CharityVillage

Director, Development & Operations

Full-Time Permanent

Hybrid Eligible

Expected Start Date: As soon as possible, ideally no longer than a month after an offer is extended.

Vancouver Foundation acknowledges that we carry out our work on the lands of Indigenous nations throughout colonial British Columbia. Our office is located on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.

Accessibility

Vancouver Foundation’s office is located on the second and third floors of a building with an elevator for access to the office, and an accessible, single-stall, gender-neutral washroom that includes a shower. Vancouver Foundation has a hybrid working model, with both work from home and in-office options available to staff. These options are position dependent.

We are committed to the principles and practices of an inclusive and equitable employment process. Our goal is to be representative of the communities we work with, and we encourage applicants from communities which are structurally marginalized based on refugee claimant status, race, colour, religion, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression. We consider qualified candidates regardless of criminal convictions and those who have employment gaps or employment in historically stigmatized industries. We welcome applicants from all communities.

About Us

Vancouver Foundation is a community foundation that serves Vancouver and all of BC. We bring together the generosity of donors with the ideas and energy of people and communities across the province. Every year we fund a diverse mix of grants, both large and small, that help to build healthy, vibrant, equitable, and inclusive communities. Considered a leader in responsive grantmaking and systems change, Vancouver Foundation is the most significant funder of charities in BC outside of government.

As a community foundation, we’re committed to ensuring everyone has a place in our mission. We are on a journey to actively align all aspects of our work — both internally and externally — to our commitment to equity, inclusion, and a more just society.

For a view into our world, please visit: www.vancouverfoundation.ca

About You

You are a senior social purpose leader with expertise in strategy, operations, and stakeholder engagement. You are adaptive, thrive when working to reduce complexity, and can create actionable workplans even within an uncertain context. You are resourceful and proficient in scoping and bringing new projects to life. You proactively seek opportunities to operationalize the principles and practices of trust-based philanthropy and bring a learning lens to all aspects of your work.

You have a well-rounded understanding of the charitable/philanthropic landscape in Canada. You build and maintain relationships and networks to mobilize around key issues and have a strong interest in movement building and advocacy work. As a facilitator and convener, you create inclusive opportunities to align diverse stakeholder interests, build consensus, and move ideas to action.

You have excellent presentation, communication, and organizational skills; you are a skilled and experienced project manager. Your leadership is both process-oriented and results-driven; you balance relational work with moving things forward. You value transparency, inclusivity, and are a natural collaborator. You can hold space for difficult conversations and model behavioral shifts that drive positive cultural and operational change.

You can engage and oversee strategic initiatives involving multi-disciplinary teams to include all voices and perspectives. You are an experienced people manager invested in developing your team’s skills and capacities. You have demonstrated experience working effectively with volunteer governance and advisory bodies.

Guided by a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, you have integrated these values into your previous role(s). You’re not afraid to challenge the status quo, think creatively, and explore new approaches that advance Vancouver Foundation's mission and strengthen our impact. You’re ready to join us as we explore and shape how Vancouver Foundation might do even more to align justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion with our culture and our mission.

About the Position

The Director of Development & Operations, Grants & Community Initiatives (GCI), is a key member of the GCI leadership team, collaborates closely with the other GCI Directors, and reports to the Vice-President of GCI. This position leads the Development and Operations (DOPs) team, which supports the efficient and effective implementation of GCI’s granting streams, operational initiatives, change management initiatives, and departmental strategies.

This is a pivotal role that focuses on enhancing the operational capacity of the GCI department by developing cohesive workflows, implementing robust project management systems, and fostering an environment of collaboration and efficiency. The Director will oversee the rollout of a comprehensive project management framework and support the ongoing evaluation and refinement of the department’s structure, functional teams’ model, systems, and operations.

Key impacts of this role include enhancing the department’s capacity to act with agility and foresight by creating scalable solutions that support innovation in grantmaking; promoting efficient, effective systems, processes, and practices that reduce complexity and optimize resource allocation; and advancing trust-based philanthropic practices through operational tools and systems that prioritize accessibility, equity, and impact.

The Director should be proficient in managing a complex portfolio of work, with multiple deadlines and deliverables. This is a highly strategic role that requires systems thinking, resourcefulness, and exceptional interpersonal and collaboration skills.

Main Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Management

• Provide strategic leadership to the DOPs team, managing four direct reports
• Uphold and integrate the team’s core values—innovation, reliability, humility, and thoroughness—into all aspects of operations and planning.
• Collaborate closely with the Vice-President and other GCI Directors to align operational practices with strategic objectives.
• Collaborate closely with peers across the Foundation (especially within Finance and IT) to articulate, implement and audit operational policies and practices.

   Operational Excellence

• Ensure the DOPs team delivers seamless operational support across GCI’s activities, maintaining a clear and strategic overview of annual workflows and priorities.
• Develop and implement processes and tools that promote efficiency and effectiveness, consistency, and alignment across the department.
• Strengthen systems, processes, and practices to support the lifecycle of GCI’s granting streams, from design to execution and evaluation.
• Lead the implementation of a department-wide project management framework and accompanying learning and development plan.

   Change Management and Culture Building

• Support the evaluation and refinement of the departmental structure to enhance collaboration and role clarity.
• Lead efforts to streamline processes, reduce complexity, foster inter-team communication, and create a positive, solutions-oriented culture.
• Champion a mindset of continuous improvement, empowering the team to embrace innovative and effective practices.
• Change Leader who recognizes and promotes change as a necessity and is able to lead others through transition and change.

Systems and Compliance

• Oversee the development and maintenance of systems, processes, and practices that improve information management, data quality, and operational resilience.
• Provide oversight, development, monitoring, and management of the GCI budget in close collaboration with the VP.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, legal requirements, and CRA guidelines.

