Memorial Society of British Columbia
memorialsocietybc.org
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Reporting to a supportive and professional Board of Directors (Board), the Executive Director is the organizational leader of the Society responsible for ensuring that the Society’s operations are conducted openly, honestly, and in the best interests of its membership.
The Executive Director is responsible for the planning, development and maintenance of services and programs that support the mission of the Society and organizational goals established by the Board, and for implementing policy decisions and directives of the Board.
This is a part-time hands-on position working remotely and in our Vancouver office with two engaged and passionate staff members. The role offers an opportunity for creativity and growth while making a meaningful contribution to society. The Board is supportive of growing the organization and potentially the Executive Director role, either as an employee or contract position.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
MEMBER SERVICES AND MARKETING
The Executive Director will:
- Have overall responsibility for membership activities, including recruitment and outreach, benefits and services, educational programs, and oversight of a secure and confidential membership database.
- Maintain current knowledge of trends and issues in the funeral services, death and grief recovery fields.
- Develop, negotiate and manage our funeral provider contracts and ensure that fees owing to the Society are received.
- Develop and execute media relations strategies for increasing public awareness and membership of the Society.
- With support of the Board, develop, implement and sustain a marketing and communication plan to increase public awareness and membership of the Society.
- Maintain constructive and collaborative relations with community partners, service providers, supporters, and relevant advocacy groups and agencies.
- Manage the Society’s reputation in support of its philosophy, goals and direction, ensuring that the Society’s image and message is presented in an accurate, consistent, and professional manner.
ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
The Executive Director will:
- Ensure that effective systems are in place to support the work of the Society, including procedure manuals documenting business and operational processes, with a particular focus on contract management, finance, and legal and regulatory responsibilities.
- Handle legal issues with the guidance of legal counsel and the Board.
- Implement digital governance practices to ensure the protection of member and staff personal information according to BC’s privacy legislation, and to protect confidential Society business.
- Be accountable to the Board for effective management of Human Resources.
- Promote a working environment where individuals are treated with dignity and respect.
- Hire and retain qualified and effective staff members and develop position descriptions and qualifications for all staff positions that report, directly or indirectly, to the Executive Director.
- Conduct orientation for new staff to ensure adequate preparation to undertake assigned duties.
- Conduct staff evaluations each year.
FINANCE AND BUDGETING
The Executive Director will:
- Develop an annual budget for review by the Treasurer and approval by the Board prior to the start of each fiscal year. Provide information on assumptions used to prepare the budget to assist in the review and approval process.
- Be responsible for financial management of the Society including development of financial controls and procedures, monitoring cash flow and revenue, approval of expenditures within the authorized budget or against unbudgeted increased revenue, and taking corrective action as necessary to ensure the Society does not run a deficit without the approval of the Board.
- Prepare financial statements each month and make them available for review by the Treasurer.
- Be accountable to the Board for management of the Society’s assets in accordance with the statutory requirements of a non-profit organization.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Executive Director will:
- Develop, in consultation with the President, the agenda for Board meetings. Book and facilitate Board meetings and ensure that meeting packages are distributed to the Board at least one week prior to the meetings.
- Plan, in consultation with the Board, the Annual General Meeting of the Society in compliance with the requirements of the BC Societies Act.
- Prepare, for each meeting of the Board, an Executive Director’s report summarizing the Society activities and work of the Executive Director.
- Keep the Board, through the President, informed of emerging and anticipated issues, events and other concerns that could have a significant impact on the Society’s operations or reputation.
- Support the Board, and participate in strategic planning processes and annual goal setting.
- Ensure reporting required by legislation, including the BC Societies Act and the Income Tax Act, are prepared and submitted by the reporting deadlines.
- Ensure statutory payroll deductions are remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency by the applicable due date and that insurance and business licenses are fully paid and in good standing.
QUALIFICATIONS: SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE
- 3+ years of relevant management experience preferably in the not-for-profit sector, including marketing and promotion.
- Ability to work independently to achieve results while providing organizational leadership to staff members.
- Knowledge of budgetary processes, including development and administration of budgets.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including communication (written and oral), negotiation, mediation, presentation, and conflict resolution skills.
- Ability to communicate views, ideas, and facts clearly both orally and in writing.
- Commitment to collaborative and consultative processes.
- Commitment to the mission of the Society, with a compassionate and patient approach when dealing with members and their families.
- Information literacy and computer skills appropriate for a digital workplace (MS Office, membership database, website management, etc.).
- Knowledge of not-for-profit operations, administrative and organizational structures, including working with a volunteer Board of Directors is desirable.
- Knowledge of the funeral services industry and grief recovery is desirable.
HOURS OF WORK: Two days per week (remote and in-person)
REMUNERATION: Competitive monthly salary offered
BENEFITS: Flexible hours
The Memorial Society of BC is a non-profit, non-sectarian consumer advocacy organization formed in 1956. We are not affiliated in any way with the funeral industry, instead, we are a completely objective source of education and information regarding the planning of funeral services. We provide our members with access to ethical and compassionate funeral providers and support our members in planning for death.
If you would like more information about the Society, please visit us at memorialsocietybc.org.