Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Job Responsibility:

Overview

Since 1988 the Centre for Newcomers (CFN) has been a key resource for immigrants and refugees of all nationalities in Calgary. A social profit organization, CFN views the integration of newcomers as a two-way process of experience, influence, and impact between newcomers and the communities that welcome them. The importance of this work continues to grow, as immigration is steadily increasing along with community commitment to the removal of systemic barriers for women, racialized communities, and vulnerable populations.

VISION

Our vision is a community that values diversity, in which people of all backgrounds find and create opportunities to fulfill dreams and participate fully as citizens.

MISSION

To support newcomers and the receiving community in becoming a diverse, united community, through services and initiatives that create conditions of success for newcomers and that foster a welcoming environment in Calgary.

OUR PROMISE:

We believe that by welcoming newcomers and supporting them to settle and integrate, by working collaboratively and in partnership, with a workplace culture that is founded on respect, cooperation and trust, we are making a positive difference in the lives of all Calgarians and the community.

VALUES

Services at the Centre for Newcomers are influenced by and embody our values; those values are equality and respect, collaboration, communication, professionalism, caring, diversity, and inclusion.

What We Do

Settlement Services

Newcomers make a brave choice to move to Canada, to seek a new life, and to be part of a dynamic community. It can be exciting and challenging, however, the excitement for many newcomers may diminish as settlement challenges and barriers arise. Settlement services at the Centre for Newcomers help address the needs of immigrants and refugees to make a successful transition to their new home in Calgary.

Career Development and Job Search Services

Those new to Canada have questions about how to find work in their occupations, or about training programs required to work in their new home. Center For Newcomers offers services to help newcomers to meet their employment goal supported by culturally competent Career Practitioners and available in many languages.

Youth & Family Services

Real Me works with newcomer youth currently involved in gang-related activities, or at risk of becoming involved in those activities. Program staff helps youth participants to reach their highest future potential, regardless of their past.

English Language and Training Services

CFN offers clients qualified instructors and practical training in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, as well as life skills, and Canadian cultural awareness.

Vulnerable Population Services (VPS)

VPS offers specialized service attention to newcomers in difficult scenarios using a Case Management & Wrap Around approach. Each person is assessed in a comprehensive way & services are provided in all areas of one's life where attention is required & requested.Program Staff work with any age, culture, and sexual diversity and will arrange language translation if it is required beyond the more than 20 languages of the VPS team.

EthniCity Catering

EthniCity Catering is a non-profit social enterprise of the Centre for Newcomers, providing Canadian work experience and training to immigrants in their transition to Canada. Students learn and expand their culinary knowledge by assisting with orders and gaining invaluable work experience.

Role Emphasis

Chief Operating Officer (COO) provides the leadership, management, and vision necessary to ensure that the company has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and people systems in place to effectively grow the organization and to ensure financial strength and operating procedures are followed. The COO is a key member of the senior leadership team, reporting to the Chief of Staff (CoS).

The Chief Operating Officer reports to the Chief of Staff, works closely with the Leadership Team (C Suite, VPs) and has the following direct reports:

• VP, Strategy
• Director, HR
• Director, Administration
• Director, Operations

Key Accountabilities:

Strategy Development and Implementation

• Provide strong leadership that pertains to client-centric service delivery.
• Link CFN strategy development to external research and policy that impacts CFN clients, identifying and addressing advocacy needs for systemic change
• Lead the translation of the organization's strategic plan into actions and work plans for staff in the departments under their purview.
• Identify and lead strategic initiatives that align with the organization's mission and the development of processes for client success.
• Support the creation of innovative space for ideas generation leading to effective program design and knowledge development for continued success for clients as market needs change and opportunities shift.
• Lead analytical processes in program design, knowledge development, and program deployment for staff

Stakeholder Relations

• Create strategic partnerships with government, funders, employers, and the community to ensure clients get meaningful and sustainable opportunities in Canada.
• Ensure CFN is recognized as a credible organization for assisting newcomers.
• Oversee the deployment of community engagement strategy to increase equal opportunities for active citizenship for newcomers.
• Monitor, strengthen, and improve outcome measures of organizational partnerships.
• Create an everlasting brand identity for Centre for Newcomers as a Household name.

People Management

• Building leadership capacities and opportunities for growth of staff
• Recruit, train develop, support, and manage the performance of direct reports; provide support to supervisors in the management of their staff.
• Establish workplan for internal staff capacity building processes
• Ensure proper staff engagement processes for high staff performance
• Support staff to connect individual goals to department and organizational goals.

Human Resources Oversight

• Develop and implement HR policies and procedures that align with the organization's vision, mission, values, and objectives.
• Oversee performance evaluations, ensuring they are conducted effectively and in compliance with best practices.
• Oversee the HR department to address any personnel-related issues promptly.