   Strategic Alignment

• Translate the department’s strategic priorities into actionable operational plans, including metrics to measure progress and success.
• Analyze and visualize the department’s inputs, outputs and outcomes to help the Foundation to understand its charitable reach and influence.
• Provide insights and recommendations to the Vice-President to inform decision-making and reporting to governance bodies.

Desired Experience/Education/Skills

• About 7 years of progressive leadership experience in operations or project management, preferably within the nonprofit or philanthropic sector.
• Familiarity with grantmaking processes and systems.
• Familiarity with nonprofits.
• Advanced expertise in project management; PMP certification or equivalent is an asset.
• Strategic and decisive thinker with a strong ability to translate vision into action; and ability to engage stakeholders in developing, supporting, and implementing the strategic direction.
• Takes a systems approach to solving problems and making decisions in collaboration with stakeholders. Exercises excellent judgement.
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership style, with a focus on relationship building and accountability.
• Exceptional organizational and planning skills, with a focus on achieving measurable results.
• Proficiency in project management tools (e.g. Asana) and operational systems.
• Deep commitment to equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion, with demonstrated experience applying these principles to organizational practices.
• Self-reflective of individual social location, power, and privilege, with a strong understanding of personal strengths and areas for growth.
• Able to maintain composure under pressure and handle multiple priorities.
• Focuses on the department’s functional teams and on collaborating with other VF departments’ related and collaborative functions.
• Embraces emergence and seeks to simplify and learn from – rather than manage – complexity.
• Excellent Communication – written and oral. Effectively informs, influences, and persuades others.

We know that there is rarely an ideal or perfect candidate for a job, and we are actively working to eliminate barriers in our employment process. If you have experience similar to what is described above—or if the core activities in this role are exciting to you, but you do not meet the above exactly—we encourage you to apply and elaborate in your cover letter.

Core Competencies

Advances Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

• Experience in anti-oppression, decolonization, anti-racism, feminist theory, rights-based frameworks, etc.

Accountability/Responsibility

• Models our values. Builds trust by being reliable and authentic. Follows through on commitments. Demonstrates a positive attitude and energy. Maintains confidentiality of personal and/or sensitive business information. Is dependable and reliable.

Client Focus

• Provides quality service to both internal and external clients. Proactively seeks to understand and strives to address client needs and/or issues. Seeks feedback from clients to identify opportunities for enhanced service. Maintains integrity even in challenging client situations.

Initiative

• Acts proactively to address opportunities and challenges. Looks for ways to improve work practices. Respectfully challenges the status quo and current practices to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Ensures that errors or unsuccessful initiatives are reviewed, and action is taken to avoid future challenges. Acts as change agent.

Teamwork

• Actively collaborates with others to produce desired results. Actively engages and contributes to team meetings and discussions. Shows respect for other team members by being open to and supportive of the thoughts, opinions, and contributions of others. Resolves conflicts effectively. Supports and stands behind organizational and team decisions. Accepts and provides feedback in a constructive and considerate manner.

Strategic Adaptability

• Demonstrates the ability to navigate and succeed in complex, uncertain, and dynamic environments. Skilled at reducing complexity. Excels at analyzing changing contexts, anticipating challenges, and creating actionable plans that align with strategic objectives. Adapts approaches and solutions as circumstances evolve while maintaining focus on outcomes and stakeholder needs.

Relationship Builder

• Ability to establish and maintain strong, nurturing and positive relationships rooted in trust-based connections with others. Includes effective communication, active listening, and empathy, creating an environment of collaboration and mutual respect. Skilled at understanding others' needs, resolving conflicts, and fostering long-term partnerships that support both personal and organizational goals.

Self-Awareness

• Reflexive with reference to individual social location, power, privilege, with a strong understanding of personal strengths and areas for growth.

Facilitates Cultural Safety

• Demonstrates a profound understanding and respect for diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives. Ensuring that actions and decisions are culturally sensitive and responsive to the communities served.

Emotional Intelligence

• Capacity to recognize and understand one's own emotions, effectively manage them, and navigate interpersonal interactions with empathy, fostering harmonious relationships.

Decisive

• Takes a systems approach to problem solving problems and making decisions. Exercises excellent judgment.

Bias for Action

• Uses a proactive approach to take action and achieve desired outcomes – able to prioritize tasks.

Service Orientation

• Focuses on participants and other community experiences through interactions with the Foundation.

Embraces Complexity

• Seeks to learn from and respond to, rather than manage, complexity.

Good Communication

• Written and verbal communication skills are strong.

Adaptable

• Demonstrates flexibility and agility to manage ambiguity and change.

Accountability

Reporting to the Vice President, Grants and Community Initiatives.

Salary

$130,500 annually plus pension and a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Hours of Work

35-hour work week, Monday – Friday, primarily Monday to Thursday, occasional Fridays.

Location

Our head office is located in downtown Vancouver. Through our hybrid working policy there is an opportunity to work from home. If interested, please identify your requested location during the hiring process and we can discuss the conditions required under our policy.

How to Apply

If this sounds like you, we welcome your online application including a brief cover letter and a resume by January 12, 2025.

We are currently accepting applications from both internal and external candidates. All applications will be reviewed with equal consideration to identify the most qualified candidate for this role.

We kindly ask for no phone calls please. Applicants will receive an emailed response confirming receipt of their resume submission. Due to the high number of applications Vancouver Foundation receives, only candidates who are selected for an interview will be contacted. Periodic updates regarding recent postings are published on our career page after the application deadline has expired. We thank all applicants for their interest in the Vancouver Foundation.