Executive Director

About this position

Overview

Meal Exchange is a national youth-driven, registered charity that engages, educates and mobilizes youth to work with their communities in order to alleviate hunger locally and achieve food security. Its programs have been run in over 100 communities across Canada and generated over $3.25 million worth of food.

Our Mission: is to engage, educate, and mobilize youth to work with their communities in order to alleviate hunger locally and achieve food security.

Our Vision: is a country where everyone has access to safe, nutritious, affordable food.

Opportunities and Challenges

The Executive Director is supported by a dedicated Board and team of 4 permanent talented and passionate staff members as well as other temporary staff and volunteers . They will need to build relationships, credibility and trust, with staff, board, volunteers and other key stakeholders to establish him/herself as the new leader of the organization.

The Executive Director is responsible for managing all aspects of Meal Exchange’s internal operations and outward facing activities, including, but not limited to, community leadership and engagement,  finance, general administration, strategic planning, human resources, fundraising, media and government relations, and program and policy development.   

The executive director ensures the organization remains in compliance with the mission, vision and strategic goals established with the Board of Directors. They works with the Board to set the strategic direction of the organization, and leads staff and volunteer in the execution of these goals and objectives.

Candidate Background

The successful candidate will possess the following values, skills, qualities and experience:

Values

The successful candidate will be a highly-adaptable, creative, logic-driven individual, possessing a passion for driving change in how Canadians access food in this country.  They will be decisive and yet inclusive, and will demonstrate a willingness to listen to other voices to achieve the most optimal solution for the challenge at hand.

Leadership  

An inspirational and articulate leader, the successful candidate will be politically astute and possess exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities. They will be able to effectively serve and mentor others to serve as charismatic ambassadors for Meal Exchange.

The successful candidate will be able to delegate and set clear priorities in the development of teams and new programs as they align with our mission, vision and values while still maintaining our relationships and delivering on existing programs and contractual agreements. A keen problem-solver, the successful candidate will excel at driving to consensus among differing opinions. They are confident, transparent, encourages creativity and collaboration, and are capable of building and fostering effective teams and forging long-lasting and collaborative relationships and partnerships.

The successful candidate will be able to balance learning about and valuing Meal Exchange’s history and past successes with a vision and commitment to leading the organization into the future.

Management

The successful candidate will bring to this position nonprofit acumen, strong financial and human resources management skills and an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit. They will ensure the continued delivery of high-quality service to the community and a stable and supportive staff culture, while planning for future growth and seeking out and assessing new opportunities.

They will oversee the financial status of the organization, including developing long- and short-range financial plans, monitoring the budget, and ensuring that sound financial controls are in place. In addition, they will continue to manage the organization to ensure that it is operating in a manner that supports the needs of the community and staff.

Career Experience and Education

As a respected and connected leader, the candidate will have the following professional experience:

• Demonstrated leadership and management experience in a youth-oriented organization
• Experience leading and working within post-secondary campuses / ecosystem considered an asset
• Interest and knowledge of the food security sector in Canada  
• Experience dealing with issues in the areas of poverty reduction, social justice, and/or food systems change
• Experience working with board and staff to develop and implement a strategic plan
• Experience implementing and/or managing IT infrastructure consisting of social media platforms, online collaboration and file sharing applications (eg. Box.net, Google applications, Smartsheet, etc...)
• A demonstrated ability to understand and articulate Meal Exchange’s impact to donors, to garner increased and sustained funding
• Experience building cross-sectoral partnerships and working within networks and with partner organizations to build a pan-Canadian approach to solving hunger;
• Relevant undergraduate or graduate degree in a related field;
• French considered an asset.

A competitive compensation package will be offered based on the skills and experience of the successful candidate

Interested in applying?

Interested candidates are asked to submit their Cover Letter and Resume along with 3 references to opportunities@mealexchange.com no later than 5pm on January 17, 2020. We thank all applicants, however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted. 

Commitment to Inclusion:

Meal Exchange is committed to employment equity initiatives, and to having a team that reflects the diversity of the issues and communities we work with. We welcome the wide range of experiences and viewpoints that applicants may bring, including those based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ability, age and religion. We welcome both lived and academic experience, and encourage applicants to note this in their application. In our inclusive workplace everyone is assured the right of equitable, fair, and respectful treatment.

About us

At Meal Exchange, our goal is to ensure that students are food secure. This means having access to good, sustainable and just food that is accessible, affordable and is equitably shared with all those who need it. For over 26 years we have been leading the movement on student food insecurity.