Executive Director

The Opportunity

Immigrants Working Centre (IWC) is seeking a strategic, forward thinking, and collaborative leader, as their next Executive Director. Passionate about providing opportunities for immigrants so they can achieve social and economic success, the new Executive Director will provide strategic leadership for all aspects of IWC, Hamilton’s only service provider exclusively dedicated to helping immigrants.

Reporting to the Board of Directors and leading a capable and knowledgeable management team that supports 85 staff across four locations, the Executive Director will build on and honour the successes of IWC’s founder while bringing vision and innovation to drive future growth and organizational development. 

Motivated by the principles of social justice, equity, and partnership, the Executive Director will be a values-driven leader ready to work collaboratively with staff and senior volunteers to move this innovative and responsive organization to the next phase in its evolution.

As a champion for newcomers in our community and with a track record of garnering trust and respect, the Executive Director will cultivate and build effective partnerships with donors, governments, community partners, media, and other stakeholders to diversity revenue, enhance profile, and ensure service delivery.

 

About Immigrants Working Centre

IWC is a leader in providing settlement services in Hamilton, welcoming new Canadians, and supporting their full social, civic, and economic participation in their new city. For over 30 years, IWC has provided a broad range of settlement services to newcomers to Canada. We are Hamilton’s only dedicated settlement service organization, delivering in-person and online services in 16 languages at four locations in Hamilton.

Founded in 1988, the Immigrants Working Centre (formerly the Immigrant Women’s Centre) is an equality seeking, anti-racist, charitable organization dedicated to the social, political, and economic inclusion of refugee and immigrants in a just and supportive Canadian society. Our Centre is committed to enabling refugees and immigrants to discover and build their new futures through skills development and settlement support.

Vision and Mission

Vision:

Immigrants achieve social and economic success as essential partners in Hamilton’s prosperity.

Mission:

To deliver innovative models of integrated employment-focused settlement and language programming to support immigrants’ success in a just and supportive Hamilton.

IWC Services

Settlement Support: IWC supports newcomers to meet key settlement needs through needs and assets assessment, information and orientation, and pre-employment exploration. Supports include solutions-based settlement and pre-employment counselling, individual and group orientation, and referral to essential supports to meet basic needs, access key community services, and navigate systems.

Employment Services: IWC provides specialized, demand-driven employment supports to enable newcomers’ meaningful participation in the Canadian Labour market. Services include employment needs assessments, one on one job search and interview coaching, employment-readiness workshops, customized action plans, résumé assistance with credentialing and certification processes, targeted skills development for employment, and work-ready certifications.

English Language Training: IWC provides the LINC to Work program, a suite of intensive, employment-focused language training courses to support participants to advance in their Canadian Language Benchmarks and enhance English communication skills for work and life. In addition, occupation-specific blended language and employment programming prepares newcomers with the functional language skills for work in their field.

Community Connections: IWC Community Connections activities combine skills-development with social and professional networking-building towards cross-cultural engagement, inclusion and strengthened communities of support. 

Care for Newcomer Children: IWC provides on-site childcare support, enhancing access settlement services and skills development for newcomer parents. IWC’s Early Childhood Educators and CNC staff deliver activities for and support towards healthy growth and development and school-readiness for newcomer children.

2019 – 2024 Strategic Plan

Stakeholder Engagement

  • Goal: Raise the profile of IWC so we are the respected (“go to”) organization in Hamilton for newcomer settlement and integration.

Organizational Capacity

  • Goal: Enhance IWC’s organizational structures and processes to make IWC more effective and efficient.

Revenue Diversification

  • Goal: Strengthen and grow Federal funding, while diversifying funding for organizational sustainability, so IWC has multiple funding streams to meet client and organizational needs.

Programs and Services

  • Goal: Deliver and grow innovative programs that respond to the diverse trends and needs of the community.

Additional Information

 

Position Overview

The Executive Director (ED) serves as the head of the Immigrants Working Centre. The ED, in partnership with the Board of Directors, is responsible for successfully achieving the vision and mission of the organization.

The Board delegates responsibility for the management of the organization to the ED, who carries out these responsibilities in accordance with the policies and direction established by the Board.

The ED is accountable for the following:

Strategic Leadership & Management: Overall strategic leadership and accountability for all aspects of IWC, including execution of the organization’s strategic plan as well as development and implementation of major strategic initiatives.

Strategic Relationship Building: Cultivating, building, and sustaining effective partnerships with stakeholders, donors, media, government, and other community partners for revenue diversification, profile raising, and service delivery.

Governance: Building and maintaining a professional and collaborative relationship with the volunteer Board of Directors, developing sound advice, recommendations, and reports to enable the Board to make sound strategic decisions and discharge its fiduciary duties.

