Are you a creative and highly collaborative strategic thinker? Would you like to lead a dynamic, value-driven, social justice organization focussing on seed security and food sovereignty? If you have extensive senior management experience, strong community development skills and a deep understanding of seed, food and farming issues, then we have a position you should consider.

Founded in 1945 by Order of Canada recipient, Dr. Lotta Hitschmanova, USC Canada is one of this country’s most experienced non-governmental organizations with programming in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Canada. Through our Seeds of Survival (SoS) program in twelve countries, we promote vibrant family farms, strong rural communities, and healthy ecosystems around the world. With engaged Canadians and over 15 local partners, we support programs, training, and policies that strengthen seed security and food sovereignty, biodiversity, and the rights of those at the heart of resilient food systems – women, indigenous peoples, and small-holder farmers. We have a modest budget but strive to build excellence in everything we undertake. For more information on USC Canada visit us at http://www.usc-canada.org.

The Executive Director:

Ensures that the organization has a clear strategic vision, orientation and action plans needed for the achievement of its mission;
Provides strategic leadership in the development and implementation of strong programmatic, administrative and financial operations;
Facilitates a well-functioning Board of Directors and set of governance policies and practices;
Establishes and supports a 25 member staff team in Ottawa and an organizational culture that is skilled, collaborative, open and caring.
Develops and nurtures on-going funding relationships with governments, Foundations, and individuals offering major gifts;
Ensures that the organization views all its programs through a rights lens that recognizes and promotes women’s and indigenous peoples’ rights and listens to young farmers;
Oversees the development and implementation of fundraising, communications and public engagement strategies and programming;
Represents the organization to supporters, the public, governments, media and other related organizations and networks;
Keeps abreast of significant developments, trends, and policies related to the organization’s mission and represents the agency in policy discussions and deliberations.

Your Profile:

A strong commitment to the social justice values and mission of USC Canada;
In-depth senior management experience related to community-based social change, and in organizations with international programming and/ or within the food systems field;
Strategic thinking for complex, multi-faceted programming and a well-developed understanding of global and local seed security, food sovereignty and agroecology;
A preference for shared leadership and the sense of humour, constructive outlook and organizational skills for strong collaborative team work;
Top-notch public speaking skills, an ease with the seeking of major gifts, and an eye for effective fundraising strategies;
Excellent oral and written communications and cross-cultural skills to engage audiences from and within diverse contexts;
Experience with, and ability to, guide applied research, monitoring and evaluation systems and the documentation of good practices;
Solid experience with public policy and advocacy work and a willingness to engage in international and national food systems policy fora;
An advanced university degree, with concentration in a relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience;

This is a full time position based in Ottawa. You must be available and willing to travel internationally and in Canada for up to 8 weeks a year. Excellent English and French language skills are a must. Spanish is a strong asset.

USC offers a comprehensive benefits package and competitive salary.

To apply, send by e-mail to:
mdulude@usc-canada.org
Please specify: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEARCH in the subject of the e-mail,
include your curriculum vitae with recent references, and attach two succinct 1 to 2 page max briefs on two of the following three issues: (1) why the concept of poverty alleviation is (is not) a useful concept in the international development field; (2) the relationship between a resilient seed system and food sovereignty; (3) your view on private-public partnerships (PPPs).

Please note: We stop reading after page two of each brief!

USC is committed to employment equity practices and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates with the legal right to work in Canada and with the ability to travel through challenging landscapes. Deadline for receiving applications is February 12, 2015.

Anticipated start date: SEPTEMBER 2016.

Please accept our sincere thanks for your application. If you have submitted all requested components, we will let you know by email if you have not been selected for an interview. We will phone short-listed candidates to set up an interview.