Community Development Council Durham--Executive Director

Community Development Council Durham

Executive Director

Job purpose

The Executive Director is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the organization according to the strategic direction set by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director provides leadership to the management team of CDCD and participates in Board meetings on a regular basis. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will be responsible for finalizing, supervising, and supporting the development of funding proposals; securing funding and monitoring program budgets; human resources management; and building community partnerships.

The Executive Director is responsible for developing and furthering the CDCD brand of inclusion and social justice as a leader among the social planning and settlement services sector. The Board grants the Executive Director the authority to lead the organization in its day-to-day operations.

Duties and responsibilities

• Managing the Vision, Mission, Values, and Strategic Plan of the organization
• Participate with the Board of Directors in developing a vision and strategic plan to guide the organization
• Identify, assess, and inform the Board of Directors of internal and external issues that affect the organization
• Act as a professional advisor to the Board of Directors on all aspects of the organization's activities
• Foster effective team work between the Board and the Executive Director and between the

Executive Director and staff

• In addition to the Chair of the Board, act as a spokesperson for the organization
• Conduct official correspondence on behalf of the Board as appropriate and jointly with the Board when appropriate

Monitor and oversee financial management of the organization

• Work with staff and the Board to prepare a comprehensive budget
• Work with staff and the Board to secure adequate funding for the operation of the organization
• Maintain relationships with funding sources and prepare funding proposals
• Participate in fundraising activities as appropriate
• Signing authority to approve expenditures within the authority delegated by the Board
• Administer the funds of the organization according to the approved budget and monitor the monthly cash flow of the organization
• Monitor the agency’s financial performance on a monthly basis and inform the Board of all significant deviations from established goals
• Ensure that the organization complies with all legislation covering taxation and withholding payments

Strategic Support for Management Team

• Coach, provide support and guidance to all managers in order to ensure the coordination of programs and service delivery
• Coach, and build programs and service-related capacity within program managers
• Support program managers with funder relationships management
• Provide community and client feedback to managers on program services
• Work closely with managers to identify and develop external and internal partnerships for programs

Human resources planning and management

• Determine staffing requirements for organizational management and program delivery and ensure agency is able to respond to changing needs
• Oversee the implementation of the human resources policies, procedures and practices including the development of job descriptions for all staff
• Establish a positive, healthy and safe work environment in accordance with all appropriate legislation and regulations
• Recruit, interview, and select staff that have the right technical and personal abilities to help further the organization's mission
• Ensure that all staff receives an orientation to the organization and that appropriate training is provided
• Implement a performance management process for all staff which includes monitoring the performance of staff on an on-going basis and conducting an annual performance review
• Coach and mentor staff as appropriate to improve performance
• Discipline staff when necessary using appropriate techniques; release staff when necessary using appropriate and legally defensible procedures
• Handle employee relation matters, including resolving issues and complaints

Establish, maintain and advance community relations

• Initiate and develop cooperative relationships and liaise with a broad range of community sectors including: all levels of government, funders, the media, not for profit organizations,businesses and any others associated with the business of the Community Development Council Durham.
• Act as a spokesperson for the CDCD and represent the organization on appropriate committees, networks and joint projects
• Oversee the development of all marketing/promotion strategies, publicity materials, and publication of all CDCD programs and events
• Undertake activities within the Community that enhance the visibility and mandate of the Organization
• Communicate with stakeholders to keep them informed of the work of the organization and to identify changes in the community served by the organization
• Develop and provide information about the organization’s goals, programs and services

Quality management

• Identify and evaluate the risks to the organization's people (clients, staff, management, volunteers), property, finances, goodwill, and image and implement measures to control risks
• Ensure that the Board of Directors and the organization carries appropriate and adequate insurance coverage
• Ensure that the Board and staff understand the terms, conditions and limitations of the insurance coverage
• Maintain up to date knowledge of legislation and government changes as applied to non-profit and charitable organizations.
• Draft policies for the approval of the Board and prepare procedures to implement the organizational policies; review existing policies on an annual basis and recommend changes to the Board as appropriate
• Ensure that personnel, client, donor and volunteer files are securely stored and privacy/confidentiality is maintained
• Ensure compliance with all laws and legislation affecting CDCD

Program planning and management

• Monitor community needs on an ongoing basis, be aware of changing context within which programs and services are provided
• Identify programs and services consistent with community needs
• Monitor programs and services to ensure consistency with criteria established by funding sources and the mission and goals of the organization
• Annually prepare and provide to the Board, and other applicable bodies, summary reports of programs and services, including recommendations for future improvement and change
• Regularly obtain statistical and qualitative feedback about program and service delivery
• Provide consultative services on bylaws, procedures, conflict management
• Oversee the planning, implementation, execution, and evaluation of special projects

Core Competencies

Valuing Diversity and Social Justice

• Supports and promotes an environment that ensures opportunities for all residents, regardless of race, ancestry, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, family status, or disability. Fosters a climate of inclusion, where diverse thoughts are freely shared and integrated, and works to ensure that all groups and individuals receive fair treatment and an equitable share of the benefits of society.

