Director, Canada Strategy

Title: Director, Canada Strategy & Programs

Department: WES Mariam Assefa Fund (MAF)

Salary: $125K - $135K CAD

Location: Remote (Candidates based in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia or willing to relocate)

Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract - Parental Leave

Description:

The Director, Canada Strategy & Programs manages the Fund’s grantmaking and programmatic initiatives in Canada, ensuring that those initiatives contribute to the Fund’s social impact goals and reflect the Fund’s values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The role entails a mix of strategy development, program and network management, grant sourcing and selection, people management, budget management, and other operational responsibilities, which may evolve as the Fund’s work expands and evolves. The Director reports to WES’ Senior Director of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund but works closely and collaboratively with all members of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund team in the U.S. and Canada, other Social Impact teams, and the Fund’s grantee partners. They will have significant exposure to WES’s Executive Leadership Team, Senior Leadership Team and members of the WES Board of Directors.

Responsibilities:

1. Canada Grantmaking Strategy & Execution (35%)
   • Oversee the development and implementation of grantmaking strategies and programmatic approaches that contribute to the Fund’s and Social Impact’s goals of advancing economic, educational, and social inclusion for immigrants, refugees, and international students in Canada.
   • Approve the award of select grants and donations made through the Fund’s budget, ensuring appropriate due diligence, risk and impact assessment, and other considerations have been taken into account.
   • Lead the Canada Grants & Programs team in strategy, program development, and learning activities and ensure that funding priorities are grounded in the input from our grantee partners and leaders and organizations with relevant lived and learned experiences.
   • Recommend select, larger grants to the Senior Director, CSIO, CEO, and/or external advisors for approval.
   • Establish justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI)-driven approaches to source and select potential grantee partners in close collaboration with Grants Management staff and other key stakeholders.
   • Ensure the effective and efficient development of key materials required for pre-award sourcing and selection (e.g., requests for proposals, selection criteria).
   • Collaborate with Partnerships staff, Senior Director of the Fund, and other Social Impact colleagues to secure additional resources, expertise, and/or capacity to complement the financial, operational, and social capital MAF is deploying in Canada.
   • Represent the Fund’s Canadian grantmaking portfolio in external forums, engage with external advisors and partners to represent the Fund and pursue opportunities for collaboration, and, with support from Social Impact Communications staff, amplify insights gained from the Fund’s grantee partners and funding in blogs, speaking engagements, and/or other external channels.
2. Strategic Support & Programming for the Fund’s Partner Community (35%)
   • Oversee the strategy development, implementation and ongoing refinement of the Fund’s one-on-one and community-based approaches to support a portfolio of, on average, 40+ grantee partners, increase their influence, resources, and assets, and build the personal and organizational capabilities necessary to win greater power and shift who holds that power in society.
   • Oversee the development and implementation of critical technical assistance, peer-to peer, and/or partner support programs that support the individual needs of grantee partners and/or foster community, connection, and/or peer support across the Fund’s community.
   • Work closely with the Social Impact and Fund Communications teams to raise the visibility of the Fund’s partners and advance the Fund’s vision and values as a funder.
   • As a member of the MAF’s Leadership and Operations team, contribute to Fund-wide strategy development.
3. People Management, Operational Management & Internal Engagement (30%)
   • Oversee an annual grantmaking and operational budget of over $2 million for Canada grantmaking and related programs, including providing input in annual WES / MAF budgeting process, providing reporting on funding awards / expenditures, and selecting and managing external vendors.
   • Provide leadership to the MAF team as a member of MAF’s Leadership and Operations (L&O) team.
   • Contribute to positive team culture through building cooperation and contributing to team vision.
   • Manage [U.S. / Canada] program staff (e.g., Program Managers, Program Associates, interns), ensuring they provide effective support to grantee partners and grantmaking processes and supporting their professional development.
   • Provide timely forecasting on budget, capacity, and resource needs to the Senior Director and staff in the Office of Social Impact.
   • Work closely with the broader MAF team to solicit input on grantmaking and programmatic strategies, support knowledge management efforts, contribute to strategic planning and governance processes, and ensure the effective execution of grantmaking processes and post-award management.
   • Build strong relationships with other Social Impact departments and work with internal stakeholders to advance the Social Impact North Star, division-wide collaboration, collective learning and sensemaking, and other key priorities.

Requirements:

Required

• 8-10+ years of relevant work and/or education experience, particularly in the philanthropic, workforce development, education, public policy, and/or social enterprise sectors.
• Experience with and/or deep interest in issues affecting the economic mobility of immigrants & refugees, including but not limited to: workforce training and development, education and employment technology, financial access and inclusion, and worker ownership and organizing.
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions and drive work in a highly entrepreneurial and dynamic environment.
• Strong analytical skills to break down complex problems into component parts and frame trade-offs in decision-making.
• Exceptional project manager who thrives in a fast-paced environment, delivers high-quality work, is comfortable managing up, and enjoys juggling dynamic priorities.
• Previous people management experience with the ability to manage and develop high-performing colleagues.
• Experience collaborating closely with and delivering results through external partners, such as grantees and/or consultants.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills that convey complex information, strategic opportunities, and recommendations to stakeholders in compelling formats.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build trust with diverse stakeholder groups, including senior leaders at grantee partners, Board members, and other funders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Occasional travel to meet with grantee partners, attend conferences and convenings, and/or to meet with other WES colleagues. Total number of trips is anticipated to be between 6-10 per year.

Desired

• Be excited about WES’ mission, the Fund’s impact goals, and advancing equity, inclusion, and diversity.
• Have a high degree of comfort with rapidly changing, ambiguous contexts and an ability to help craft a clear path forward in these environments.
• Have lived and/or learned insight into the opportunities and challenges experienced by immigrant and refugee communities and demonstrate a deep commitment to elevating immigrants’ voices and experiences through the Fund’s work.
• Bring both an entrepreneurial mindset to generate new approaches, spot opportunities, and initiate action.
• Have a deep-rooted intellectual curiosity and an openness to diverse ideas and perspectives.
• Thrive in an environment that values transparency, collaboration, and a learning orientation.
• Bring a “can-do” attitude and have a willingness to stretch up and down in their role as the Fund’s needs evolve.
• Build informal working relationships, quickly establish credibility in new areas of work, and mobilize people at all levels towards collaborative goals.

Our Commitment:

World Education Services is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that reflects the rich tapestry of our communities, both in the US and Canada. This commitment is underscored by our unwavering dedication to providing equal opportunities to all qualified individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or genetics. This commitment extends to every aspect of employment, from recruitment and hiring to promotions, training, and benefits. We comply with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws. For us, diversity goes beyond compliance – it's about embracing unique perspectives and cultivating an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential.

If you require assistance and/or accommodation at any point during the recruitment process, please contact us at hiring@wes.org, we're here to support you. Our Talent Acquisition team is happy to work with you to find solutions that meet your needs.

For more information about WES, please visit our website at www.WES.org