Community Food Centres Canada
Director of Programs, Partnerships (Full-time, 13 Month Parental Leave Coverage Contract)
hybrid
Our office is located in Toronto, Ontario. This position can be located anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area with flexible/hybrid work arrangements available., Ontario, Canada .
full-time . April 1, 2025
Our office is located in Toronto, Ontario. This position can be located anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area with flexible/hybrid work arrangements available., Ontario, Canada .
full-time . April 1, 2025
Description
Director of Programs, Partnerships (Full-time, 13 Month Parental Leave Coverage Contract)
Location: Our office is located in Toronto, Ontario. This position can be located anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area with flexible/hybrid work arrangements available.
Reports to: Chief Program Officer
Hiring Range: $100,000-$110,000 annually, including a comprehensive benefits plan, pension plan, 3 weeks paid vacation, a December break (usually a week) to recharge, wellness days, access to an Employee Assistance Program
Job Posting Closing Date: April 21, 2025
About us:
At the heart of Community Food Centre Canada’s work is the belief that food is a basic right. We bring people together around good food so communities can thrive. With more than 400 partners across the country, we build inclusive, culturally responsive Community Food Centres, share knowledge, create health-focused programs, and advocate for equitable policy change.
At Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC), we work towards good food for all. Our collective approach at CFCC is founded on dignity and respect, equity and empathy. These values are core to our mission and are outlined in our Good Food Principles.
CFCC is strongly committed to equity and inclusion within its community. We welcome applications from members of racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. We are committed to an equitable and inclusive selection process and work environment.
CFCC has a supportive and inclusive work environment and we welcome candidates to speak about how their experience has demonstrated a commitment to Equity, Inclusion, Reconciliation and Anti-Oppression.
About the position:
Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, the Director of Programs, Partnership’s role is to foster, strengthen and maintain supportive relationships with CFCC’s 17 Community Food Centers (CFC) partners across the country. This position will focus on supporting our partners by recognizing, nurturing, and amplifying the diverse strengths each organization brings to the network.
This position will be integral in providing resources, guidance, and opportunities to support CFC’s as they thrive and grow within the Community Food Centre model and in alignment with CFCC’s Theory of Change and Strategic Plan. This role also oversees the development and monitoring of systems that promote the success and sustainability of the model through: peer to peer convening, ongoing learning, evaluation, annual reviews, monthly meetings, and the incorporation of partner feedback.
As a key member of both the Programs Team Leads and the cross-functional Senior Management Team, the Director ensures CFCC’s core values—Equity, Courage, Relationship-Focus, and Integrity —are embedded internally, and in all partnership initiatives. The role also supervises the Managers of Partnership Development and supports strategic efforts to expand CFCC’s impact in communities through the creation of culturally inclusive place based community food programs.
Key Responsibilities:
Partnerships & Program Management:
In collaboration with the Chief Program Officer:
- Develop and oversee strategies that foster strong and meaningful relationships with, and amongst, Community Food Centres (CFCs) and their staff
- Lead the development and monitoring of systems and tools used by CFCs and partners in development which ensures their success, sustainability, and growth
- Ensure that CFCs are supported by the partnership team and broader CFCC staff in terms of capacity development
- Oversee development and renewals of affiliate agreements and other granting agreements related to CFCs, in alignment with CFCC’s process
- Oversee network development activities that promote peer learning and support, as well as opportunities for collaboration amongst CFCs
- Identify gaps and opportunities in tools, systems or training opportunities which support programmatic or organizational planning for CFCs
- Lead relationship and engagement of potential new CFCs, and respond to inquiries from interested partners
- Drive the sharing, documentation and reporting of information within the appropriate CFCC departments on behalf of the Programs team, supporting each team’s strategic and operational activities
- Work collaboratively with the Development, Communications, Finance, Knowledge Exchange, Evaluation, and Policy departments to support both the CFCs’ and CFCC’s initiatives
- Work directly with assigned sites as their lead CFCC contact from time to time
- Occasional travel may be required to visit a CFC, prospective CFC and/or attend a regional CFCC-led knowledge sharing event
Team Management:
- Recruit, supervise, coach, train and manage a successful and relationship oriented Partnership Development team
- Responsible for the performance management of direct reports, and ensuring roles have clear responsibilities along with individual work plans
- Responsible for promoting a culture of collaboration and accountability
- Manages staff professional development functions as it relates to supporting Community Food Centre partners
Finance:
- Responsible for overseeing the budget for Programs, Partnership team, including allocations and grants to partners, and the distribution of those funds
- Works in collaboration with the partnership team, Chief Program Officer and Chief Development and Communications Officer to allocate funds as available to community food centres (e.g. capital grants, special funds for food etc.)