Culturally-Sensitive

• Recognizing, understanding, and applying attitudes and practices that is sensitive to and appropriate for people with diverse cultural socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, and persons of all ages, genders, health status, sexual orientations and abilities.

Advocacy

• CDCD firmly believes in the importance of education and dialogue to enhance the quality of life for all Durham residents. Our mandate as an organization is to ensure that we work with our community to ensure that disadvantaged groups such as individuals recently immigrating to Canada, persons with disabilities, the LGBT community are considered and included in local planning and policy development.
• This may involve interventions such as speaking, writing, or acting in favour of a particular issue or cause, policy, or group of people. In the social services sector, advocacy is expected to be in the public interest, as opposed to lobbying by a special interest group may or may not be in the public interest.

Community Participation

• Work collaboratively with local community to enable members of a community to participate directly in decision-making about developments that affect the community. This covers a spectrum of activities ranging from passive involvement in community life to intensive action-oriented participation in community development.

Job-Specific Competencies

Honesty and Integrity

• Demonstrates the highest level of business ethics and consistently adheres to and promotes key values and principles in all business and personal transactions.

Leadership Knowledge

• Possess a thorough working knowledge of contemporary general management and human resources principles, financial administration and budgeting/revenue generation, pertinent employment legislation, knowledge of provincial/federal/local government and agency roles/responsibilities/ jurisdiction and legislation related to immigrant and social service needs. Proven ability to anticipate and manage trends, growth and change through creativity, innovation and vision.

Community Knowledge

• Ability to express vast knowledge of the Durham Region community, as well as intelligence in social, government and community services.

Stewardship and Relationship Management

• Develops positive relationships by demonstrating respect for others’ perspectives and attention to their needs. Provides advice and support for values, practices, and policies that sustain ethical and legal business practices.

Strategic Agility and Innovation Management

• Anticipates future consequences and trends accurately; brings creative ideas to market; recognizes strategic opportunities for change; creates competitive and breakthrough strategies.

Organizational Awareness

• Knowledgeable about how organizations work. Ability to understand power and decision makers within own organization and/or in other arenas impacting the organization, awareness of decision makers who can influence them, ability to predict how events may impact the organization or its position. Effectively manoeuvres through complex political situations.

Drive for Results

• Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; does not give up before finishing, even in the face of resistance or setbacks; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.

Managerial Courage

• Tactfully dispenses direct and actionable feedback; is open and direct with others without being intimidating; deals head-on with people problems and prickly situations.

Negotiating

• Can negotiate skillfully in difficult situations; can settle differences with minimum noise; can win concessions without damaging relationships; thoughtfully fashions creative solutions that satisfy all parties.

Leadership

• Able to effectively maintain control and direct in a professional and orderly manner, as well as have the capability to supervise, motivate and develop staff. Provide support to employees, members of the board and other such, about inquires and concerns.

Intellectual Acumen

• Is intelligent and capable; deals with concepts and complexity comfortably; is good at learning and deciphering new knowledge; able to assimilate new skills independently.

Analytical Thinking

• Understanding a situation by determining key needs, breaking it into parts, studying a problem in a systematic way, identifying casual relationships, anticipating obstacles, considering several explanations/plans, making logical conclusions.

Communication Skills

• Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques. Effective in a variety of formal and informal presentation settings by commanding attention and managing group processes during the presentation. Able to adapt content and style accordingly.

Project Management

• Plans and implements projects, programs, and development efforts.

Building Team Spirit

• Influences others within the organization to be excited, enthused, and committed to furthering the organization’s objectives. Promotes teamwork and a sense of belonging to the team.
• Empowers team members by letting them be responsible for their own work.

Qualifications

• Preferred related Bachelor’s Degree (e.g. Business Administration in not-for-profit management, social sciences, social geography) or equivalent experience
• Significant demonstrated experience in managing a community based non-profit agency
• Experience in initiating, planning, implementing and evaluating programs and services; community development; proposal development and writing; financial and budget planning; human resources management
• A proven ability to anticipate and manage social trends, growth, and change through creativity, innovation and vision.
• Experience in staff management, providing advice and counsel to rectify complex issues.
• Superior communication, negotiation, and mediation skills
• Proficiency in using computer software including word processing; databases; spreadsheets; 
• PowerPoint; e-mail; and Internet

Special Conditions

• The Executive Director will need to be flexible in the case of attending evening and/or weekend meetings and events as required.
• Class "G” Driver’s license and reliable vehicle to use on CDCD business
• The job incumbent may be required to perform other duties as assigned.