Growing Chefs is hiring!
Apply now
Do you want to support sustainable and just food practices? Build connections between kids and their food? Make local, sustainable food accessible? Engage communities through food? If yes, then this might be the place for you!
We are looking for our new Director, Communications & Engagement.
We’re looking for a passionate, creative, organized leader with a strong background in communications & philanthropy. The perfect candidate loves to collaborate, can work to a deadline, excels at managing a team, has fantastic and highly professional interpersonal skills, and strong writing facility.
Salary: $75,457.20 Annually (based on 35 hours/week)
Benefits: Health and dental plan (after 3 months employed); three weeks paid vacation + paid one-week summer shutdown per year + paid two-week winter shutdown per year; 12 paid personal wellness days per year (aka sick days); annual professional development funding; paid volunteer days.
Reports to: Growing Chefs Executive Director
Location: Lower Mainland; hybrid work environment with the expectation to frequent the office but freedom to also work from home. Will require regular travel to various locations throughout the Metro Vancouver region.
Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possible (flexible for the right candidate)
Position Summary:
Director, Communications & Engagement
Working closely with the Executive Director, the Director, Communications & Engagement directs the organization's communications strategy and engagement initiatives, leads the Communications & Engagement team, and advocates for food justice by cultivating a culture of philanthropy within the organization.
The position reports directly to the Executive Director. The Director, Communications & Engagement is responsible for:
Implementing the strategic plan alongside the Executive Director and Director, Programs & Operations
Overseeing People & Culture for the Communications & Engagement team
Donor prospecting, cultivation, and engagement
Grant prospecting, cultivation, and engagement
Communications and community engagement
Fundraising campaigns
Overseeing the development, delivery, and operations of Growing Chefs’ Communications & Engagement department
Fundraising
The Director of Communications & Engagement must be comfortable making ‘the ask’, and will work with the Engagement Team and Fundraising Committee to:
Ensure that critical fundraising processes, activities, and documentation are carried out in an effective, timely, and ethical manner
Improve existing fundraising cycle while coaching Communications & Engagement team to increase fundraising revenue from, but not limited to: corporate, foundation, community, third party, in-kind, and individual donations
Donor Relations
Cultivate and steward relationships with individuals interested in planned giving, including bequests, charitable gift annuities, and other deferred giving options to ensure a robust pipeline of future support for the organization's mission
Serve as the organization’s relationship manager and main point of contact for donors and prospects; develop a coordinated strategy for specific donors/prospects and obtain internal buy-in, ensuring coordinated communication and engagement with that particular donor/prospect for a high level of service
Fundraising Administration
Prepare regular reports on fundraising progress, fundraising budgets, receipts and expenditures related to fundraising, and the management of the fund development activities
Oversee and manage donation processing, deposit of cash and batch reports, gift receipting, and preparation of acknowledgement and stewardship letters
Communications
Finances
People and Culture
Along with the ED, hire, recruit, and supervise Communications & Engagement programs staff and consultants, and discipline or terminate when necessary using appropriate and legally defensible procedures
Provide stewardship and team building opportunities to the Communications & Engagement team to support relationship building and meaningful collaboration
Coach and guide Communications & Engagement staff to achieve operational goals, respond to emerging issues, and ensure excellence
Prioritizing Indigenous Applicants:
As we continue to grow our team to reflect the kids and youth in the school communities we serve, we are looking to prioritize applications from people who identify as Indigenous. We encourage you to self-identify in your application.
Growing Chefs operates on the land of the Coast Salish peoples, including the
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm
(Musqueam), W̱SÁNEĆ, Lək̓ʷəŋən, and Xwsepsum (Songhees and Esquimalt) Nations. As we work towards a world with healthy, just, sustainable food practices, we continue to learn and explore how to uplift Indigenous food and cultural values within our local food systems.
Growing Chefs is an equal opportunity employer and employs personnel without regard to racialization, ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, language, citizenship, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, physical and/or mental access needs, or financial ability.
To Apply:
Please apply here. Review of applications and interviews will begin on a rolling basis January 24, 2024. We anticipate that phase one of interviews will begin the week of January 27th.
Tell us about your connection to local food systems and food justice.
What was the most recent event you attended and enjoyed. What made it great? How would you plan it to be better?
What draws you to Growing Chefs?
Honorarium:
In recognition of the labour that goes into preparing for an interview, applicants selected for an interview will receive a $25 honorarium for their time.
