Location: Waterloo, Ontario
Submission Deadline Extended: May 11, 2011, 9am
WPIRG is seeking a dynamic, personable, and creative individual who has a life-long interest in issues of social and environmental justice to fill the full time contract position for the Organizational Development Coordinator from May 2011 – May 2012.
The Organization
The Waterloo Public Interest Research Group (WPIRG) is a student funded and directed organization that provides support for students to research, educate, and take action on environmental and social justice issues. WPIRG endeavours to foster a non-hierarchical working environment by following consensus decision-making processes. WPIRG strives to be an anti-oppressive working environment by proactively opposing all forms of oppression such as those based on gender, race, class, sexual preference, age, cultural heritage/ethnicity, religion, gender orientation, and ability.
WPIRG has a high turnover in volunteers and the two to three permanent staff provide continuity and stability in this ever-changing organization. They carry out critical support work that maintains the integrity of the organization, assist volunteers in their activism, and provide connections to other activists and organizations. They have an awareness of and interest in issues relating to racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, anti-semitism, ableism and other forms of discrimination, and the ability to work with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. WPIRG is a small office environment so staff work collaboratively and share some responsibilities. The primary support for staff is one another.
The Position
The Organizational Development Coordinator is responsible for the overall operations of the organization. Primary responsibilities include financial management, including coordination of bookkeeping, budget setting, and audit; capacity building; strategic planning, including long-term and short-term planning, operational improvements, and visioning; project evaluation; training and supporting a volunteer Board of Directors; policy development; grant writing & administration; maintenance of the organizational infrastructure (i.e. maintenance of library, computer network, etc.) which supports the activism of volunteers.
Integral to the further improvement in WPIRG’s ability to meet its mandate is continuous consultation with volunteers, especially the Board of Directors, in developing new approaches and solutions in all areas. Specific objectives and responsibilities that fall under the categories may be articulated by the Board of Directors in workplans that are developed and approved by the Board from time to time — additional responsibilities may also be added.
Employment Terms
This is a full-time one year contract position to replace an employee who is on leave. Because WPIRG is located on a university campus, it follows the cycles of university life — four month terms (the busiest terms being Sep-Dec and Jan-Apr with the slowest term being May-Aug). Work time allocated to the various areas of responsibility will vary greatly, depending on the time of year and academic term. Some evening and weekend work is expected.
Expected start date is May 23, 2011. The position is 35 hours a week at a rate of $20.01 per hour with extended health care benefits and four weeks paid vacation per year. This is a fixed-term employment and unionized with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1281.
Qualifications
• Demonstrated interest and experience in social and environmental justice and familiarity with contemporary issues and their interconnections
• Anti-oppression analysis and proficiency in applying this throughout your work
• Self-direction and ability to take initiative in a dynamic office environment
• Ability to prioritize work and manage numerous tasks simultaneously
• Excellent problem solving capacity in a fast paced environment
• Organizational management experience, including financial administration and policy development
• Excellent collaborative skills
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Demonstrated skills and training in inclusive process: theory and practice of consensus decision-making; anti-oppression; group dynamics; and conflict resolution
• Ability to design and lead workshops & training
• Experience with not-for-profit organizations and working with a volunteer Board of Directors
• Experience writing and administering grants
• Familiarity with a post-secondary environment
• Comfortable learning new technology and software (PC & Mac)
How to Apply
WPIRG welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and invites aboriginal people, people of colour, women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queer-oriented people, single parents, members of ethnic minorities, immigrants and people with disabilities to apply.
We encourage applicants to describe in their cover letter the contributions and experiences they, as individuals who identify with marginalized communities, would bring to WPIRG. Also in their cover letter, all applicants are asked to provide a brief statement on their views of power and oppression.
Applicants must provide a resume with 3 references, a cover letter, and a response, no longer than 500 words, to one of the following questions:
• What does anti-oppression mean to you, and how do you engage in anti-oppression work?
• What is the role of organizers in social change?
Deadline for Submissions is Wednesday May 11th at 9am.
Interviews will be held on May 18th.
Deliver submissions to The Hiring Committee, WPIRG, Student Life Centre room 2139, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1; or email applications to info@wpirg.org . Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
