Executive Director, Out On Screen

Role Overview
The Executive Director provides essential leadership in advancing the organization's strategic direction, workplace culture, and stakeholder relationships. This position is entrusted with the fulfillment of the mission, vision, and strategic plan of the organization, and is the lead staff person for organizational governance. Further, this role is the key and leading role for the business of the organization, and involves planning, organizing, directing, controlling, and administering all Society operations.
This high-profile position requires a dynamic, adaptive, and resourceful leader who, amidst an ever-changing environment, inspires committed engagement in diverse communities, staff, and board alike.
The Executive Director is a strong people leader with the emotional intelligence needed to foster a safe and supportive environment for staff through proactive conflict management. Further, the Executive Director leads with an anti-oppression lens, in both practice and approach. The Executive Director's leadership is consistent with the Society's Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles, Values, Governance/Operational Policies and Strategic Plan.
In particular, and in the interest of quality events, programs and services, this position is responsible for strategic leadership, collaborative and supportive people management, and oversight in the following areas:

• Advancing the Strategic Direction, Workplace Culture & Stakeholder Relations
• Philanthropic Cultivation and Stewardship
• Strategic Community Relations
• Financial Integrity
• Strategic Planning
• Risk Mitigation
• Reporting to the Board, Board Relationship and Collaboration.
• The Executive Director reports to the Board Chair, or delegate (Vice-Chair or Board Executive)
  

Specific Accountability
Advancing the Strategic Direction & Workplace Culture

• Demonstrates future orientation and planning to address changing community, program, event, and service needs;
• Provides leadership, quality assurance, and excellence in Out On Screen events, programs, and services;
• Provides a strategic level of thinking and implementation of business development initiatives to support the viability of the organization;
• Provides leadership to the board and staff with respect to political advocacy necessary to fulfill the operations of the organization;
• Implements an anti-oppression leadership practice for both internal and external stakeholders;
• Oversees business systems to ensure an effective and sustainable infrastructure in collaboration with the leadership team;
• Implements the Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles, Values, Governance and Strategic Plan;
• Oversees and engages in high-level human resources issues relating to significant issues concerning employees, volunteers, or contractors; and
• Creates a safe and motivational work environment, through proactive conflict management and mentoring, to enhance employee satisfaction and productivity
  

Philanthropic Cultivation and Stewardship

• Provides leadership, guidance, and mentorship to enhance the financial strength and viability of Out On Screen;
• Develops foundations for strong and positive relationships with all donors, funders, business support, and potential funders in an effort to realize stronger revenue for the organization into the future;
• Balances the needs of the existing donors with the programming direction of Out On Screen, and cultivates diversification of the current funding base;
• Ensures compliance with public sector funding agencies; and
• Serves as the key contact with key financial supporters
  

Strategic Stakeholder and Community Relations

• Creates and maintains strong and positive relationships with internal stakeholders (staff, contractors, volunteer, and the Board of Directors) and cultivates an equitable, diverse, and inclusive internal culture;
• Cultivates and maintains strong and positive relationships with the community donors, sponsors, funders, potential supporters, and other stakeholders and finds pathways for future collaborative working relationships;
• Creates and builds public profile with queer communities, as well as government and other community stakeholders, to enhance the visibility of Out On Screen; Ensures excellent quality in programs, services, and events
  

Financial Integrity

• Acts as the key oversight and financial control of the organization;
• Cultivates diversification of the current funding base;
• Prepares and controls the annual operating plans to align with the Strategic Plan;
• Works in adherence with prudent financial practices; and
• Provides leadership in contract negotiations/ contract management
  

Implementation of the Strategic Plan

• Works with the board to design annual strategic planning sessions to identify opportunities to meet emerging trends, key opportunities, known and unknown challenges, and community interest/needs;
• Aligns operations and develops staff buy-in with current Strategic Plan through an impacts-focused lens;
• Ensures that the Strategic Plan is communicated, as appropriate, with internal and external stakeholders; and
• Communicates with the Board of Directors in a timely manner to present the work accomplished or any challenges experienced in implementing the strategic plan
  

Risk Mitigation

• Oversees legal, regulatory and professional requirements for a charitable organization;
• Ensures the provision of adequate insurance for Directors' Liability, facility and properties, staff coverage and other, as required;
• Ensures that organizational practices are in compliance with all regulatory and legal standards;
• Oversees organization finances and clearly and immediately communicates to the Board President or delegate Board Member any financial exposure that has potential to cause harm to Out On Screen; and
• Stays abreast of community developments and helps to identify and address potential public relations challenges
  

Reporting to the Board: Board Relationship and Collaboration

• Provides the Board of Directors with relevant and current information for its consideration regarding governance decisions;
• In partnership with the Board Chair, navigates and contributes to healthy boundaries between governance and operations;
• Provides strong and clear communication through established written reports to the Board, in addition to verbal reports and discussions at regular Board meetings;
• Ensures that the Board Chair or delegate is informed of any potential risk exposure that has the potential to cause harm to Out On Screen in a timely manner; and
• Creates a positive environment that attracts and motivates qualified and competent Board Members to engage in Out On Screen's governance role
  

Dimensions
The Executive Director is the key operational position of responsibility for the Society. This leader has overall responsibility for the business, capacity, strength, viability, and sustainability of Out On Screen.
The scope or dimensions of the role of the Executive Director are significant: this responsibility ranges from the management of employees, contractors, and volunteers, meeting community needs, strategic financial management, to risk mitigation. This position requires a professional conduct with respect to professional ethics, values, and leading the culture of Out On Screen with integrity.
The complexity of this position is in the diversity of the leadership role, and its political and advocacy requirements. It is important for the Out On Screen leader to support the staff team and their identities in a kind, holistic manner while balancing the efficiencies of operations. Facilitating a safe workplace requires emotional intelligence, active listening, and the ability to proactively address conflict. This role provides overall leadership to living the internal and external facing value of the expression and practice of intersectionality, anti-oppression, and social justice in queer communities, arts, and education.
Requirements
Qualifications and Competencies
The Executive Director has a degree in social justice, business, non-profit management, or equivalent experience, as well as 5 to 7 years of professional work experience in a leadership role working in complex environments and serving diverse communities, including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Required competencies include:

• Strong understanding of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles, as well as anti-oppression and social justice frameworks, and an ability to communicate those effectively
• Ability to galvanize people both within the organization and within the community
• Exceptional people leadership skills
• Strong skills implementing a fund development strategy
• Strong financial management and budgeting skills
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills
• Strong change management skills and experience/understanding of systemic change
• Excellent conflict management and de-escalation skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Skills and experience with trauma-informed workplaces
• Ability to set boundaries effectively and kindly
• Strong, proactive, and sensitive HR competencies
• Strong understanding of governance and experience reporting to or working closely with a Board of Directors
• Ability to adapt management style to diverse staff
• Ability to implement operations and decisions in a political environment
  

Benefits
The Executive Director is a full-time position within a strong value-based organizational culture. This position requires a high level of team collaboration, yet also requires significant autonomy. Due to funding and event cycles, Board events, and organizational plans, there is a requirement for the Executive Director to work longer hours during peak or demanding periods, particularly the summer season, and then to take time off or work ‘shorter' days to balance the schedule.
The Executive Director position receives a comprehensive compensation package that includes a salary range of $90,000.00 to $110,000.00, extended health benefits, access to wellness and professional development funds, and the ability to be a visible ambassador in the community.
Check status of the search process here:
Contact Chris@gerardsearch.com for more information.