Executive Director

Career Type: Full-time, Permanent
Location: Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre, 65 Noecker Street, Waterloo ON N2J 2R6
Posted: November 18, 2019
Closing: December 15, 2019, 11:59PM

Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre has served as a keystone of the Waterloo community for more than 50 years. Our not-for-profit centre provides the highest quality care for over 120 children each and every day. We are proud to be an inclusive, innovative and adaptive centre that exceeds the needs and expectations of our families and community.

Known for our nurturing care, we celebrate each child’s individual learning style, personality, skills and interests. Learning through nature is a hallmark of our Centre and we are proud to have our curriculum enriched by the gracious support of Ontario’s First Nations’ pedagogy and the land-based knowledge of elders and youth leaders.

Currently, Emmanuel is seeking an experienced and innovative Executive Director (ED) to join our centre. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED will provide strategic oversight and pursue growth in alignment with our community-informed strategic plan. The ED will ensure the ongoing delivery of quality care and centre operations through the empowerment and engagement of our amazing employees and educators. This strategic role is ideally suited for someone passionate about serving as a community leader, pursuing lifelong learning, and growing bright futures.

Emmanuel is seeking a strategic leader with demonstrated expertise aligned with the following competencies:

Strategic Competencies (85% of Time)

Visionary & Strategic Thinking

  • Bring the strategic plan to life.

  • Lead organizational growth while maintaining Emmanuel’s deep-rooted values.

  • Exercise sound judgment in determining priorities and finding solutions.

  • Employ creative thinking and demonstrate a commitment to innovation, exploration and growth.

  • Hone and strengthen Emmanuel’s brand and reputation.

Leadership

  • Foster a culture of employee engagement, empowerment and leadership.

  • Provide coaching and mentoring to the Centre’s leadership team.

  • Embody the Centre’s reputation for excellence, nurturing care, and learning through nature and model the organizational values.

  • Lead change with collaborative decision making.

  • Demonstrate community leadership.

Relationship Development

  • Build and strengthen impactful partnerships, leveraging an established network.

  • Develop and maintain positive relationships with families, community organizations, and neighbours.

  • Collaborate meaningfully and engage others to achieve success.

  • Develops internal and external communication strategies and fosters transparency.

Finance & Fund Development

  • Maintain operation of the Centre within an approved budget, leveraging sound financial practices, including risk planning, analysis, and reporting.

  • Lead grant initiatives, opportunity identification and proposal development, critical to ongoing operations.

  • Lead an effective fund development strategy, building a sense of philanthropy within our community.

  • Analyze and enhance the sustainability of all centre programs.

Operational Competencies (15% of Time)

Not-for-Profit Oversight

  • Ensure all licensing requirements are met.

  • Ensure Centre policies are inclusive, consistent, up-to-date and administered.

  • Support Board governance, articulating Board vision through policy and practice.

  • Serve as a strategic link between the Centre, employees and the Board, providing regular and thorough communication to support alignment.

  • Leverage established not-for-profit and/or childcare expertise for Centre success and growth.

Human Resources

  • Ensure the Centre is staffed for success, leveraging a positive, supportive and inclusive philosophy.

  • Demonstrate governance excellence, applying knowledge of the Employment Standards Act and other applicable laws, in developing and applying consistent, transparent, and compliant policies and procedures.

  • Create an environment where staff are supported for success, growth, and engagement.

  • Support in-the-moment coverage for Centre life, if/when needed – i.e. tour a potential parent, change a diaper, zip a coat, serve tea around the campfire.

Qualifications

  • Minimum of 10 years leadership experience, preferably within the early childhood education field and/or not-for-profit sector.

  • Strong working knowledge of all provincial acts pertaining to early childhood education in Ontario, specifically the Child Care and Early Years Act.

  • Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills – an ability to connect meaningfully with a diverse group of stakeholders.

  • Demonstrated ability to anticipate, analyze and adapt to changing priorities; maintaining a positive outlook, focus and determination in times of uncertainty.

  • Proven ability to set and achieve strategic objectives

  • Strong empathy, influencing/negotiating and leadership skills with an ability to inspire a culture of employee engagement.

  • A positive outlook and a commitment to support employee wellbeing.

  • Working knowledge of change management and internal communications practices.

  • Demonstrated experience implementing inclusive policies, procedures and philosophies.

  • Demonstrated knowledge of fundraising strategies and donor relations, preferably within the not-for-profit sector.

  • Financial acumen with hands-on experience managing budgets while employing sound risk mitigation strategies.

  • Ability to work collaboratively and foster respectful relationships.

  • A passion for and connection with nature.

  • Working knowledge of forest-based pedagogy and/or certification as a Forest School practitioner is an asset.

  • Early Childhood Education - RECE designation is an asset.

Application Process

Candidates are asked to submit a cover letter and resume to emmanuelhiring@gmail.com by December 15th, 2019 11:59PM. The posting will remain open until the position is filled. We thank all applicants for applying, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. All inquiries and applications will be held in strict confidence.

As part of the selection process, candidates may be asked to participate in reference and background checks.

Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre is committed to an inclusive, accessible and respectful work environment. We have strived to make our application process accessible however if you require any assistance, please contact emmanuelhiring@gmail.com.

All questions related to the position and process should be directed to emmanuelhiring@gmail.com.