Executive Director

Are you a collaborative leader looking for a new opportunity?

We are seeking an inclusive, approachable leader with experience working with ethnocultural, racialized, equity seeking communities and a passion for collaborating for equitable system change to become the next Executive Director or Co-Executive Directors. As a credible champion for full participation in social, economic, and civic life, our new leadership will be committed to offering holistic services and building the capacity and amplifying the collective voice of these communities.

The Executive Director(s) will build on Multicultural Family Resource Society (MFRS)’ mission, vision, and principles and lead community based initiatives for the improvement of the quality of life of newcomer Edmontonians. As a liaison with internal and external stakeholders, this position demands a deep understanding of newcomer realities (including refugees, immigrants, and persons with temporary or undocumented status), the ability to build relationships, application of intercultural and anti-oppressive principles, the capacity to build an organization with financial viability, and outstanding organization and management skills in order to best serve MFRS’ mission and mandate.

Who we are:

Multicultural Family Resource Society (MFRS) was founded in 2005 by and for immigrant and refugee families. Sixteen years later, MFRS is uniquely positioned to meet the needs and build on the strengths of newcomers who are experiencing high vulnerability in Edmonton/amiskwaciy-wâskahikan, within the territories of the nations of Treaty 6 and Metis Nation of Alberta Region 4.

We (currently 23 highly skilled, experienced, and passionate staff) explore the potential of new models of holistic settlement and integration services while focusing on building the capacity of newcomer households and designing programs that respond to the needs and strengths of participants from newcomer communities. We bring our learning (and unlearning) to collaboratives and sector initiatives, while learning from others and integrating that into the promising practices of MFRS.

What we offer:

A 1.0 FTE executive director position at 37.5 hours a week
An annual salary range of $78,000 - $82,000
Potential for hybrid work model
Extended health and dental coverage benefits
A collaborative and supportive work environment, including a culturally responsive six-week closure policy pilot program to support staff wellness and reflect diversity of beliefs and cultures

What we do:

To achieve our mission and vision, we work interdependently. We see other organizations as potential partners rather than competitors. As a staff team, we recognize that the wellbeing of each other is the key to delivering creative, flexible, and high-quality programs and services. We also work with systems to transform them (when they need to be refreshed). And we take action to stay accountable to the communities that our mission and vision are designed to empower.

As a values-driven organization, MFRS is grounded in the following principles and committed to continually learning about and incorporating anti-oppressive approaches.

MFRS Principles

Relational: A way of interaction with and within the community in which we take time to listen, care, connect and love to build mutual support hand in hand

Participant Driven: Participants identify what’s important to them, what they need, and what they want to achieve. Our programs meet participants where they’re at and support them in reaching their goals.

Empowerment: Building community and working together to share space, opportunities, skills, and knowledge for mutual learning, self-determination and ultimate well-being

Culturally Responsive: Safe spaces to maintain a home culture and adapt to new connections and diversity; and developing a deeper understanding between cultures that are always changing

What a day in the ED’s life could include:

Financial and risk management

Develop an operational plan with the available resources and funds, according to the approved budget, which incorporates goals and objectives that work towards the strategic direction of the organization that meet the needs of the community and builds upon their capacities
Seek appropriate resources for MFRS to meet its strategic goals through proposal writing, application of funds, and fund-raising/ fund development oversight
Provides overall financial oversight for the entire organization

Relational:

Build meaningful connections across staff and board, families, communities, organizations, and government so that communities can inform and lead positive change
Establish meaningful relationships with MFRS stakeholders to build a shared understanding of newcomer communities’ challenges and strengths and how MFRS and community resources might be appropriately leveraged

Empowerment:

Establish and nurture partnerships and working relationships with community groups, funders, partners such as Multicultural Health Brokers Co-Operative (MCHB), and other organizations to support our mission and vision
Advocate for program needs and realities of immigrant and refugee families in Edmonton
Implement an accountability process for all staff and contractors, including on-going mentoring and coaching which contributes to ongoing improvement of MFRS programs and operations and staff and contractors meeting their professional goals

Participant Driven:

Oversee the funding, planning, implementation and evaluation of MFRS programs, and ensure the work reflects MFRS’ mission and commitment to equity
Engage meaningfully with communities on MFRS’ strategic direction: determining current and future needs and capacities, in order to collaboratively co-create innovative solutions

Culturally Responsive:

Work with MFRS staff to adapt MFRS programming, policies and engagement strategies to match the current cultural, political, social, economic, and technological context of the communities we serve
Review existing policies on an annual basis to ensure they are relevant, equitable, and appropriately protect MFRS from undue risk and ensure our accountability to community and recommending changes to the Board as appropriate

Ideal Candidates have the following:

Behavioural competencies:

Openness to intercultural learning
Self-awareness
Collaborative Team Building
Focus on outcomes
Agility
Life-long learning
Embedding Equity into Organization Leadership
Strategic Thinking
Systems Thinking
Accountability

Experience:

Experience in a senior leadership role within the non-profit sector including managing the performance of staff and overseeing programs
Experience in establishing and maintaining formal and informal partnerships with other service providers and stakeholders
Lived experience with work or volunteer experience in services that directly support vulnerable or marginalized populations, including refugees and immigrants
Experience writing independent proposals to multiple funders
Facilitation, public speaking, and audience engagement experience
Experience working in ways that align with MFRS principles

Skills and Attributes:

Commitment to social inclusion, equity and anti-oppressive practice
Ability to multitask, navigate competing priorities, and thrive in a working environment with multiple demands
An eye for creating efficiencies and keeping track of details, especially in relation to budgets and developing program systems
Skills managing the financials of an organization with changing needs
Understanding of how staff and programs should build and foster relationships with families from diverse areas and backgrounds, and effectively advocate for their needs
Understanding of holistic family support, and strength-based and trauma-informed practice for families facing complex situations
Passion and knowledge of the context of work in the not-for-profit/charitable sector
Knowledge of history, key issues, and resources for refugee/immigrant communities in Edmonton/Canada

If you are interested:

In your cover letter, please explain which two of MFRS’ principles guide you as a leader in your professional work and you embody in your personal life. Please indicate in your resume any educational experiences you have had in any context that contribute to the execution of this job. We thank all applicants but only those shortlisted for an interview will be contacted. Résumés without a cover letter will be deemed as an incomplete application and will not be accepted.

Please submit your application by Friday, April 29, 2022, at 11:59 PM MST. Your application will be assessed based on how strongly your identified qualifications meet the criteria in the job posting.

If you would like a full job description or have any questions about the role, please email HR@mfrsedmonton.org.

If making a submission for joint leadership as Co-Executive Directors:

The application package should include a cover letter from each person reflecting their individual takes on why they want to apply as a team and what the benefits of this arrangement would be for MFRS
The cover letter should also include details of previous work together, demonstrating previous capacity to work as a leadership team in some capacity

Only those applicants who best demonstrate how they meet the qualifications outlined in the job posting will be contacted to advance to the next phase via email or phone once the posting has closed.