EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - JOB PROFILE

The Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) is a nonprofit organization that envisions a society where people are empowered to be agents of change in pursuit of a just world. Through community collaboration, research, and education LSPIRG provides opportunities for its members to be agents of social change.

Values

• Anti-oppression
• Education
• Social Justice
• Community
• Empowerment
• Environmentalism
• Volunteerism
• Innovation
• Accountability
• Fun!

Job Purpose: The Executive Director (ED) is responsible for the successful management of the organization’s day-to-day operations and adherence to organizational policy, according to a comprehensive strategic direction set by the Board of Directors. The ED organizes and supports all tasks ranging from staff and board training to hiring to policy development.

Reports to: The Board of Directors

Location, Period of Employment and Compensation
The ED will work out of our office at 165 Albert Street (3F) Waterloo, ON. With 35 hours week, this is a full time contract position with a start date of May 1, 2013-May 31, 2014. Contract is subject to renewal. Starting hourly wage is $20.00

General Manager Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership

• Together with the President/Chair of the Board is the public face of the corporation
• Leads the staff team and volunteers in fulfilling the organization’s mandate

Program Planning & Delivery

• Prepares an annual operating plan in line with strategic priorities
• Prepares funding requests to outside organizations and external funding bodies
• Writes organizational policies in conjunction with the board
• Ensures that organizational policies are implemented
• Processes co-sponsorship requests
• Processes working group applications

Human Resources

• Hires, supervises, evaluates and provides direction as needed to all staff
• Establishes a positive, healthy and safe work environment in accordance with all appropriate legislation and regulations
• Coaches and mentor staff as appropriate to improve performance
• Disciplines staff when necessary using appropriate techniques; release staff when necessary using appropriate and legally defensible procedures

Financial

• Creates an annual budget for approval by the board
• Is responsible for adhering to the budget within policy limits
• Liaises with the auditors for the annual audit
• Is responsible for all book keeping functions
• Provides accounting systems oversight

Risk Management

• Ensures that the organization carries appropriate Directors and Officers Insurance
• Ensures that the organization has adequate insurance coverage for all appropriate areas of the organization
• Ensures appropriate practices and risk management is implemented to allow for longevity, continuity and institutional memory is established for the organization

Community Relations & Advocacy

• Coordinates the annual general meeting
• Communicates with stakeholders to keep them informed of the work of the organization and to identify changes in the community served by the organization
• Establishes networks, relationships and collaborative arrangements with community groups, student organizations, faculty, funders, politicians, and other organizations to help fulfill the goals and mandate of the organization

Other Duties

• Reports to the Board of Directors as required
• Acts as the main supervisor of organizational tasks and

Desired Skills & Experience

• Adaptability: Demonstrate a willingness to be flexible, versatile and/or tolerant in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency.
• Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behaviour and business practices, and ensure that own behaviour and the behaviour of others is consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization.
• Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization.
• Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
• Creativity/Innovation: Develop new and unique ways to improve operations of the organization and to create new opportunities.
• Focus on Client Needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of internal and external clients to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters.
• Foster Teamwork: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness.
• Lead: Positively influence others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the organization.
• Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization.
• Organize: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details, data, information and activities
• Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement actions plans, and evaluate the process and results.
• Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.
• Think Strategically: Assesses options and actions based on trends and conditions in the environment, and the vision and values of the organization.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated public speaking, presentation, communication, event and time management skills, volunteer coordination, strategic planning, detail-oriented tasks
• Familiarity with student service organizations within a post-secondary context
• Experience in a positions of leadership
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule to accommodate evening and weekend duties

If you have a passion for social justice and change and feel that this may be the position for you, our hiring committee requests you send an application package containing your cover letter expressing this passion and relevant experience along with a resume or CV. Please make this one document saved as a PDF and submitted by Friday February 8, 2013 at 11.59PM.

As an organization that embodies anti-oppression, social justice and equity should you have experiences with these you are encouraged to share them in your cover letter. We welcome applicants from all experiences to apply.