Job Opportunity: Governance and Administrative Officer (Full-time term 10 weeks position)

Full-time term (10 weeks) position 
Deadline: July 26, 2022, 11:59 p.m. PT

Summary

Under the general direction of the (co-)Executive Director(s), and working in close collaboration with other teams, the Governance and Administration Officer is responsible for providing administrative leadership for major organization projects and ongoing support for Board of Directors, Executive Director, and Director of Campaigns and Organizing.

This position highly self-motivated, with a leadership role in project management alongside in-person and distributed staff. The role requires a collaborative approach to teamwork with an eye toward detail and systems thinking that accounts for project needs from start to finish. The workload is balanced through an annual calendar that clarifies project priorities according to the organizational operational plan.

Major Responsibilities

Percentages below are intended to give an overall picture of workload and priorities. Day to day duties will change according to the annual calendar and operational needs.

Ensures the efficient functioning of the (co-)Executive Director’s Office (50%):

Board of Directors
Coordinates overall services to the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and other committees in accordance with procedure set out in the By-Laws and Board Governance Policies.

• Works with Board Executive Officers and (Co-)Executive Director(s) to confirm Board calendar including virtual and in-person meetings, and monthly meetings of the Executive Officers and (Co-)Executive Director(s);
• Assists agenda planning and materials production/distribution for all meetings (in person and virtual);
• Negotiates and coordinates all logistical elements (e.g. venue, audio/visual, meal selection, travel, accommodation, etc.);
• Provides administrative support (including minutes and providing relevant documents);
• Maintains calendar of upcoming deadlines and works with Executive team to ensure completion and distribution of reports and materials;
• Answers requests and provides information to Board members;
• Undertakes research or provides other follow-up support as requested;
• Ensures regular communications and good working relationships with all Board members;
• Coordinates materials and onboarding for new Board Members.

Annual Meeting of Members Project Leadership

• Develops the Annual Conference project plan and timeline along with the (Co-)Executive Director(s);
• Leads the overall implementation of project plan as lead for the Conference Committee, coordinating closely with relevant teams and staff as needed;
• Ensures agendas and documents are prepared for all relevant meetings that are part of the Annual Conference (Board of Directors, Chapter Caucus Day, Committees and Meeting of Members);
• Working with the communications and development teams, organizes delegate kits for distribution among members either via mail or online;
• Provides other support as may be required and assigned (e.g. facilities support, staff assignments, etc.);
• Coordinates travel plans for Board members and chapter delegates.

Assistance to (Co-)Executive Director(s)

• Assists with the scheduling, agenda planning and materials production as requested;
• Inputs to the hiring of team staff as requested by the (co-)Executive Director(s);
• Contributes to the preparation of reports to the Executive Director and the rest of the organization as required;
• Ensures compliance with federal non-profit requirements with Industry Canada and other federal bodies as needed;
• Takes minutes for general staff meetings;
• Performs all similar and related duties.

Ensures the efficient functioning of the Office of the Director of Campaigns and Organizing (35%):

Assistance to Director of Campaigns and Organizing

• Assists in scheduling meetings and planning agendas, and ensures accurate notes of the meetings are prepared and circulated;
• As necessary, provides reminders of upcoming deadlines and outstanding tasks assigned to staff.  Identifies potential challenges for the Director;
• Manages all leave and overtime forms from Political Team staff, ensures they are complete and facilitates the Director’s review and approval;
• Arranges travel and hotel bookings, assists in financial reporting of expenses and ensures that all Political Team members are up-to-date in reporting.  Identifies challenges for the Director;
• Reviews and prioritizes purchase orders;
• Organizes and maintains electronic filing system;
• Supports administrative and reimbursement processes for Annual Regional Meetings;
• Special projects as assigned.

Assistance in Chapter Administrative Needs

• Receives and processes requests for liability insurance;
• Organizes and mails campaign materials to chapters;
• Coordinates with relevant staff to connect members wishing to connect with local chapters with the relevant chapter (the Wants to be contacted list);
• Solicits, receives, and organizes chapter Annual Reports (activity and financial);
• Disperses chapter remittances, receives and manages chapter funding requests;
• Receives and coordinates Chapter contact updates.

General Teamwork and Operations (10%):

• 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 rapport with colleagues from other teams
• Participates in 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
• Contributes to the preparation of reports to the (Co-)Executive Director(s) and the rest of the organization as required.

Other duties as assigned (5%)

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have:

• commitment to the Council’s values, vision and directions;
• relevant degree and/or equivalent educational qualifications;
• a minimum of three years’ experience in administration; proven administrative skills, an organized approach with an ability to prioritize and effectively handle many demands;
• proven skills in providing support to a person in a senior role;
• proven skills in providing support to a Board of Directors and its Committees, including preparation of official minutes;
• excellent negotiating and facilitation skills;
• good policy research and writing skills and experience;
• excellent project management skills, ability to organize/prioritize a multi-task workload, take initiative and be flexible;
• strong interpersonal skills, including the exercising of tact, discretion and judgement at all times;
• excellent communications skills, both oral and written;
• capacity to work in a self-directed manner and demonstrated ability to work well within a team setting, both in-person and dispersed;
• computer skills including familiarity with online shared filing and meeting systems, Outlook, word processing, spreadsheet, communications and database software (Raiser’s Edge preferable);
• fluency in both official languages of Canada is a strong asset.

Location

This position is based in Ottawa, however applicants who wish to work remotely from elsewhere in Canada will be considered. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, this position will be required to work from home some time and from the office too.

This is a full-time term (10 weeks) position of 35 hours per week to cover for an employee on leave. Pay scale starting at $69,333.04 (Classification 5) per year, proportional to the term.

The Council of Canadians is an equal opportunity employer and a unionized workplace represented by UNIFOR Local 567.

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.