Overview

Permanent, full-time (1.0 or 0.8 FTE)
Reports to: CPAWS-BC Board of Directors
Direct Reports: 1 director; 3 managers

This position can work out of a Vancouver office or may choose to work remotely elsewhere in British Columbia. Currently, the majority of our team is choosing to work from home. 1-2 in-person, all-staff retreats are scheduled per year. The successful candidate will travel to Victoria and/or Lower Mainland as needed for internal and stakeholder meetings.

The annual salary for the position is $100,000, plus generous health and dental benefits, RRSP matching program, 15 days paid vacation and scheduled annual cost of living increases.

ABOUT CPAWS-BC

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) is part of one of Canada’s oldest non-profit conservation groups. We have been defending lands and waters in BC since 1978 and are dedicated to keeping BC’s natural environment thriving forever. Nature is BC’s best hope.

CPAWS-BC works on the unceded territories of Indigenous Peoples. We recognize that all people have the right to a healthy environment. Identity, culture, and survival are often deeply rooted in people’s connection to the land and ocean. However, not all people have equal access to and decision-making powers over the use of land and the ocean. As a conservation organization, we have the responsibility to uphold the values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion of marginalized voices and perspectives. CPAWS-BC’s hiring practices give priority to Indigenous, Black, and racialized people and those who face systemic barriers to employment.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Executive Director is the senior leader within CPAWS-BC, responsible for the day-to-day operations and business of CPAWS-BC as a registered not-for-profit society. The Executive Director is responsible for the leadership and management of a progressive and evolving conservation non-profit alongside a strong staff team and a newly created Director of Conservation and Advocacy role. The Executive Director builds and maintains strong relationships with Indigenous partners, Board, staff, funders, donors, the CPAWS national office and fellow CPAWS chapters, and the broader community with a commitment to achieve outcomes that are inclusive, and mission-driven.

A significant mandate and priority of the Executive Director is to identify strategies and action plans to engage with and center Indigenous knowledge and advocacy within CPAWS-BC and our broader conservation work. CPAWS-BC holds a number of good relations with Indigenous nations around British Columbia, and staff and Board have worked together to deepen their understanding of and work with Indigenous Nations. The successful candidate will need to identify, build buy-in and communicate a shared vision of reconciliation, decolonization and/or Indigenization of CPAWS-BC’s work.

This is a great opportunity to bring a transformational leadership approach to join a dynamic team in a growing and evolving organization driving bold conservation goals. If you can imagine yourself in this role, we are keen to hear from you! Please share what you would bring and how you would be impactful.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Director has overall responsibility for:

  • Developing an organizational culture that is culturally safe and ethical, which attracts, retains, and motivates a diverse staff to contribute to the successful delivery of programs and services.
  • Overseeing the ongoing implementation of effective financial and administrative systems; develop, monitor, and present the annual budget.
  • Working closely with the Board of Directors and the staff team in the collaborative development, regular review, and implementation of the Strategic Plan that sets out the organization’s mission and vision.
  • Maintaining and helping shape the ongoing relationship with the CPAWS national office and fellow CPAWS chapters to understand and facilitate aligned priorities and identify opportunities for collaboration.
  • Overseeing the development and implementation of a strategy specific to Indigenous relations within CPAWS-BC (e.g., reconciliation, decolonization, and/or Indigenization of partnership relations, funding, and governance
    models, and/or staff competencies).

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE BRINGS:

  • A collaborative, respectful, and engaging leadership style coupled with a strategic mindset and experience in fostering a values-aligned team culture.
  • Knowledge of non-profit and NGO funding, operations, and governance best practices.
  • Demonstrated capacity to build and maintain positive relationships with diverse groups through superior interpersonal, problem-solving, and communication skills.
  • Demonstrated ability in finding innovative solutions, taking risks, and implementing goal-oriented strategies.
  • Financial acumen and professional, discrete judgment.
  • A passion for protecting Canada’s lands, ocean, wildlife, and species at risk.

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS:

  • Experience managing and providing support and guidance to a multi-disciplinary team, removing barriers to empower the team to do their best work, and strengthening and enhancing organizational development and workplace culture.
  • A deep and demonstrated commitment and ability to affect action in the area of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, with that perspective guiding decision-making.
  • Experience working with and/or reporting directly to a Board of Directors with a demonstrated understanding of non-profit governance (including the Societies Act of BC and the parameters of having registered charitable status and/or reporting requirements).
  • Knowledge of federal and provincial legislation applicable to non-profit employers (i.e., Employment Standards Act, Canada Revenue Agency, human rights, and occupational health and safety).
  • Experience with fund development, grant writing, and/or developing corporate partnerships and sponsorships.
  • Experience developing, implementing, and monitoring strategic and operational plans that build on an organization’s mission and value creativity, innovation, and bold ideas.
  • Experience developing, implementing, and monitoring operational budgets, including financial planning and reporting.
  • Experience implementing communication strategies using evolving and diverse platforms.
  • Skilled in developing relationships with and working in coalition with other organizations.

 

HOW TO APPLY

Should you be interested in learning more about this exciting opportunity, please contact Joel Harnest, in confidence, at joel@cpawsbc.org. We will respond to all who express interest.

Applications will be received and reviewed on a rolling basis, with an intended start date no later than November 1, 2022.

 

CPAWS-BC strives to maintain and expand a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strongly encourage applicants to state whether they are part of a visible minority, experience challenges with ableism, or are Indigenous. We also welcome applicants who are diverse in other ways, including in sexual orientation, gender identity, or other aspects that contribute to the mosaic of backgrounds at CPAWS-BC.