Environmental organizations, nonprofits & charities

Position: Executive Director
Organizations: Environmental Leadership Canada and GreenPAC
Location: Greater Ottawa Region (preferred)

• Compensation: Up to $85,000 (commensurate with experience), $1,500 health/wellness benefit
• Term/Hours: Full time, 5 days/wk with flexibility
• Reports to: Boards of Directors
• Start date: February 10, 2025
• Language: Bilingual (strongly preferred)

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to hr@environmentalleadership.ca . Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca. Applications will be reviewed as received on a rolling basis as received.

About Us

Environmental Leadership Canada (ELC), (charity #762079549 RR 0001), aims to build a new generation of environmental leaders and boost the capacity of everyday Canadians who care about the environment to engage in our democracy and advocate for their communities’ concerns. We employ programs like political internships for youth and educational tools and events that connect people with environmental and political knowledge.

GreenPAC is a non-partisan non-profit that works to inspire, activate and amplify environmental leadership in politics. It raises the profile of environmental leadership during elections through programs like debates, builds cross-partisan political capacity and support for environmental progress through trainings, events and other forums, and works with ELC to empower emerging leadership.

ELC and GreenPAC are separate and independent organizations with a shared vision for the health of our planet to be a driving force in Canadian politics. ELC was founded with support from GreenPAC in 2023 and the two entities frequently collaborate in pursuit of shared objectives.

Position Overview

The Executive Director (ED) is directly employed by ELC. The ED dedicates approximately 65% of their time to advancing ELC’s mission and organization. The ED separately dedicates approximately 35% of their time to advancing GreenPAC’s mission and overseeing that organization under a secondment agreement. The Executive Director reports to and works closely with the Boards of Directors of Environmental Leadership Canada and GreenPAC.

The ED is responsible for leading and managing the organizations, overseeing operations, finances, programs and staff toward the achievement of ELC’s mission and goals. They drive and oversee implementation of strategic and operational planning, fundraising and stakeholder relationships.

At ELC, the ED has four direct staff reports. At GreenPAC, the ED has two direct staff reports. For both organizations, the ED may periodically oversee other part-time and internship staff and/or volunteers.

Both ELC and GreenPAC operate virtually. However, a significant portion of the role requires in-person activities in Ottawa including meetings and events with program staff, interns, elected officials and other partners.

The following responsibilities apply separately to ELC and GreenPAC.

Strategy & Planning (30%):

Note that strategic decisions are made separately by ELC and GreenPAC but planning is integrated.

• Working with staff and in consultation with the Board to develop and implement strategic plans and targets
• Developing and implementing operational plans and systems to ensure robust tracking and evaluation against goals.
• Preparing accurate and timely updates and analysis capturing and communicating results, trends, deviations from targets, and learnings, as appropriate.
• Leading organization, supporting staff and engaging Board to ensure management of ELC as a registered charity and GreenPAC as a non-profit, including meeting of charitable obligations, legal separation but ongoing collaborative planning, and strong and consistent communications.
• Building and maintaining good relationships with Board members, Committee members and senior advisors; inspiring and supporting Board members with information and resources to be effective in their role, including fundraising.
• Supporting to plan and convene regular Board, Members, and Committee meetings, and with maintenance of governance documents and records.
• Identifying major organizational risks (e.g. financial, legal) and issues, engaging the board as relevant in problem solving and the implementation of solutions.
• Assisting with recruitment of new Board and Committee members, and advisors.
• Assisting in the development and implementation policies and procedures that sound governance and organizational management.

Human Resources (20%):

• Providing leadership to and oversight of all staff and ensuring appropriate management of interns and volunteers, including:
  • supporting the design and progress of work plans ensuring they align with organizational goals;
  • managing the division of work and structures for team collaboration;
  • coaching and enabling opportunities for staff professional development; and
  • providing regular informal feedback and formal performance reviews.
• Overseeing and supporting management in the recruitment and management of staff, Parliamentary Interns, summer students and interns, and volunteers.
• Developing organizational policies and practices that prioritize anti-racism and equity, diversity and inclusion across the organization and its work.
• Hiring, contract and performance management, retention and succession planning.

Administration and Finance (20%):

• Developing and implementing the annual budget, in consultation with the Board.
• Ensuring sound financial administration and management of the organization, and providing regular updates to the Board, including forecasts, reports on cashflow and overseeing audited financial statements.
• Implementing practices to minimize legal and financial risks (e.g. fraud, theft, liquidity, appropriate management of charitable resources & ELC and GreenPAC separation).
• Overseeing compliance with legal and administrative requirements of Canadian non-profits and registered Canadian charities.
• Overseeing sound and efficient organizational administration.

Fundraising, Partnerships & Communications (30%):

• Working with the Board, Fundraising Committee (as relevant), and staff on the creation and implementation of fundraising strategies to meet strategic and program goals.
• Diversifying and growing funding sources, including corporate sponsorship, major gifts, monthly donors, education-focused foundations and self-generated revenue.
• Leading funder, sponsor, donor and partner prospecting, relationships, stewarding and retention.
• Building strategic partnerships in support of the organization’s strategic goals.
• Acting as the spokesperson for the organization.
• Overseeing strong and consistent organizational branding, excellence in communications and implementation of strategies (e.g. blogs, social media, earned media, events) that build recognition.

Desired Skills and Experience

We are seeking applicants with a proven track record of positive and inclusive leadership in the nonprofit and charitable sectors, with the organization acumen to lead the growth and strategic direction of both GreenPAC and ELC. Specifically, we are looking for candidates with the following skills and experience:

• Prior experience in a leadership capacity in the nonprofit and charitable sector, preferably in the environment or non-profit sectors.
• Well-developed leadership skills with the ability to work collaboratively with others and motivate a diverse team in a virtual/hybrid working model.
• Experience in collaborative engagement and building effective relationships with a range of community partners (including media, like-minded groups and government officials).
• Experience in advocacy and grassroots organizing, with major event management experience considered an asset.
• Demonstrated success in securing revenue generation and fundraising from institutional (government, foundations) and individual donors.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic plans and priorities.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills to assess challenges, develop solutions, and assess and mitigate risk.
• Understanding of climate change, youth and environmental issues and their implications in multi-jurisdictional government policy and program development and implementation.
• Strong oral and written communications skills, and comfort with public speaking and media relations.
• Fluency in English required, fluency in French is strongly preferred.

Additional Information

Both ELC and GreenPAC are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage applications from equity-deserving communities, including BIPOC, 2(S)LGBTQIIA+, and individuals with disabilities. If required, we will collaborate with applicants to provide accommodations during meetings and board functions. Our commitment extends to making all positions accessible, welcoming, and inclusive for every team member.

As part of our ongoing efforts, ELCand GreenPAC are actively working to ensure that every facet of our organization, including the team, board, advisors, and committees, reflects the diversity of the Canadian population. We are unwavering in our commitment to ensure our work actively contributes to dismantling systemic racism and oppression within the systems of government and legislatures where our focus lies. These structures have played a role in enabling the environmental harm that we are dedicated to repairing. By addressing issues at their root, we aim to foster positive change and contribute to a more equitable and just society.

Learn More about ELC: Twitter / LinkedIN/ Instagram  
Learn More about GreenPAC: Twitter / LinkedIN/ Instagram