Director, Career Services

Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) Vancouver, BC

Helping immigrants build a future in Canada

Do you want to really make a difference for your community? Join the Immigrant Services Society of BC, one of Canada’s largest immigrant-and refugee-serving organizations, as its Director, Career Services.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, Language & Career Services and working as a member of the Senior Management Group (a group that advises and works with the Executive Leadership Team), the Director, Career Services is a key contributor to the strategic development of the Career Services portfolio and leads the operational management and delivery of programs and activities within the portfolio, ensuring defined program goals and objectives are met, and high-quality delivery of services to clients.

About The Organization

The Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) has a national and international reputation in the field of migrant issues and services for immigrants and refugees.

Since 1968, ISSofBC has been providing a variety of support services for immigrants and refugees to help them get settled, find careers and learn all they need to know about starting their new lives in Canada.

Through dedicated staff, volunteers and community partners, the organization provides settlement, education and employment services for over 18,000 clients last year.

The ISSofBC mission and values emphasize inclusivity and recognition of individuals’ unique talents. The work culture finds strength in diversity of backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities.

The Ideal Leadership Candidate

You have extensive experience working in Career Services program and service delivery management. You will bring strong leadership, communication, change-management, and team-building skills to the role, helping to promote a culture of collaboration, inclusion, excellence, and continuous improvement within ISSofBC’s diverse culture.

You will be a key contributor to ensuring the Career Services team establishes credible and trusted relationships both within and outside the organization.

Responsibilities

Service Delivery

Oversees and leads service delivery within the Career Services group to ensure optimal outcomes in accordance with program goals, contractual requirements, and defined quality standards.

Ensures appropriate policies, procedures, records and systems are in place to support program delivery.

Ensures the programs in the Career Services portfolio remains current with industry best practices. Responds to feedback and evaluation data to continually improve and advance client outcomes and experience.

Works with the Career Services team to help identify potential areas for innovation and new approaches.

Career Services Strategy

Contributes to developing and defining the strategic direction of Career Services within ISSofBC and the wider sector. Makes recommendations to the Chief Program Officer, Language and Career Services (LCS) for revising and restructuring delivery of programs and services.

Plays a major role in preparing content of project proposals, including conducting research, information gathering, stakeholder development and writing and project evaluation.

Develops the strategy and objectives for working with ISSofBC’s employer partners. Develops and strengthens relationships with industry including industry associations / groups.

Establishes metrics to track results.

Represents the Career Services Group at the organization’s Senior Management Group (SMG), providing input and advice to the Executive Team on organizational direction and strategy, and helping to plan implementation of the organization’s annual business plan.

Operational Leadership

Monitors and tracks program performance and the allocation of resources to ensure the fulfilment of contractual agreements and performance targets.

Works with individual Program Managers, funder representatives, partners, sub-contractors, and others to address challenges, variances, and changing requirements as they emerge.

Prepares narrative and statistical monitoring reports as required both externally and internally.

• Works with the Chief Program Officer, LCS to develop annual budgets for Career Services programs. Supports and works with Program Managers to manage budgets and ensure financial targets are met.
• Represents the Career Services team in organizational development and change processes, ensuring that team perspectives and issues are appropriately represented, and that team members are effectively supported through resulting change processes.

People Leadership

Recruits, supervises, evaluates, and supports a diverse team of Program Managers, ensuring the team works collaboratively as a unit, and as a partner to other functions and groups within the organization.

Provides support and oversight of Program Managers’ development of their respective teams.

Implements practices and processes that encourage collaboration and maintenance of a healthy, inclusive, equitable, and diverse environment in the entire Career Services team that operates in alignment with the organization’s values and aspired culture.

Relationship Management

Establishes and maintains effective networks with government agencies, community partners, employers and professional bodies.

Keeps abreast of current trends and developments in the settlement and employment services sectors to ensure program plans, operation, and methods remain relevant and current.

Represents the organization externally at local committees / events, national meetings and conferences, and other forums as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in social sciences, business, or related discipline. Masters is preferred.
• 6 years of related progressive experience working in career services, including 4 years in a supervisory / managerial capacity.

Experience working with immigrant and newcoming groups is an asset.

Demonstrated experience delivering high quality services to a diverse range of clients in a values-driven organization.

Alignment and commitment to ISSofBC values.

• Demonstrated leadership, teamwork and supervisory skills combined with strong and organizational skills. Proven ability to lead a large and diverse multi-disciplinary team of employees in multiple locations.
• Strong business management skills, including proposal development, financial and budget management, and business development / marketing.

Experience leading programs with a diverse range of funding and financing models an asset.

Results orientated, with a demonstrated willingness to help the department and the organization achieve desired objectives and targets.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Demonstrated experience working in conformance to quality standards and practices, including clients’ rights, privacy and confidentiality, risk management, etc.
• Highly effective communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex issues and lead change with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.

The current compensation range for this position is $91,600 - $128,300 per year, dependent on education, training, experience, and internal equity.

How to Apply

Please send your current resume and a well-crafted cover letter explaining why you are a great fit for this unique leadership opportunity to : [email protected]

ISSofBC and McLaughlin & Associates are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in all of our recruitment and hiring practices, and to partnering to create equal and inclusive working environments for people of all backgrounds.

We truly appreciate all applicants. We will be in contact with only those selected for an interview.

For more information please contact :

Tracy Josling, Senior Associate

778.847.2388 [email protected]

Kathy McLaughlin, Managing Partner

604.728.0080 [email protected]

About McLaughlin & Associates

Founded in 2007 on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó : lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ / Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, McLaughlin & Associates works at the intersection of strategy and governance to help boards and leadership teams align towards desired goals and outcomes.

Our commitments to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors, to Truth and Reconciliation, and to health and wellbeing, inform our work and govern our lives.

We work for a wide variety of public sector, private sector and not for profit organizations, with deep expertise in charities, professional associations, member-based societies, regulatory bodies, co-operatives, NGOs, crown agencies, private and family enterprise.

The McLaughlin team of Senior Associates each bring complementary skills to our work in executive recruitment, strategic planning, governance consulting, executive coaching, performance development and leadership assessment.

For more information, please visit our website.