Salary Information: The salary range is $75,234 to $125,312 per annum (Managerial, Phase 3).  The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.

Primary Purpose: To coordinate the work of multiple stakeholders (employee; funder; communities, researchers and partner institutions) in the execution of a two-year project that is designed to develop a transformative model and innovative action plan to support co-operative development in rural and Aboriginal communities in Western Canada. The Project Director will be responsible for project management and specifically, overseeing the research and communication activities. The Project Director will also be active in fundraising efforts that will be undertaken to support the initiative beyond 2015. As a primary responsibility, the Project Director will work closely with the Project Management Group to prepare a comprehensive report - including the identification of specific co-operative development initiatives that may be initiated beginning in 2016.

Nature of Work: The Project Director will report to the Director of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, as well as the Project Management Group. The Project Director will meet frequently (at minimum once/week) with the Director of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives.  This is a full time position and travel within western Canada will be required

Accountabilities:

• Stakeholder engagement – Creating and implementing a plan for stakeholder engagement in Western Canada, including (but not limited to): rural municipalities and associations; Aboriginal communities and leadership; provincial and federal government departments and agencies; provincial co-operative associations.
• Communications – Immediately develop and implement a plan for communications with stakeholders.  This communications function will include primary responsibility for the preparation of the final report to the Project Management Group and the Board of Directors of Federated Co-operatives Limited (due September 2015).
• Synthesize and integrate the applied research and knowledge gained through research and stakeholder engagement to develop a model and plan for co-operative development in rural and Aboriginal communities.
• Project Management and Administration – Managing a $500,000 per year budget; reporting to the Director of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and the Project Management Group; overseeing the activities of the data analyst and other staff and consultants (as required) involved in co-operative development. Development of a project plan, management of key teams, and accountability for major projects related to Co-operative Development Initiative.
• Fundraising – Assist the Project Management Group in applying for a SSHRC partnership grant as soon as practicable, and to identify other potential funding partnerships for inclusion in the final report.

Qualifications

• Education: A minimum of a post-secondary degree is required.  Attainment of a post-graduate degree will be considered an asset but is not required. Certification in specialized study/training (e.g., Professional Project Management certification; Six Sigma; ABC) will be considered an asset.
• Experience: Progressive responsibility for, and demonstrated success with, managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects is required. The position requires the candidate to have demonstrated excellent communication (both oral and written) and relationship management skills. Experience working with, or at minimum a demonstrated knowledge of, the co-operative model will be considered an asset.
• Skills: The project is intended to challenge existing paradigms and present innovative new approaches to engagement and co-operative development. The Project Director will be confronted with a wide range of diverse – and divergent – viewpoints on how to achieve the goals that have been established. The project – by definition – demands engagement of a diverse group of stakeholders with an equally diverse set of preconceptions and expectations. It will be extremely challenging to manage these relationships constructively while at the same time achieving the desired outcomes in a relatively short period of time. This will require a very well-honed ability to set priorities and manage complex projects with tight timelines within the bounds of a clearly delineated budget. For example, the needs of key stakeholder groups will rarely be perfectly aligned. The Project Director will have to assess the best course of action and execute on decisions while at the same time finding areas of compromise and accommodation that will satisfy stakeholders to the fullest extent possible.

Submit an Application

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This position is in scope of the Administrative and Supervisory Personnel Association.

Please apply no later than December 31, 2013 at 4:30pm.
Inquiries regarding this position can be directed to Audra Krueger at 306-966-8506

Be sure to apply online as emailed applications will not be accepted.