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VICE PRESIDENT, GRANTS & COMMUNITY INITIATIVES 
Full-Time Permanent, Hybrid Eligible
British Columbia

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.

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
As a seasoned professional with experience in the social purpose sector, you have a broad understanding of community issues, how they impact diverse and equity-seeking communities, and how to mobilize resources and engage stakeholders to take action. You have education and/or experience in trust-based philanthropy, granting, community initiatives, and think deeply and creatively when it comes to bringing the community in to the work. You have successfully managed teams and demonstrated success in building a staff culture based on a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and possess a demonstrated ability to build consensus within multidisciplinary groups. You bring at least 10 years of experience in a complex role which may include involvement at an executive leadership level delivering on granting and community initiatives within the social purpose sector. You have excellent writing, public speaking, and presentation skills.

You are 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
Vancouver Foundation believes that the knowledge and abilities to advance our core purpose resides and is created in the communities we serve, and that we need to increase our capacity to understand and mobilize around community priorities. The Vice President delivers on the strategic priorities of the department and provide ongoing support for a highly capable and experienced team. In addition to leading a dedicated team of 27, the Vice President works closely with groups in the community, bringing key learnings back to the executive team and promoting the inspiring work of the department. This position represents an opportunity to significantly impact community initiatives and philanthropic efforts across British Columbia through strategic leadership and innovative grantmaking.

The Vice President serves as a key strategist working closely with the President and CEO, the executive team, the Board, senior leadership, and community to advance the granting and community initiatives work of Vancouver Foundation.

Main Responsibilities
Granting & Community Initiatives

• Direct the planning and development, implementation and evaluation of grant programs and community initiatives
• Review, create, implement, and manage policies, procedures, processes, and systems for grant and funding related initiatives
• Facilitate development, management, and implementation of best practices and new innovation for granting
• Mentor, guide, and manage the performance of direct reports and the department
• Continue and evolve Vancouver Foundations commitment to trust-based philanthropy and systems change with an emphasis on community engagement
• Foster a culture that strives for results, wellbeing, adaptability to change, and collaboration
• Develop and manage overall granting budget, including recommendations on disbursement of funds to respective granting areas that support Vancouver Foundation’s mission
• Identify, support, and lead development of community initiatives that advance right relations, decolonization, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion to sustainability
• Develop a process and strategy to launch sustainable Community Initiatives into the hands  of the community
• Lead the development and management policies and systems related to grants and funding

Strategy

• Advocate for the continued advancement of right relations, decolonization, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion across Vancouver Foundation’s work
• Monitor and identify emerging community issues and provide recommendations to inform the Foundation’s granting priorities on these issues
• Participate in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of strategic and operational plans
• Participate in the development and implementation of community engagement, communications, and marketing plans

Culture and Leadership

• Provide strategic counsel to the Board, President and CEO, and executive team within the organization on all matters related to granting, funding, social purpose, and impact
• Foster a trust-based positive, high performing department culture in a remote and distributed team
• Advance trust-based philanthropy in the broader philanthropic sector in Canada

Desired Experience/Education/Skills
Core Competencies
Advances Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

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

Empowering Others Through Agency

• Fosters trust and ethical behaviour through a common vision.
• Conveys confidence in employee’s ability to be successful, delegating significant responsibility and authority, allowing employees freedom to decide how they will accomplish their goals and resolve issues.

Ethical Use of Power

• Maintains high ethical standards for themselves and others.
• Treats others in a fair and transparent, respectful, and objective manner.

Managing People & Developing Others

• Builds and manages a team to achieve organizational goals.
• Provides coaching support and recognition to enhance personal performance, development, and motivation.

Planning & Judgement

• Assists in forming long and short-term strategies by actively participating in planning or providing input to projects.
• Analyzes before acting and comes to insightful conclusions given the data and information.
• Evaluates situations effectively and is able to assess the actions, time, and resources needed.

Problem Solving & Decision Making

• Able to understand the root cause of issues and actively work through them to find the best possible solutions.
• Generates and evaluates alternatives and balances risk.
• Encourages input from others as required. Is results oriented and has a strong sense of urgency to solve problems and complete work.

Forward Thinking

• Notices trends in the industry or marketplace and develops plans to prepare for opportunities or problems.
• Understands the impact of their decisions for both long term and short term.

Organizational Awareness

• Keeps a broad organizational perspective in mind as they work through projects and issues.
• Understands how their role fits into the overall organizational structure.
• Is able to look beyond own goals and needs to the organization’s broader goals and needs.

Communication

• Communicates clearly, concisely, and candidly with people at all levels of the organization; avoids vagueness, ambiguity, and mixed messages.

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.

Accountability
This position reports to the President and CEO and works closely with the other members of the executive team.

Salary
$180,000 annually plus a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Hours of Work
Modified 35-hour work week, primarily Monday to Thursday, occasional Fridays.

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

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

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 race, colour, religion, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or expression. We welcome applicants from all communities.

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.