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Director of Operations– Full Time Permanent Position

Full time, Permanent
Deadline: April 10, 2023, 11:59 p.m. PT

Summary

Under the general direction of the (co-)Executive Director(s), the Director of Operations directs the work of the Operations Team and manages the financial, operational, governance, and human resources of the Council.

The Director oversees all aspects of the Council’s operations, inclusive of financial, operational, governance, and human resources. They are responsible for supervising the Council’s finance and bookkeeping, budgeting and financial reporting, as well as office coordination and on-premise operations and technology needs, as well as high-level human resources and professional development support to the whole staff team. The Director will also manage aspects of our governance, namely Board operations and preparation around our Annual Members Meeting and in-person retreats.

The Director is also responsible for the advancement of the Council’s organizational and operational growth. This can include management of special projects, training and education, and monitoring of external sectoral trends.

Also, the Director ensures that the operational plan and budget of the Finance and Administration team are drafted on a yearly basis. The Director functions as a representative of the Council in discussions and meetings with the Council’s union. In conjunction with the Council’s other Directors, the Director is responsible for the production of Council policies, procedures, and work rules.

Major Responsibilities

Financial (25%):

  • Provides advice to the (co-)Executive Director(s), Directors and the Board of Directors on financial matters;
  • Monitors expenditures and revenues;
  • Updates the yearly budget of The Council and of the Finance Team, to best meet operational goals as determined by the (co-)Executive Director(s), Directors and the Board of Directors;
  • Oversees the administration of the Council’s payroll, benefits, and other compensation, including the retirement savings contributions and group insurance benefits in a timely and accurate manner;
  • Prepares and analyzes financial statements, projections, and reports on a regular basis, and at the request of (co-)Executive Director(s);
  • Oversees routine financial operations, including accounts payables and receivables, bank deposits, transfers, month-end and year-end closings;
  • Ensures annual audit is completed by independent auditors on a timely basis, and ensures financial practices meet generally accepted accounting principles;
  • Assists directors and staff in the preparation of team budgets;
  • Prepares cashflow projections for the finance committee in advance of board meetings;
  • Recommends, designs, implements, and monitors financial systems, controls, and accounting procedures;
  • Oversees replacement or upgrading of financial systems, including software and hardware upgrades, where necessary; and
  • Manages the negotiation and administration of approved contracts with external agencies relevant to the Council’s financial program, including outside consultants and contractors.

Operations (20%)

  • Negotiates and administers contracts with external agencies including outside contractors in consultation with Directors and (co-)Executive Directors(s);
  • Negotiates and administers leases with the landlords;
  • Negotiates and administers the leases with tenants at our national office;
  • Ensures correspondence and inquiries related to The Council’s work are dealt with according to policy;
  • Establishes and implements administrative policies and procedures to ensure efficient, cost-effective operations including central filing, correspondence (mail, email, phone, fax, etc.) processing and response times, etc;
  • Coordinates the provision of appropriate office space/workstations, office equipment and supplies;
  • Oversees security of the Council facilities (e.g. access codes, keys and security I.D. cards, etc.);
  • Coordinates the Council’s Information Technology needs;
  • Coordinates Council office tools and materials (e.g. letterhead, envelopes, business cards etc.);
  • Provides strategic advice to the (co-)Executive Director(s) and Board; and
  • Performs all similar and related duties.

Governance (15%)

  • Oversees the preparation and processes around Board meetings, and the Council’s overall Board operations;
  • Actively builds a rapport with Board members and works with the (co-)Executive Director(s) to navigate issues that arise from Board matters;
  • Maintains and oversees the execution of a Board and Governance calendar, as part of the overall operational plan, which ensures smooth operations of the Board and timely fulfillment of responsibilities associated with the Annual Members Meeting; and
  • Supports any confidential Board matters and carries out operations on behalf of the board with discretion.

Human Resources (15%)

  • Overall responsibility for developing and coordinating the human resources of the Council;
  • Provides policy and strategic advice on Human Resources to the organization as a whole;
  • Develops the Human Resources operational plan and budget to ensure The Council’s long-term and annual Human Resources plans and strategies are being met;
  • Advises and participates in Labour Relations, mediating disputes, participating in Collective Bargaining, etc.;
  • Ensures compliance with all relevant legislation;
  • Knowledge of human resource practices, policies, and laws; and
  • Knowledge of organizational development practices and approaches.

