Employment Opportunities

Exceptional Opportunity to Lead an Alberta Environmental Organization

Executive Director

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Calgary/Banff chapter (“CPAWS CB”) is seeking a proven leader in conservation to protect Alberta’s natural ecosystems in parks, wilderness areas and habitat preservation. The Executive Director understands the importance of an informed and active public and will ensure that the voice of Alberta’s grassroots constituents is heard and effectively represented.

As Executive Director, your expertise in successfully engaging thought leaders and decision-makers will include public policy experience, government relations and multi-stakeholder consultations. You are an experienced strategic thinker and have demonstrated communications skills, including media relations and brand development. You have experience running public awareness and education campaigns. Ultimately, you have the skills, commitment and passion to lead a committed grassroots organization – its staff, volunteers, and stakeholders – to galvanize public action to achieve change.

CPAWS is one of Canada’s most respected not-for-profit conservation groups. Grounded in the philosophy and science of conservation biology, CPAWS strives to set an inspiring new standard for the integrity of the Canadian wilderness. Nationally, CPAWS has led in the protection of over 40 million hectares of Canada’s threatened wild lands since its founding in 1963, and has publicly stated its intention to keep 50 percent of all Crown or public lands across Canada permanently wild. In Alberta, public consensus indicates the prosperity and growth of recent decades have come with the loss of environmental values. Today, the province faces daunting conservation challenges, and its conservation policy lies at a critical juncture. To meet those challenges and contribute to a positive new policy, CPAWS CB has developed a bold, forward-looking vision. It now requires a strong Executive Director who can act strategically and decisively to make its vision a reality.

Accountabilities and Qualifications

The successful candidate will compellingly represent CPAWS CB’s conservation goals and outcomes to all orders of government – including First Nations – the conservation and non-profit community, and the business sector. Using a variety of communication tools and strategies you will promote our conservation activities and achieve our education objectives. Reporting to the Board of Directors, you have direct responsibility for delivering the vision, plans and goals of the organization and the management of staff and volunteers resources.

The Executive Director is accountable for the following general outcomes:

• To ensure CPAWS CB’s influential and respected participation as a leader in policy and practice related to conservation and habitat protection.

• To expand and maintain mutual trust and productive working relationships with organizations and institutions that are important to CPAWS as stakeholders and partners.

• To maintain CPAWS’ positive and sustainable financial position including the implementation of successful fundraising initiatives.

• To lead a focused and effective staff team to deliver the CPAWS CB conservation and education plans.

In addition to chapter accountabilities, you will be a member of the National CPAWS organization Executive Director Steering Council (“EDSC”). The EDSC role is to help implement and operationalize nation-wide conservation, communication and organizational business strategies and to advise the National Executive Director in the development of conservation and operational policies. Chapter Executive Directors may chair one of the five National Conservation Programs.

For more information about CPAWS CB, please refer to our Web site at:

www.cpawscalgary.org

This position entails working at our office in Calgary with periodic travel anticipated.

Salary/Benefits: Commensurate with executive management experience
Target Start Date: July 2008

Please e-mail your resume with a covering letter by Wednesday, May 7, 2008 to:

Search Committee
edresume@cpawscalgary.org

We regret that neither faxed nor posted applications will be reviewed.

Please note: All applicants will receive an acknowledgement e-mail. While the interest of all applicants is appreciated, only those candidates requested for an interview will be contacted directly. It is anticipated that the interview evaluation process will commence in early May.

 

CPAWS Calgary/Banff also offers plenty of volunteer opportunities. Please click here if you are interested in volunteer positions with us.