Plain language specialist and editor

CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario/Éducation juridique communautaire Ontario) (cleo.on.ca) is a charitable, non-profit organization, and legal clinic that provides information and resources for people and communities that face barriers to participating in the justice system. These barriers include low income, racial background, literacy, language, culture, disability, and accessibility. For 50 years, CLEO has built a strong reputation for producing and disseminating high quality, effective public legal education and information (PLEI) in digital, print, and other formats.

CLEO is seeking a plain language specialist and editor to edit CLEO content in a variety of formats, including print and online. The editor will work collaboratively with colleagues across various teams to edit materials in line with CLEO’s house style guide and other principles of plain language and design. This is a fee-for-service position on a 1-year contract, with up to 90 hours per month.

The successful candidate will report to the director of the Steps to Justice program. Goals and activities will support the work of CLEO’s main programs.

Key responsibilities include:

Plain language and design

• Apply CLEO’s house style guide and other principles of plain language and design when editing, proofreading, fact-checking, writing, and rewriting
• Design and layout materials in a variety of formats, ensuring consistency with CLEO’s brand and clear design principles, or work with designers to do this work
• Recommend updates and improvements to CLEO’s house style guide and content development process

Project co-ordination

• Manage projects with CLEO lawyers, other CLEO staff, and other vendors including freelance designers, editors, artists, writers, lawyers, and printers
• Develop timetables for projects, and track progress to ensure that projects are completed in a timely manner
• Participate in project planning for new PLEI projects with an awareness of audience needs, as required
• Participate in outreach and distribution planning for CLEO projects, including production of outreach materials, as required
• Recommend improvements to CLEO’s production processes

Other

• Ensure inclusive representation and language, avoiding stereotypes
• Facilitate and support CLEO incorporating graphic and video elements by suggesting new developments and platforms and liaising with external suppliers, as required
• Be familiar with community and legal resources for referral purposes
• Participate in meetings, as required

The successful candidate will have:

• Specialized degree or training in plain language and editing (for example, Simon Fraser’s Plain language certificate, TMU’s publishing certificate, professional development training offered through Editors Canada)
• Knowledge of ISO standard: Plain language — Part 1: Governing principles and guidelines and Part 2: Legal information
• Membership in a plain language organization like PLAIN or Plain Canada Clair is recommended but not required
• Membership in Editors Canada is recommended but not required
• Very detail‐oriented, strong organizational skills, and the ability to multi-task
• Knowledge of HTML and/or experience with content management systems
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Experience working in a non‐profit environment is preferred
• Oral and written fluency in French is not required, but is an asset

To apply:

Please forward the following documents in PDF format:

• your resume
• a cover letter
• a brief writing sample or tracked changes document that demonstrates your ability to communicate clearly

Please include the above documents in an email with “Plain language specialist and editor” in the subject line by January 5, 2026 to: info@cleo.on.ca.

Estimated timelines:

• Interviews – week of January 19, 2026
• Start date – Tuesday February 3, 2026

CLEO is committed to equitable employment and hiring practices. We are dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from people who identify as Indigenous, Black, a person of colour, a person with a disability, or 2SLGBTQIA+. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to achieving our mission. If requested, we will provide accommodation during the hiring process. We treat all information confidentially.

Thank you to all applicants for their interest in the position. We will only contact candidates that have been selected for an interview.