ability to pursue self-employment
• Determine appropriate service pathway
• Ensure proper CRM coding and service alignment for compliance
2. Individual Coaching (Exploration-Focused)
• Provide up to 4 structured coaching sessions per client focused on decision-making and action planning
• Support clients to explore self-employment as a viable career option
• Co-develop a realistic and personalized action plan
• Maintain appropriate boundaries (non-therapeutic), while using strong intervention skills
3. Client Preparation & Referral to Business Coaching
• Identify clients ready to transition to business development supports
• Ensure clients referred to Artist Business Coaches are clear on intent to pursue self-employment and
aware of expectations and realities
• Provide warm hand-offs and relevant context to coaches
4. Workshop Facilitation & Education
• Develop and deliver workshops (online and in-person) focused on, self-employment as a career option
• Create and update workshop materials
5. Barrier Navigation, Support & Referrals
• Use an intervention-informed approach to support clients
• Refer clients to internal services (employment counselling, entrepreneurship supports) or external resources (community organizations, mental health services, funding resources)
6. Community Engagement & Ecosystem Awareness
• Maintain strong knowledge of: arts ecosystem (granting bodies, associations, schools, collectives)
• Build relationships to support referrals and client pathways
Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications
University degree in one of the following: Arts Administration, Business, Marketing, or MBA, Social Sciences /
Humanities (e.g., Psychology, Social Work, Career Development)
Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered
Minimum of 3 years required; 5+ strongly preferred
Experience in client assessment, employment counselling, or intervention-based roles, group facilitation and workshop delivery; career exploration or employability services
Knowledge of self-employment / freelancing realities (especially in the arts) and Arts ecosystem (grantors, networks, institutions)
Understanding of: boundaries between counselling, coaching, and referral
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
High emotional intelligence and active listening capacity
Ability to navigate ambiguity and complex client realities
Sound judgment and ethical decision-making
Ability to assess readiness and guide decision-making
Excellent facilitation and communication skills
Organizational and documentation skills
Knowledge of French is considered an asset
Available to work occasional evenings or weekends
As an organization that provides services in English this position requires excellent English writing and communication skills.
Compensation: $56,000 - $58,000
How to Apply
Send both your cover letter and CV to [email protected]
YES values and embraces diversity of origins, non-discrimination linked to age, gender or sexual orientation
and/or gender identity. Valuing each employee of the organization as an individual and treating everyone on an
equal footing allows us to create a work environment that values and respects people for their talents, skills and
competences. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons,
persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and
from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities. All
qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements,
Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Only the candidates selected to participate in the
recruitment process will be contacted.