Job Description

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia (CSCNS), ensuring its future relevance, credibility and viability. The Executive Director provides the staff team with the leadership required to achieve its mission and is responsible for maintaining organizational priorities and implementation of strategic priorities in alignment with the organization’s values.

The Executive Director works actively to advance, promote and celebrate the non-profit sector in Nova Scotia and believes in its essential potential and nature as a vibrant network of collaborating organizations. While recognizing the labour market challenges facing the sector the Executive Director is a champion of the sector’s role in contributing to an inclusive economy through cultural, health, environmental, social services and programs. Diversity, inclusion and equity commitments are core to the approach of the Executive Director to everything they do.

Executive Director Strategic Responsibilities:

• Working with the Board of Directors, develops the strategic plan for CSCNS;
• Transforms the vision, mission and, strategic priorities into actionable activities for the organization;
• Provides the Board of Directors and key stakeholders insight into the future of the sector;
• Initiates, builds, maintains and activates relationships with key stakeholders to address labour market and human resource issues in the non-profit sector;
• Stewards government relations and builds strategic networks;
• Develops effective and appropriate revenue development strategies; and
• Develops and sustains a strong network of support with a multitude of stakeholders in the non-profit, public and private sectors.

Leadership Responsibilities:

• Advocates for the sector and champions an ecosystem of collaborative organizations;
• Implements an organizational structure which strategically aligns staff roles and responsibilities with sector needs;
• Hires, leads, coaches and mentors’ staff to develop and achieve professional outcomes in pursuit of strategic objectives;
• Builds strong, diverse and collaborative teams who are innovative in their approaches and leverage their shared knowledge and resources to inspire systemic change to build an inclusive, sustainable, healthy and prosperous sector;
• Brings the vision of the organization alive to CSCNS staff, members, stakeholders and key sector leaders;
• Identifies opportunities for staff and ensures effective use of staffing resources; and
• Ensures that employees and volunteers actions are aligned with the values of the organization.
• Builds and maintains a respected profile for the sector council and the sector as a whole by giving voice to sector concerns, championing it, and advocating for change;

Operational Responsibilities:

• Acts as the public representative and spokesperson of the organization and is a primary official, working with the Board Chair, for media, government and key stakeholders;
• Collaborates with key stakeholders in the development of policies, position statements, white and research papers to explore issues relevant to the sector and to advance the perspectives and profile of the sector;
• Develops and implements accountability methods, Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
• and other reporting aids and assessment tools for the Board, funders and stakeholders;
• Ensures communication with stakeholders is clear, timely and compelling;
• Ensures the security of organizational assets and adheres to the Board approved budget;
• Stewards funding sources including government funding relationships;
• Provides the Board with comprehensive, regular and detailed reports on the revenues and expenditures of the organization to support strategic decision-making; and
• Identifies and evaluates organizational risks and ensures that appropriate measures are in place to mitigate risks.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

• The successful candidate will possess a university undergraduate or master’s degree in a related field of study;
• 7-10 years of progressive experience leading and managing in a non-profit, social enterprise or local government environment; and
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

JOB SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Relies on a deep understanding of systems and systems changes;
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of diversity, equity and decolonization;
• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead in complex, multi-stakeholder non-profit and voluntary environments;
• Skilled communicator in both written and verbal formats and effective public speaking, facilitation and presentation skills;
• Established ability to leverage social media and new and innovative technologies to support deliverables;
• Ability to lead a virtual organization;
• Demonstrated ability to engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders to achieve common goals;
• Established experience working with and reporting to a Board of Directors;
• Knowledge of labour market issues and trends in Nova Scotia;
• Knowledge and experience with financial information and data management; and
• Awareness of opportunities and challenges related to the mission of the organization.

COMPETENCIES:

Managing Vision and Purpose – Communicates a compelling and inspired sense of purpose. Possesses the ability to formulate and articulate a future vision and translate it into strategic Objectives. Skilled at translating the vision into common language that motivates and inspires.

Highly Effective and Compelling Communication Skills – Exceptional interpersonal and relationship developments skills. Creates productive relationships with staff, board members and key stakeholders; able to impact and influence others through social media platforms and well-developed oral and written communication skills.

Relationship Management – Develops and values relationships within, across and outside the organization. Actively nurtures relationships in support of organizational strategies and goals. Dedicates time and effort to understanding and meeting the needs of internal and external Stakeholders. Sensitive to and understands cultural complexities of relationships.

Team Leadership – Builds an environment where people strive to do their best. Motivates and inspires team, project members and volunteers. Can assess individual strengths and unique contributions and leverage these to benefit the team and the organization. Invites input and shares ownership and success.

Integrity and Trust – Viewed as trusted and transparent. Presents the truth honestly, appropriately and in a helpful manner. Maintains confidentiality and admits mistakes. Is personally aligned with the organization’s core values of diversity, transparency, accountability, inclusivity and collaboration.

Strategic Thinking – To assess options, through the lens of innovation, for possible actions, based on trends and conditions in the environment and on the vision and values of the organization. Utilizes systems thinking to ensure a holistic approach to complex situations. Ability to implement appreciative inquiry and scenario planning along with more traditional strategic approaches.

Decision-making – To assess situations in order to accurately determine the importance, urgency, risks and opportunities of those situations and to make decisions that are timely and in the best interests of the organization. This competency includes the ability to make decisions during times of disruption and uncertainty in complex and dynamic environments.

Creativity and Innovation – Thinks in innovative and/or creative ways and develops new ways to address sector issues or challenges. Views problems and initiatives from a broad perspective and offers solutions that support strategic and operational objectives. Generates ideas and solutions that can be successfully implemented. Understands the opportunities of design thinking and social enterprise for the sector.

Awareness of non-profit organizations’ needs – To anticipate, understand and effectively respond to the needs and issues of non-profit and volunteer organizations.

RELATIONSHIPS/CONTACTS

Reports to: Board of Directors Supervises: Team of 6-8 staff

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL CONTACTS:

• Staff from various levels of government including municipal, provincial and federal
• Stakeholders from member organizations and other non-profit and voluntary sector leaders
• Colleagues from national organizations supporting non-profits
• Political members from all levels of government
• Board of Directors
• Funding Partners

WORKING CONDITIONS

The office of the Executive Director is in downtown Halifax. The Executive Director is expected to maintain standard office hours with occasional evenings and weekends, as required, to accommodate the availability of its’ stakeholders and partners. The position requires travel around Nova Scotia and nationally.

COMPENSATION

The starting salary for the successful candidate will be commensurate with education and experience, to an initial annual maximum of $75,000-$100,000 (to be confirmed). The compensation package includes cost-shared medical and dental benefits.

The leader of this organization must be a special person—one who has all the above qualities and does it with compassion, drive, and humility. If this describes you, please forward your resume and a letter explaining clearly how your background and experience will meet the needs of Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia. Applications can be emailed to Gerald Walsh Associates Inc. at apply at geraldwalsh.com, quoting project number 1837 in the subject line.