Job Title: Executive Director
Reporting to: Board of Directors
Location: Edmonton (Negotiable, must be within Alberta)
Terms: Permanent – Full-time (will consider part-time)
Start Date: Flexible (preferred April or May 2024)
Salary Range: $80,000 – $115,000
Organic Alberta
Organic Alberta’s mission is to represent, support and grow Alberta’s entire organic industry. We are a not-for-profit organization led by a governance board. We pride ourselves on our organizational culture and have a small group of dedicated and passionate staff primarily located in Edmonton, with some team members working remotely. Established in 2005, we represent all around 600 organic producers and processors in Alberta as well as 100+ businesses across the organic community.
Organic Alberta is the voice of organics. We communicate with and for the sector, we market the organic brand, we encourage and support producers to become organic, we cultivate better production practices, and we advance business development. We lead the industry towards success.
The Ideal Candidate
You are a natural leader who is passionate about organic agriculture and food. You are excited about our mission, meeting the needs of our members and supporting the organization. You are a strategic thinker who sees the big picture while focusing on the details. You enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and are used to problem solving by taking an entrepreneurial and innovative approach to tackling any issue.
You are passionate about organizational culture and building a supportive team environment that empowers each individual to successfully achieve personal and organizational goals.
You excel in both oral and written communication, and naturally build strong relationships. One of your abilities is strategic marketing, and knowing how to best write that key messaging so our members and partners clearly understand the value in the work that we do. You are also able to foster strong and beneficial relationships with our diverse partners including government, funders, industry and conventional agricultural groups.
Finally, you are a strong administrator with a background in strategic planning, management, HR, financial oversight, fundraising, not-for-profit governance, membership engagement and organizational development.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Governance
- Monthly reporting to the board of directors, including providing them with sufficient information to evaluate the achievements of the organization against the strategic plan.
- Provide the board of directors with expert, experienced and educated advice.
- Be engaged in organizational strategic planning and develop an operational plan that achieves the organizations’ strategic plan.
- Oversee the Annual General Meeting, and other legal responsibilities of the organization
Operations, fundraising and financial management
- Responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of the organization
- Oversee the development and implementation of the operational plan.
- Engage in fundraising for the organization including fundraising initiatives (membership drives, donation campaigns, fee for service programming, and other innovative approaches to achieving core funding) and grant applications.
- Ensures the deliverables and reporting of various grants are achieved on time and within budget.
- Under the guidance and leadership of the Board of Director’s Finance Committee, provide financial management of the organization based on sound fiscal practices. Develop and recommend the annual organization budget to the finance committee and provide them with in-depth reporting.
Human Resources
- Coach, motivate and empower the team. Create an environment that is positive, inclusive and meaningful; make Organic Alberta a great place to be and work.
- Recruitment, hiring, performance evaluations, oversight of staff and all other HR related activities.
Advocacy, public relations and stakeholder engagement
- Be a leader for organics within Alberta and on behalf of Alberta at the national level.
- Cultivate strong relationships with members, industry, partners, and potential and current funders.
- Advocate on behalf of Organic Alberta, represent the organization and member’s needs, and maintaining a strong professional relationship with the Minister of Agriculture, other government key contacts and conventional agricultural groups.
- Successfully communicate the value proposition of Organic Alberta to members, industry, partners, government and funders.
- Represent the organization to the media and to the public.
Key Competencies and Qualifications
- Preferred minimum 4 years in a not-for-profit senior leadership role as well as a university degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Proven leadership and project management experience, including strategic planning, communications, and financial management and human resources
- Demonstrated success in networking, stakeholder relations and partnership building
- Demonstrated success in fundraising, including both industry based fundraising initiatives and grant writing
- Must have a strong interest in organic food and agriculture (with knowledge of the sector considered a strong asset)
- Confident, innovative and entrepreneurial approach to problem solving
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with experience managing staff and creating a strong and thriving organizational culture
- Experience with Quickbooks online an asset
How to Apply
Please email your cover letter and CV to the OA Board at personnel.organicalberta@gmail.com by February 16th, 2024. Please ensure that the cover letter and CV are saved together in one word or PDF document with your name as the file title. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Only candidates invited for an interview will be contacted. Organic Alberta is committed to employment equity and encourages diverse candidates to apply.