Job Description
About the Town of Canmore and the Canmore Community Housing Corporation (CCH)
The Town of Canmore (the ‘Town’) is nestled in the Bow Valley in the front range of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The Town is 106 Kms west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway, 7 Kms east of the Banff National Park gates and 22 Km east of the Town of Banff. Based on the 2021 Census, the Town of Canmore recorded a population of 15,990 permanent residents, with an additional estimated 20-30% of non-permanent homeowners living in the community. Adjacent municipalities include the Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8. First Nations within the region include the Iyarhe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations and the Blackfoot Confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani all within Treaty 7, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.
Canmore offers a variety of educational options from pre-school, elementary, middle school, and high school. Canmore has a general hospital and a variety of health and wellness facilities and services. There are seniors’ care and supportive living facilities in the Town.
Canmore Community Housing (‘CCH’) is a non-profit corporation wholly owned by the Town of Canmore and is operated as an independent organization led by the Executive Director. CCH provides “Vital Homes” a form of below-market housing (not to be confused with low-income or social housing) in Alberta’s most expensive housing market. Established in 2000, the 7-person CCH organization supports a more sustainable community by providing a range of housing that is appropriate for the community’s needs. CCH achieves this through the Vital Homes program, Accessory Dwelling Grants, Matching Down Deposit programs, research, education and advocacy; CCH’s programs have approximately 280 units (rental and homeownership) with a cumulative market value in excess of 70 million dollars. The programs operate on an application/waitlist basis, now at 500 individuals & families, and continues to grow at an accelerated pace. CCH owns parcels of land north of the TransCanada Highway (the ‘Palliser Lands’). In addition, the Town itself owns smaller pieces of land which may be made available to CCH. The Palliser Area Structure Plan (‘ASP’) was approved by Council in November 2023. CCH has completed a Master Plan for the Palliser Lands and is in the process of developing a 144-unit multi-building purpose-built rental development, thus setting the stage to accelerate the growth of Vital Homes in Canmore.
About the Opportunity – Executive Director
The CCH Executive Director will be able to work in one of Canada’s most desirable communities enjoying an active mountain lifestyle while leading an organization that’s directly addressing Canmore’s #1 challenge: affordable housing. CCH’s Board (comprised of Town councilors and community members) is searching for an Executive Director – the next visionary leader to build on the organization’s successes and set the stage for an even larger positive impact on the community. CCH’s Board, the Town Council, Town administration, the CCH organization and the greater community are all ready to put their shoulders to the wheel with you! This is the perfect opportunity for a leader that can create alignment around a vision and see the impact of their efforts on the community.
The Ideal Candidate
As an ideal candidate you’re a visionary LEADER and BUILDER who will continue CCH’s successes and accelerate the organization’s impact on the community. You’re passionate about housing in general and affordable housing in particular. You’re ready to fully understand the affordable housing challenge, where CCH has gone in the past and where it needs to go now.
As an articulate COMMUNICATOR, you’re ready to jump in and build RELATIONSHIPS with
key stakeholders (applicants/residents, Town Council, Town administration, CCH Board, CCH staff, developers, the community, and adjacent communities) and then pull them together to align their efforts. As a deft MANAGER of people, finances and assets, you’re poised to energize the CCH staff and organization to aggressively execute its plans. As a DO-ER, you’re prepared to roll up your sleeves and personally address items (CCH is a very lean organization). As a calculated RISK-TAKER, you’re ready to shepherd more approved affordable housing projects, in tandem wherever possible. You’re a COMPASSIONATE leader who seeks to understand and support Canmore residents.
The Executive Director will be part of a new generation of municipal leaders that are visible to staff and the community. You’ll bring fresh perspectives, sophistication, and innovation to the organization. And, you’ll act with the utmost integrity and put the best interests of the community and organization at the forefront of everything you do.
Responsibilities & Accountabilities
The Executive Director is the senior leader of CCH and oversees all operations of the organization. The Executive Director provides effective advice and support to the CCH Board of Directors in developing and implementing policies and strategies that address the unique housing affordability challenge in the Town of Canmore. The Executive Director is accountable for providing effective leadership to CCH’s staff and leads the execution of CCH’s Strategic Plan.
