We’re hiring an Executive Director (CLOSED)
Please note that this posting is now closed as the position has been filled.
Job posting
Project Watershed is offering a contract for a part-time (32 hrs. [+ or -] per week) opportunity to perform as an Executive Director. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise working on innovative and collaborative multi-disciplinary habitat restoration projects. Project Watershed supports professional growth; opportunities for training and mentoring will be provided.
The Comox Valley Project Watershed Society is a small and dynamic non-profit environmental organization based in the Comox Valley, on the unceded territory of the K’ómoks First Nation. With a focus on sensitive habitat stewardship, restoration education and mapping, Project Watershed undertakes large and small scale coastal and watershed restoration initiatives. Project Watershed has a long history of collaborating and partnering with local governments, First Nations, academia, environmental organizations and schools to raise awareness and enhance sensitive habitats in the beautiful Comox Valley.
Project Watershed is a well-known and respected organization within the community. Its staff and volunteers work hard to improve the health of environments and habitats in the Comox Valley and northern Salish Sea.
The Comox Valley, located on the east coast of south-central Vancouver Island, with its seaside location, nearby forests and mountains, offers endless recreational opportunities and supports a lively arts and cultural scene.
Job purpose
The Comox Valley Project Watershed Society is an action-oriented non-profit whose mission is to educate, inform and act to protect, restore, and sustain the ecosystems including watersheds, estuaries and the near-shore within and beyond the Comox Valley as well as the Salish Sea and Vancouver Island. The Executive Director (ED) is the key individual responsible for planning and ensuring action is taken to accomplish this mission.
The ED works closely with the Board of Directors and represents it, as directed, with government, private enterprise, the community, and not-for-profit organizations. The ED is also the supervisor of all projects and employees, contractors, and volunteers of the Society.
This is a contract position, and it is expected that an average week will consist of 32 hours, more or less. Hours are flexible and primarily project driven.
The next five years will be exceptionally busy as we restore Kus-Kus-Sum, a major project that will, as its mandate, convert the old Field sawmill site into prime salmon habitat. We will continue to fulfill our commitments to our funders for other projects – Coastal Restoration, Forage Fish Research along with a few other related smaller projects.
Duties and responsibilities
Administration
- Oversee the planning, implementation and evaluation of the organization’s programs and services.
- Ensure that programs and services offered by the organization meet its mission and are within the expectations of the Strategic Plan.
- Act as a spokesperson for the organization and review press releases before they are sent out.
- Write a monthly activity report and attend monthly Board meetings.
- Participate with the Board to develop a Strategic Plan based on a 3-year schedule and review the existing Strategic Plan continuously. Annually review and revise, if necessary, the plan.
- Identify with the Board and the Fundraising sub-committee funding sources that will sustain the annual administrative expenses of the Society as well as create and establish a reserve fund.
- Review and update organizational policies, as necessary and at least annually.
- Identify, assess, and inform the Board of external and internal issues that affect the organization.
- Assist the Board to promote Project Watershed’s mission through community engagement and advocacy.
Human Resources
- Ensure sufficient personnel, either paid staff or volunteers, are in place to meet organizational goals.
- Lead, mentor, and engage staff members and volunteers to develop positive, open, and effective team relationships.
- Convene regular staff meetings, report on activities to team members and work together to solve individual or group problems and difficulties.
- Lead the development of the Project Watershed annual work plan for staff members.
- Recruit, interview and select staff members, volunteers, and contractors with qualifications appropriate to deliver project deliverables.
- With involvement of the board, develop and lead performance evaluations.
- Approve holiday schedules.
- Coordinate and ensure that projects are allocated to appropriate team members, and an appropriate level of resources are allocated within funding limits.
Finances
- In consultation with the Treasurer, develop, implement, and execute strategies to maintain financial solvency while retaining charitable status.
- Identify grant and fund-raising opportunities.
- Prepare, with the help of staff, grant and fund-raising requests.
- Compile, in conjunction with other staff in the last quarter of the current fiscal year, budgets for the following year, and present to the Board for approval.
- Administer the funds of the organization according to the approved budget and monitor cash flow.
- Provide to the Board, monthly financial updates, and details.
- Ensure sound bookkeeping and accounting procedures are followed and that they comply with relevant legislation.
- Approve timesheets and ensure the Employment Standards Act and Project Watershed policy is followed for all payroll processes.
- Oversee purchase approvals as per spending, receiving and payment policies and ensure they are allocated to the relevant project, in conjunction with staff members.
Projects:
- Supervise and support Project Watershed staff members to deliver their projects.
- In consultation with the Technical Director, ensure all Project Watershed projects are delivered in whole, on time, within allocated budgets and that timely reports are submitted.
- Assume full responsibility to ensure that project deliverables and financial controls comply with contribution agreements.
- Develop new projects and write grant applications and project proposals, as opportunities arise, in consultation with the Technical Committee and Board members.
- Develop and maintain partnerships with other organizations that may assist in the fulfillment of Project Watershed’s mission.
Other:
- Carry out other duties as requested by the Board.
Qualifications/Expectations:
- Minimum Bachelor of Science in Biology, Ecology, Restoration of Natural Systems, Environmental Science or equivalent.
- Ideally two or more years of relevant experience in a professional consulting context.
- Must be knowledgeable in the use of GIS hardware and software including ArcGIS and ArcView.
- Working knowledge of MS Office, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
- Working knowledge of Google web-based applications, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Forms, Google Calendar.
- Typing speed min 55 words /minute.
- First Aid, WHIMS are an asset but not necessary.
- Boat handling experience is an asset but not necessary.
- Access to own transportation.
Join Project Watershed
If you are interested in applying please submit your resume and a covering letter to projectwatershed@gmail.com
Please note that only those candidates who are invited for interviews will be contacted.