Financial and Administrative Oversight: Providing key oversight of the organization including annual operating plans and budgets to align with the Strategic Priorities.

 

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Management

  • Lead the operational planning process and execution of IWCs strategic plan.
  • Identify, assess, and pursue new opportunities and directions that enable the organization’s growth.
  • Develop an annual operating plan, including goals and objectives for IWC, in collaboration with the senior team, and in the context of IWC’s Strategic Plan.
  • Employ a collaborative approach to establish and disseminate the overarching long-term vision for IWC and ensure widespread comprehension and inspiration among all employees, the Board, and new hires.

Strategic Relationship Building

  • Maintain sound executive-level relationships with multiple stakeholder groups and ensure stakeholder relationships are maintained at appropriate levels throughout the organization.
  • Lead the development and execution of strategic partnerships to support a revenue diversification strategy, so IWC has multiple funding streams to meet client and organizational needs.
  • Lead the development and execution of an external stakeholder engagement strategy to support raising IWCs profile, with an annual review and operational plan.
  • Represent IWC to potential funders, partners, supporters, and interested organizations to expand program and funding opportunities.
  • Serve as the lead spokesperson with media and at relevant sector events.
  • Act as an advocate for issues relevant for IWC and its clients.
  • Foster a collaborative work culture that respects and develops staff skills and competencies in helping newcomers settle in Hamilton.

Governance

  • Work with the Board to establish annual objectives and communicate results/progress according to objectives on an ongoing basis.
  • Assist the Board, and its committees, with articulating its role and accountabilities and contribute to regular Board evaluation.
  • Provide input into Board meeting agendas in collaboration with the Board Chair, and ensure relevant reports and materials are prepared in a timely manner.
  • Ensure that the Board is kept apprised in a timely manner of IWC’s performance against Strategic and Business Plans and any significant issues facing the organization.
  • Notify the Board of any major deviations against approved Plans and significant risks to IWC’s performance, along with mitigating strategies and solutions.
  • Contribute to an effective, collaborative relationship between management and the members of the Board.
  • Support the Board and its Committees by providing the staff resources required to fulfill their responsibilities.

Financial and Administrative Oversight

  • Work with the Board to ensure sufficient financial resources to meet current requirements and business strategies and achieve future goals.
  • Monitor organizational performance against the Strategic and Operating Plans and adjust as needed.

 

Qualifications, Competencies & Personal Attributes

Experience

  • Experience in a senior leadership role in complex multi-stakeholder organizations.
  • Accomplished networker and relationship builder experienced in representing an organization to stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated success in initiating, planning, implementing, and evaluating programs and services.
  • Experience in managing, leading, and developing staff. Experience leading in a unionized environment with knowledge and sensitivity regarding collective agreements is an asset.
  • Deep understanding of the immigrant experience and the systemic barriers present in mainstream culture. Lived experience as an immigrant is considered a strong asset.
  • Experience creating an inclusive workplace that strives for equality, diversity, and inclusion.
  • A comprehensive understanding of race and racism, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and anti-discrimination and their negative impacts on targeted individuals and communities.
  • Knowledge of revenue generation best practices and experience diversifying revenue in a non-profit environment.
  • Experience leading in a multi-site environment with dispersed staff and resources is considered and asset.
  • Demonstrated strategic thinking skills.
  • Experience with risk assessment and financial management.
  • Ability to challenge the status quo and develop people to exceed their potential.
  • Sound judgement and decision-making skills.
  • Knowledge of board processes and board reporting in the not-for-profit sector.
  • Outstanding communication skills – oral, presentation, written; the ability to listen well, and communicate to both internal and external audiences.
  • Success in roles requiring execution of multiple tasks while responding to multiple priorities.
  • Post secondary education in a relevant field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Personal Attributes

  • Results driven and action oriented.
  • Persuasive.
  • Relationship Builder with emphasis on collaboration and consensus building.
  • Flexible and embracing of change.
  • Highly adaptable.
  • Systems/sector change thinker.

Those candidates with lived experience as an immigrant are particularly encouraged to apply.

 

For More Information

KCI (Ketchum Canada Inc.) has been retained to conduct this leadership search on behalf of Immigrants Working Centre. For more information about this opportunity, please contact Ellie Rusonik, Associate Vice President, KCI Search + Talent by email at IWC@kcitalent.com

Interested candidates are invited to send a resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by March 1, 2021.

All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence.

To view the full Executive Brief please visit: kcitalent.com

The Immigrants Working Centre (IWC) is committed to a workforce that promotes and reflects those we serve and embraces an environment that fosters dignity, independence, and integration. Candidates with lived experience as an immigrant are particularly encouraged to apply.

IWC welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Compensation: The salary range for this position is $91,350 - $110,466