- Monitor budgets and financial reporting from CFC’s
- Collaborate with the Finance and and Development departments to meet the financial requirements of grants and funding agreements
- Work in collaboration with the Director of Finance to regularly review the financial health of CFC’s, and other requirements as necessary
Fundraising and Communications:
- Support the Development team on fundraising efforts, at times on behalf of the Managers of Partnership Development, through communicating updates, pitching opportunities, and identifying fundraising needs
- Supports the Communications department’s strategic priorities by identifying and collecting potential stories, as well as informing CFCC of the communications resources and needs of the CFC’s
Training and Resource Development:
- Responsible for overseeing the development and facilitation of the on-boarding and training of new CFC staff to CFCC’s strategic priorities, principles and resources via webinars, and in person
- Support the Director of Knowledge Exchange through identifying, and communicating training and resource needs of sites and partners
- When appropriate consult on and support the development and roll out of training and resources for sites and partners
Qualifications & Skills:
Required:
- University degree in a related area, or equivalent experience
- Minimum 7 years of project management experience in community based/nonprofit organizations
- Experience working with and in community food organizations is an asset
- Experience managing long-term, multi-year grants will be an asset
- Experience working at a national organization with a network of partners is an asset
- Minimum 3 years of leadership experience
- Experience with budgeting and financial systems/procedures
- Experience in community and network development, and fostering positive relationships with a geographically and culturally diverse range of partners
- Experience working in partnership with Indigenous-led and serving organizations and an understanding of Indigenous and northern food issues.
- Commitment to an Equity, Inclusion, Reconciliation and anti-oppressive lens within program planning and granting
- Demonstrated experience with organizational change management, program development, planning and evaluation
- Excellent leadership, coaching, negotiation and conflict resolution skills
- Strong conceptual, analytical, research and problem solving skills
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills to represent CFCC in the community
- Excellent collaboration skills with a demonstrated ability to work in a team and liaise with partners
- Knowledge of community based food programs and understanding of food insecurity through a systemic lens
- Strong emotional intelligence and maturity in managing people, partners, and projects
- Ability to apply good judgment, decision making processes, patience and discernment when navigating complex, intersectional issues - from interpersonal to organizational to external
- Must be digitally savvy with the ability to navigate and adapt to evolving technology in a fast-paced digital environment
Preferred:
- Proven experience in non-profit and/or public sector, social justice or community focused environment
- Bilingual in French is an asset
- Proficiency in Google Workspace, project management tools such as Click-up, CRM platforms (Salesforce is used by the organization), and a willingness to learn new digital platforms and workflows
Organizational Competencies:
- Thinks analytically and from a systems perspective: Strong analytical skills and the ability to connect the dots across the organization to leverage opportunities and integrations.
- Has an open and positive mindset: Is solutions-oriented and approaches challenges and opportunities with an open and positive mindset.
- Committed to equity and inclusion: Experience and commitment to working in an organization that values and embeds Equity, Inclusion, Reconciliation and Anti-Oppression/Access into its organizational culture, policies and practices. Demonstrated through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias
- Seeks continuous learning and improvement: Consistently seeks to strengthen individual, team and organizational learning through both professional development and attuning to change and innovation within the specific field of the role.
- Inspires courage & innovation: Models and enables creative thinking, curiosity, and calculated risk taking to create, suggest, and inspire new solutions.
- Cultivates strong relationships: Builds strong and trusting relationships and brings a community-centric mindset and focus to all elements of the organization.
- Drives operational excellence: Leverages organizational insights, financial acumen, and operational rigor to maximize productivity and build long-term, sustainable success.
- Contributes to leadership & culture: Brings authenticity, emotional intelligence and accountability to help develop leadership effectiveness in individuals, teams, and organizational culture.
- Values alignment: Align with CFCC values and contribute to the evolution of our culture, and a work environment that is grounded in equity, courage, integrity and that is relationship-focused.
You don’t think you meet all the criteria? Still apply. Research shows that women and people from equity deserving groups often do not apply until all the boxes are ticked.
Why work for us?:
We offer:
➔ Comprehensive benefits package including extended health, dental, life insurance, membership in a defined benefit pension plan, 3 weeks paid vacation, a December break (usually a week) to recharge, wellness days and access to an Employee Assistance Program
➔ a culture of mutual support where staff are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive workplace
➔ an opportunity to be part of a movement building health, belonging and social justice in marginalized neighbourhoods across Canada through the power of food
How to apply:
To apply, please scroll up and click Apply Now. Please attach your resume and cover letter. In your cover letter, please share what you think makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Only those applicants being considered will be contacted. If you require any accommodations or technical support, please email work@cfccanada.ca (please do not email your application to this email). Thank you for your interest in CFCC.