FRESHWATER POLICY JOBS

Job Opportunity: Director
Organization: Canadian Freshwater Alliance / ALLIANCE D’EAU DOUCE
Location: Anywhere in Canada; must be able to work from a home office.

Apply by: February 5, 2021 at 4:00 pm EST
Anticipated start date: April 1, 2021

Overview

We are seeking a new leader to guide the Canadian Freshwater Alliance and shape the future of water in Canada. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a clear vision of where the freshwater community needs to go in the coming years and the persistence to get there.

The Canadian Freshwater Alliance builds, unites, and activates networks of freshwater champions across Canada in order to secure healthy waters for everyone. We work with organizations and individuals who are freshwater champions to strengthen citizen engagement and participation in the protection of our lakes and rivers. We drive change through advocacy campaigns, engagement organizing, and by serving as a national and regional voice on key freshwater issues.

We are a project on MakeWay’s shared platform. MakeWay (formerly Tides Canada) is a national charity and public foundation with a goal to enable nature and communities to thrive together. MakeWay achieves its goals by building partnerships and providing solutions, grants, and services for the charitable sector across the country.

You will be stepping into this leadership role during a time of change. COVID-19 has shifted economic, social and political realities. While the crisis has been difficult for many people in many ways, there is also an opportunity to ensure that freshwater health and security are central to Canada’s recovery plan. We are looking for a leader who is motivated by this opportunity and the chance to guide our dedicated team through uncharted waters.

The ideal candidate is someone eager to address freshwater issues and respond to changes in federal and regional water policy, including the new Canadian Water Agency. They will share the Alliance’s commitment to supporting Indigenous perspectives and the programs and campaigns they nurture will reflect the interests and diversity of Canadian society.

As the Director of the Canadian Freshwater Alliance, you have a chance to advance clean and healthy waters for all. If this mission excites you, please read on for details.

About the Role

The Director is the senior leader of Canadian Freshwater Alliance, a ten-year strong initiative with five skilled and confident remote staff. The Director has three primary responsibilities:

• Setting and supporting implementation of CFA’s strategic direction;
• Securing funds to implement the strategy; and,
• Supporting staff so that they can implement the programs effectively.

On a day-to-day basis, most of your time will be spent securing resources to support the Alliance’s work, nurturing relationships with key funders and other stakeholders, and supporting staff so they can implement campaigns and programs effectively. Annually, you will craft an updated Strategic Plan and operating budget to guide the Alliance’s work and help staff and stakeholders understand the direction.

The Director reports to the Steering Committee and will receive performance reviews and feedback every six-months. You and your team work remotely.

About the Programs

Current Canadian Freshwater Alliance campaigns include Lake Erie Alive, CodeBlue BC, and the new Blue Recovery national campaign. All campaigns seek to secure healthy water, and each has its own specific objective. Lake Erie Alive unites communities to defend this great lake from toxic algae and other threats. By creating a groundswell of support, this campaign works to ensure governments keep their commitments to implement the Lake Erie Action Plan. CodeBlueBC is a plan to secure and sustain freshwater sources in BC. This campaign has garnered over 20,000 supporters and is championed by over 20 organizations. The new Blue Recovery campaign seeks to ensure freshwater health is a key part of Canada’s COVID-19 recovery plan by advocating for ample funding and support for solutions like green infrastructure and the new Canada Water Agency.

Each campaign is led by a dedicated staff member. The Director’s role is to help frame and focus the campaigns, provide strategic direction when needed, and ensure it has the resources and stakeholder support necessary to succeed.

Job Details

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants with the following qualifications will be considered for the position. Applicants should highlight in their CV and/or cover letter how they meet these qualifications.

1. Experience:

• More than 5 years experience in a similar role, as a senior manager, and/or with equivalent fundraising, management, and leadership demands;
• Experience in the environmental or conservation sector in Canada and an understanding of the organizations and individuals working in this field;
• Proven ability to empower people to work collaboratively to overcome challenges, adapt to opportunities, and celebrate successes;
• Experience designing and managing successful public interest campaigns.

2. Passion:

• A love and understanding of freshwater issues in Canada;
• A commitment to environmental justice and reconciliation with Indigeneous Peoples.

3. Fundraising and development abilities:

• Career history of securing at least $500,000 in grants or other non-profit revenue;
• Experience nurturing relationships with funders.

Desired Skills and Qualities

These skills and qualities will also help to ensure the Director will succeed in their new role:

• Self-motivated with an infectious enthusiasm for Canadian Freshwater Alliance’s mission;
• Confidence in your vision and the ability to communicate it clearly to a variety of audiences;
• Track record of building and growing an organization or initiative that engages a broad diversity of supporters across geographic, political and social spheres;
• Significant understanding of water/conservation policies and policy change processes including organizing, lobbying, and government relations;
• Experience with engagement organizing and collaboration with community-based organizations;
• A good listener, with a willingness to understand different perspectives and the ability to incorporate lessons learned into the Alliance’s work;
• A proven record of professional achievement and innovation;
• Flexibility and ability to adapt and seize new opportunities as circumstances evolve;
• A proven ability to think strategically, develop and implement plans and manage complex and changing projects;
• Experience with human resources, supporting management and staff, and a history of contributing to a healthy organizational culture. This includes knowledge of best practices relating to accessibility, diversity and inclusion;
• A commitment to empowering others, including the desire to see staff, stakeholders, and partner organizations succeed around you;
• A Bachelor’s degree or higher in natural sciences, the social sciences, community development, or a related field is beneficial;
• A history of acting with integrity, respect, and honesty;
• Exceptional interpersonal and teamwork skills, in particular the ability to trust and value the contributions of your team;
• Experience reporting to or sitting on a board, Steering Committee, or similar advisory group;
• Fluency in English is required. The ability to speak French and/or an Indigenous language is an asset.

Why Work for Us?

We are a small, supportive, charitable project with a team that is passionate about making positive change. We offer a 30-hour work week that can be executed flexibly and staff find they have a great deal of autonomy in how they carry out their work. Staff receive 3 weeks of vacation per year, qualify for benefits after a year of work with MakeWay, and receive a $100 monthly stipend for home office expenses.

As a Project on MakeWay’s shared platform, the selected candidate will be an employee of MakeWay. This is a permanent position with a 3-month probationary period. You will report to the steering committee, and will have bi-annual evaluations. The starting salary range is $65,000 to $72,000, based on experience.

How to Apply

Please send your resume and cover letter to: hiring@freshwateralliance.ca with “CFA Director” in the subject line. Let us know how you found out about the position in your cover letter. The names and resumes of all applicants will be held in strict confidence.

Canadian Freshwater Alliance will be prioritizing candidates from Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities and/or candidates of diverse gender identities. If you would like to be considered for employment equity, please note this in your cover letter and include as much as or as little information as you would like.

Please include the following information in your cover letter;

1. A summary of your experience in fundraising and managing teams;
2. A brief example of a public interest campaign you led: the issue you addressed, the approach you took, and the outcome;
3. A brief explanation of how you see yourself adding value to the work of one or two campaigns/ initiatives from the CFA website;
4. One idea or perspective you would bring to CFA to help further our commitment to environmental justice and reconciliation.

Please indicate you saw this posting at GoodWork.

Only those applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls or recruiters please.

MakeWay is strongly committed to creating a diverse workplace environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We will provide accommodation during all steps of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. The selected candidate will be an employee of MakeWay.

For more information about the Canadian Freshwater Alliance and MakeWay, please visit:

http://www.freshwateralliance.ca / https://makeway.org/solutions/shared-platform/