Supervision of the Operations Team: (20%):

  • Plans, develops, and presents a yearly team budget and operational plan in consultation with Board counterparts, the (co-)Executive Director(s), Management team, team members and others of the organization;
  • Oversees the assignment of work to all members of the team, and ensuring the operational plan and budget are met;
  • Ensures team members’ job descriptions are up to date;
  • Provides coaching and mentoring to employees regarding expectations of performance and behaviour;
  • Provides employees with ongoing feedback regarding their performance, including an end of probation review and a yearly performance review;
  • Holds regularly scheduled team meetings to ensure work is properly planned and assigned, and to resolve operational issues;
  • Schedules and approves requests for vacation and leaves, approves requests for overtime;
  • Acts as a grievance officer for his or her team by receiving, filing, investigating and responding to union complaints and grievances;
  • Functions on joint employer and union committees including the Labour Management Committee, the Joint Consultation Committee, the Health and Safety Committee, and other Committees as assigned by the (co-)Executive Director(s);
  • Assists in the development of a mandate for negotiations in anticipation of collective bargaining; and Manages attendance and disability in accordance with the collective agreement and relevant laws; and
  • Performs all similar and related duties.

General teamwork and operations (5%)

  • Contributes to an environment of respect, collegiality and professionalism within the work environment;
  • Utilizes tact, discretion, and judgement at all times, including within the Council’s teams and with external partners, allies, and stakeholders;
  • Contributes to cross-team projects, working-groups and campaigns while building a rapport with colleagues from other teams;
  • Acts as an interim director of other teams in the absence of a Director, or as assigned by the (co-)Executive Director(s);
  • Participates in the planning and implementation of The Council’s long-term and annual plans and strategies;
  • Participates in regular joint work planning and work plan review sessions and annual performance evaluations;
  • Contributes to team coordination using current project management and collaboration tools;
  • Participates in team meetings to coordinate work, resolve operational issues and ensure harmonious relations amongst team members; and
  • Contributes to the preparation of reports to the (co-)Executive Director(s) and the rest of the organization as required.

Position Qualifications

Core qualifications

  • Commitment to the Council’s values, vision, and direction;
  • Knowledge of current national economic, social and political issues;
  • Knowledge and experience in change management advancing the operations for a non-profit organization;
  • Experience in operations, human resources, and/or financial management, preferably in a position of senior responsibility;
  • Ability to prepare accounting and financial statements and projections to a consistently high standard;
  • Proven ability to prepare planning and reporting documents with Microsoft Excel, Word, and Powerpoint— utilizing their full range of features to improve clarity and accessibility;
  • Excels at using team-collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, ideally with administrative experience;
  • Knowledge of best IT practices around hardware deployment, security, and privacy;
  • Ability to perform routine financial transactions accurately, professionally, and in a timely manner;
  • Knowledge of tax codes, laws relevant to the non-profit sector, generally accepted accounting principles, financial policies and procedures;
  • The ability to consolidate, and implement operating plans and budgets;
  • Proven experience managing governance matters including confidential dealings with a non-profit Board of Directors;
  • Ability to respond to financial approvals and processes in a timely manner;
  • Strong interpersonal skills including team participation, conflict resolution and counselling skills and the ability to exercise tact, discretion and judgement at all times;
  • Experience working in a unionized environment and ability to negotiate a collective agreement related to the financial implications for a non-profit organization;
  • Excellent communications skills, both oral and written;
  • Experience providing timely, proactive strategic advice to senior managers; and
  • Capacity to work in a self-directed manner, to provide leadership, and a proven ability to collaborate with others in a team situation.

Skills and aptitudes

  • Excellent communication skills, both oral and written;
  • Strong interpersonal and leadership skills and the ability to exercise tact, discretion and judgement at all times;
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
  • Curiosity and willingness to always be learning;
  • Proven administrative skills and an organized approach with an ability to prioritize and effectively handle many demands;
  • Capacity to work in a self-directed manner and demonstrated ability to work well within a team setting;
  • Strong computer skills including word-processing, team-collaboration tools, communications, spreadsheet and database software;
  • Demonstrated skills in the use of AccPacc accounting software is considered an asset;
  • Professional accounting designation (CPA, CA/CPA, CMA), and post-designation financial management and accounting experience is considered an asset;
  • Fluency in both official languages are considered an asset; and
  • Relevant degree and/or equivalent educational qualifications are considered an asset.

Location

Ottawa — (This position requires routine visits to and management of our Ottawa office at 240 Bank St. Work-from-home arrangements will be discussed on a case-by-case basis.)

This is a full-time (35 hours/week) term position with a salary of $96,456 per year. 

Employment Equity

The Council of Canadians is committed to employment equity. We seek to build a diverse and welcoming team. We encourage individuals from communities facing systemic barriers to apply, including people of colour, Indigenous people, members of the Black community, women, LGBTQIA2S and people with disabilities. Please indicate in your application if you would like to be considered for employment equity. Any such disclosure is voluntary, and you may identify with more than one community or group.

The Council further welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities and will make every effort to fulfill requests for accommodation. If you require accommodation to complete and submit your application and/or during the interview process, please advise the recruitment contact person, so arrangements can be made.

We appreciate all applications but only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

You can check the status of the recruitment process on our website at http://canadians.org/jobs.