Facility Oversight

• Provide guidance and supervision to the Facility Staff in maintaining the organization's facilities.
• Ensure the quality of facility management works aligns with organizational standards.
• Collaborate on facility improvement and expansion projects as needed.
• Oversight of all external contracts, policies, and procedures including technology, security and maintenance.

Competencies:

Strategic Thinking - Analyzes and interprets the strategic direction of the organization, has a clear and firm understanding of the vision, mission, values, and objectives of the workplace, uses that information to develop responsibilities, tasks, goals, and initiatives that align with long-term plans and growth. Reflects on past experience, organizational practices, and processes in order to determine the correct course of action.

Leadership - Maintains a professional and positive manner even under changing or uncertain conditions. Works well with a wide range of individuals to provide support, coaching, encouragement, and direction. Engages others in order to accomplish organizational goals and strategies.

Communication - Expresses and transmits information with consistency and clarity, using active listening techniques in order to effectively understand provided feedback, and summarizes information according to the audience in order to promote engagement and increase understanding.

Organizational and Environmental Awareness - Shows commitment to the organizational vision and strategic goals by acting in accordance to organizational expectations and through having a solid understanding of the internal environment. Uses knowledge of organizational and external climate to solve issues and accomplish goals and engagement strategies, complies with and enforces organizational policies, procedures, and practices.

Networking and Relationship Building - Effectively builds constructive, friendly, professional relationships and networks of key contacts with people and colleagues, maintains partnerships that can provide information, assistance, and support.

Negotiation and Conflict Management - Gains support of ideas, proposals, and solutions from others, helps others to understand complex initiatives and sensitive situations to resolve disagreements and conflicts, reaches deals and compromises that work best for the organization, considers other opinions while holding strong to firm directions and goals.

Planning and Organizing - Accurately estimates duration and level of difficulty of tasks and projects, setting out goals and objectives and work plans to complete. Develops and oversees multiple plans for internal groups and teams, anticipates risks, and takes appropriate steps. Develops and oversees strategic plans that impact the overall organization.

Problem Solving - Possesses the ability to break a situation down into smaller pieces to identify key issues, figure out cause and effect relationships in order to solve. Uses logic and analytical methods to come to realistic solutions.

Results Orientation - Possesses the ability to focus on desired outcomes and the means by which they are achieved, by meeting and/or exceeding standards based on past performance, goals, and objectives, as well as the performance and/or achievements of others.

Service Orientation - Focuses on needs of clients and supporting staff in the provision of quality services.

Required Characteristics

The successful candidate is an engaging, inclusive, approachable leader with lived experience in ethnocultural, racialized, equity-seeking communities and a passion for collaborating for equitable system change. Politically astute, our new Chief Operating Officer is a big-picture thinker and recognizes the pieces in that picture that need to connect for success, without getting stuck in the weeds.

The Chief Operating Officer is able to bring out the best in others, empowering them to be successful not just as individuals but also as teams. The successful candidate is a motivator and teambuilder, able to support the development of staff by delegating responsibility and promoting teamwork within a skilled and diverse team. Open and personable, our new Chief Operating Officer models respect and trust and is empathetic to community and individuals - caring about their staff and the community we serve. A collaborative management style, with good listening skills as well as consistent and engaging communication throughout the journey, is key.

A strong communicator, the successful candidate is comfortable with public speaking, thoughtful in addressing concepts related to systemic and/or public policy change, and committed to supporting newcomers and refugees as well as the community of Calgary that welcomes them.

Our new Chief Operating Officer is able to build, or already has, effective relationships within the sector and the communities we serve. They have well-developed Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism lenses and the skill to support their integration into the processes and work of both CFN and the community at large. The successful candidate has a comprehensive understanding of non-profit finances, including project-based funding, grant applications, reporting, and their implications.

Required Experience/Skills

• At least ten years of experience in leadership roles
• Both lived and work experience with anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and implementation
• Strategic community development experience
• Proven leadership skills, including the ability to identify talent, build teams, mentor, and develop team members and inspire performance that exceeds expectations and retains resources
• In-depth knowledge of research and public policy development
• Proven ability to support organizations and individuals in moving theory and learning into practice
• Trends analysis and systems mapping
• Human-centric approaches to design and engagements
• Strategic, executive presence; yet comfortable to “roll up sleeves”
• Demonstrated track record of serving as a trusted advisor to clients
• A passion for making clients successful
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Detail-oriented with solid project management follow-through
• Natural sense of curiosity and a desire to help people
• Sense of humor.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in social work, sociology, community development, business, or a related discipline.
• Candidates with a combination of relevant education and experience are welcome to apply.

Please send your resume and cover letter as one document.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: $120,000.00-$150,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Extended health care
• On-site gym
• On-site parking
• Paid time off
• RRSP match
• Vision care

Flexible Language Requirement:

• French not required

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree (required)

Work Location: In person