The following are the key responsibilities and accountabilities of the CCH Executive Director:
- Develop strategies, including innovative new approaches, to accelerate CCH’s impact on the community.
- As the ‘face’ of CCH, build effective relationships with the community as a whole (e.g. CCH programs’ applicant pool, local business & tourism associations, local developers and their association, service clubs, media etc.). In the same vein, build effective partnerships with local agencies and organizations where there is a clear and common goal.
- Work collaboratively with the CCH Board to lead the execution of the updated Strategic Plan.
- Provide critical financial and strategic advice (based on a strong understanding of CCH’s finances, funding, revenue & payment structures) to the CCH Board and Town of Canmore Council as required.
- Advocate for supportive policies and bylaws that will remove barriers to development of affordable housing.
- Deliver CCH’s strategic/operational/financial reporting to the CCH Board regularly and as requested.
- Prepare and present CCH’s annual operating budget and debt requirements to the CCH Board for approval.
- Monitor the CCH budget and manage all CCH financial affairs and assets; in all instances acting with due diligence and prudence.
- Coordinate and actively supervise the implementation of all programs and services approved by the CCH Board.
- Establish and maintain a positive, respectful, collaborative, and professional working relationship with the CCH Board, Town Council, Town administration and business and community partners.
- Communicate effectively and frequently to ensure a broad understanding of CCH initiatives, directions, and projects with community stakeholders such as the Town Council, administration and the community at large.
- Act as a liaison with other municipalities, the provincial government, the federal government, boards, and government agencies with respect to affordable housing.
- Become a champion for CCH. Understand the past, current-state and trends impacting Canmore’s affordable housing challenge. Become the ‘go-to’ resource for communicating the community’s affordable housing challenge and CCH’s strategies.
- Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that measure/report on CCH’s progress towards desired outcomes.
- Oversee stewardship of CCH’s tangible capital assets.
- Ensure that CCH’s key processes, internal and client-facing, are continuously improved with respect to efficiency and effectiveness.
- Effectively supervise and mentor CCH’s employees and create a positive and collaborative working environment and ensure a spirit of continuous improvement.
- Administer all approved employment policies.
- Provide effective direction to CCH staff and further develop and foster a culture of positivity, responsibility, teamwork, entrepreneurship, courage, and urgency.
- The Executive Director shall have authority to recruit, retain, employ, appoint, discipline, suspend and dismiss all employees of CCH.
- Demonstrate a high level of personal and professional integrity.
Education & Experience
- A degree in business, finance, or other related discipline (or equivalent relevant experience).
- Minimum of five years’ experience in an executive-level role.
- Effectively working with/for a Board of Directors.
- Demonstrated experience in successfully managing and leading people.
- Ability to articulate and create alignment around a vision.
- Superior oral and written communication skills.
- Superior networking, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
- Development, construction, land-use planning and the intricacies of the evolving housing market are considered key assets.
- Demonstrated experience with executive-level critical thinking, financial and strategic planning.
- Demonstrated commitment to delivering exceptional service and best practices.
- Experience in related field(s) in the public or private sectors such as affordable housing, municipal government, housing development.
Acknowledgement
The Town of Canmore is located within treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta. In the spirit of respect, reciprocity and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Canmore area, known as “Chuwapchipchiyan Kudi Bi” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “shooting at the willows”) and the traditional Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw First Nation, Chiniki First Nation, and Goodstoney First Nation – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3, within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play and help us steward this land and honour and celebrate this territory. We commit to advance Truth & Reconciliation.
CCH is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse staff benefits and enriches the work environment and contributes to organizational excellence. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals including candidates from diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities.
Compensation
CCH is prepared to offer a competitive compensation package commensurate with skills and experience. Further details will be discussed in a personal interview.
Confidentiality
In compliance and consistent with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), HumanEdge shall respect the privacy and confidentiality of all personal information provided directly or indirectly verbally, electronically or in print throughout the process of candidate engagement in our search assignments.