Climate leadership, Systems change

Position Description: Chair, Bay Area Climate Change Council (BACCC)
Type: board of directors positions / unpaid / volunteer
Organization: Bay Area Climate Change Council
Location: Applicants should be local to the Hamilton/Burlington area, Ontario

The Chair of the Bay Area Climate Change Council (BACCC) is the chief volunteer leader responsible for ensuring the Council operates effectively to achieve its vision and mission.

BACCC is a collective impact initiative that brings cross-sector leaders together to identify and implement the complex systems changes required to reach net zero in the Hamilton-Burlington Bay Area. Its core work involves creating the conditions for collaboration on complex, multi-stakeholder problems that no single stakeholder can solve alone.

Organizational Context

BACCC's mission is to catalyze action in the Bay Area on the climate emergency. The Chair is elected by BACCC's members and is essential in linking the Council's governance role with the work of the staff. BACCC is an unincorporated association housed at Mohawk College as its host secretariat and supported by the Cities of Hamilton and Burlington.

Click here to review BACCC’s 2024-2026 Strategic Plan

Click here to review BACCC’s Theory of Change

Click here to review BACCC’s 2025 Annual Report

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Ensure that the BACCC's vision is enacted and that members provide clear directions to support the mission of catalyzing climate action.
• Lead BACCC’s members in governing the organization and setting the overall strategic direction, goals, and objectives in partnership with the lead of the backbone staff team.
• Assume ultimate responsibility for the integrity of the organization’s finances and ensure legal compliance with all necessary regulations.
• Maintain the public trust and credibility of the organization.

2. Council & Committee Management

• Preside over and facilitate BACCC meetings, ensuring agendas are strategic, discussion is dynamic, and all perspectives are heard.
• Cultivate a collaborative culture, motivate active participation, and ensure members uphold their commitments.
• Appoint committees and Implementation Team chairs and ensure that BACCC members are involved in committee activities.
• Lead the Council in a comprehensive annual self-evaluation or assessment of its work.
• Oversee the hiring, evaluation, and compensation of the backbone staff lead in collaboration with Mohawk College and in accordance with Mohawk College’s human resources policies and practices.

3. External Relations & Staff Support

• Serve as a primary point of contact for key staff members and individual BACCC members on BACCC issues.
• Provide support and direction to BACCC staff.
• Represent the BACCC when speaking to the press, media, or other groups, and refer all general media inquiries to the backbone staff lead.
• Maintain visibility in the community and lead fundraising efforts, cultivating relationships with donors and funders.
• Approve public attendance and delegation requests for meetings in collaboration with the backbone staff lead.

4. Succession Planning

• Lead future succession planning processes, including mentoring eventual BACCC Chair successor.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Extensive experience leading multi-sector collaborations, partnership brokering, and managing stakeholder relationships.
• Demonstrated commitment to exceptional council governance practices.
• Strong knowledge of climate change-related subject matters and the organization’s work.
• Exceptional leadership qualities, group dynamic skills, and personal integrity.
• Ability to devote adequate time to Council responsibilities.
• Deep familiarity with both Hamilton and Burlington.
• Experience in group facilitation, encouraging open communication, and consensus-based decision-making is highly valued.

Application Package

Candidates will be asked to submit a brief application package, including:

• A cover letter or expression of interest outlining motivation for the role and relevant experience
• A current resume or CV
• Contact information for two references (professional or governance-related)
• A brief statement (150–250 words) on their vision for BACCC's continued impact in the Bay Area

Application Deadline

BACCC asks that all interested applications submit their application via email to info@bayareaclimate.ca before 11:59pm on Sunday September 27th, 2026.

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