Director - Investment Readiness Program

About this position

The Canadian Women’s Foundation is a national leader in the movement for gender equality in Canada. Through funding, research, advocacy, and knowledge sharing, the Foundation works to achieve systemic change that includes all women. By supporting community programs, the Foundation empowers women and girls to move themselves out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence and leadership.

Launched in 1991 to address a critical need for philanthropy focused on women, the Canadian Women’s Foundation is one of the largest women’s foundations in the world. With the support of donors, the Foundation has raised more than $90 million and funded over 1,900 programs across the country. These programs focus on addressing the root causes of the most critical issues and helping women and girls who face the greatest barriers.

Opportunity

The Canadian Women’s Foundation is seeking to hire a Director to support the strategic oversight and implementation of a new grant program. Funded by the Government of Canada’s Investment Readiness Program, this work will support women-centred organizations seeking to start, sustain or scale up social enterprises, or social innovation projects/programs. The grant program will focus on social innovation and social finance, preparing the ground for new projects to address women’s needs in Canada in various sectors, working with diverse and underserved communities. This program will assist organizations to increase their readiness to enter the social finance ecosystem and will engage grantees in a meaningful and impactful way.

Reporting to the VP, Community Initiatives, the Director will provide strategic direction and day to day management of all activities related to the Investment Readiness Program (Working Title TBC) including: RFP and allocation of grants; advisory committee management; partner, funder and grantee relationship management; capacity building and skills development; collaboration with the social innovation and social finance ecosystems; and learning and evaluation.

The ideal candidate will have a solid background in social innovation methodologies and approaches, with a strong gender-based analysis. They will be able to work independently and have in-depth experience in grant making and program management. They will also have the skills to create organizational capacity building activities, using adult education and learning principles.

The ideal candidate will have experience working nationally in Canada, have seven to ten years’ experience in the non-profit sector or in a related field (e.g. foundation, social services) preferably in the area of women’s economic justice and social innovation, and have a strong intersectional analysis of social justice issues locally and globally.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and management related to all Investment Readiness activities including: grant making strategy and process, work with advisory committees, program evaluation, budget management & support to grantees.
• Responsible for overseeing the skills training and knowledge mobilization strategy that will build capacity and leadership in the sector including for prospective grantees.
• Take the lead in establishing evaluation best practice among grantees in order to gain knowledge on impact. Work with external parties on evaluation and research to promote learning for the field.
• Conduct mapping and outreach in the field of women’s social innovation and social finance.
• Provide input and program information to internal and external stakeholders on: proposal content, special events, policy issues, reporting, and grantee, partner and government relationship management.
• Supervise the Investment Readiness Program Manager and provide feedback, direction, support and evaluation on performance.
• Monitor emerging issues in the field and provide advice to senior management based on appropriate roles for the Foundation.

Skills & Abilities

• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the women’s non-profit sector in Canada, including strong gender and equity analysis. Ability to advance knowledge on how to achieve long-term systemic change that will lead to women’s and girls’ equality and self-reliance.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the social innovation and social finance ecosystems in Canada and relevant skills and training in these areas. Preference given to candidates with experience working nationally in these fields.
• Experience working with a widely diverse group of grantees, partners, consultants and stakeholders, including working with experiential women and girls.
• Demonstrated planning and project management skills, and ability to think strategically.
• Demonstrated knowledge of evaluation practice; research and analytical skills.
• High competency in adult education and learning, as well as strong facilitation skills.
• Strong communication skills, written and verbal, and ability to work in French as a valued asset.
• Demonstrated knowledge of grant making as a grantee, funder or committee member.
• Strong judgement and political acumen in order to identify and manage risks.

Expectations & Conditions

The chosen candidate will be able to:

• Deliver on the above responsibilities from mid-October 2019 to end-April 2021
• Work full-time in collaboration nationally with colleagues and partners
• Work in the Toronto office and have access to the systems at the Foundation or undertake this contract remotely and work from another location in Canada.

The Canadian Women’s Foundation is committed to equity in employment and seeks to attract, select, and hire a diverse team with a high level of professional skills, passion for and belief in our vision and mission.

Salary: $80,000 - $90,000 with an excellent benefits package, possibility of a flexible work location, and a fantastic employment environment.

Please email your cover letter and resume quoting reference #CI-005 to humanresources@canadianwomen.org. Applications can be submitted in English or French and should be submitted no later than 11:59pm EST on September 1, 2019.

We thank all who have expressed interest in this position, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.