The Senior Manager plays a key leadership role, building a strong partnership with the CEO and the Administrative Assistant as part of the CEO’s Office team, to support effective executive operations and advance good governance by supporting the Board of Directors in pursuit of the YWCA’s mission and vision. This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with the YWCA’s Board and senior leadership team to advance gender equity alongside women, families, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people. 

The Senior Manager, Governance and Executive Operations is an exceptional communicator and an effective ambassador of the YWCA to our internal and external community. Reporting to the CEO, this position will maintain the highest level of confidentiality, professionalism and good judgment as well as manage their workload proactively in a fast-paced environment. Working collaboratively with senior leaders across departments, the Senior Manager is responsible for leading governance administration and board planning, including tracking accountabilities, coordinating strategic initiatives, quality materials, board communication and acting as recording secretary for meetings.  

What you’ll be doing: 

Board Governance 

• With the direction of the CEO and Board Chair, responsible for planning and administration of all YWCA governance functions. 

• Fosters a positive and collaborative working relationship between the Board and senior leadership team, providing advice on critical issues as they relate to Board governance. 

• Proactively develops, manages, tracks and ensures completion of annual Board and Committee work plans to ensure that pertinent items are covered at appropriate meetings.   

• Attends meetings, prepares and takes minutes, tracks decisions, and documents progress for the Board and its three standing Committees. 

• Liaises with senior leadership team for action and follow up, and provides information in response to requests from Board/Committee Chairs and other YWCA departments.  

• Works closely with the Board Chair and Committee Chairs by drafting meeting agendas, motions and background information.   

• Compiles, reviews and distributes Board and Committee meeting packages using an online platform, ensuring timeliness, accuracy and completeness. 

• Implements and acts as first point of contact for the annual board director nomination process for the Governance and Nominating Committee. 

• Ensures compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and non-profit standards, including filing documentation, annual Code of Conflict attestations, Bylaw revisions, policies, procedures and protocols.  

• Leads ongoing review of Board policy manual. 

• Leads the annual board, committee and director self-assessment process, including revising questionnaires, overseeing survey process and drafting reports.  

• Develops and conducts new director orientation program, including preparation of meeting materials and onboarding resources. 

• With the Administrative Assistant, project manages the Annual General Meeting, including supporting the Chair and CEO in their official roles and notifying the membership of the meeting as per the requirements of the Societies Act. 

• Other duties as required 

Executive Operations 

• Manages a wide range of issues, projects and communications for the CEO and with the senior leadership team.  

• Prepares, edits, formats, and proofreads a variety of documents including correspondence, presentations, memos, reports and project plans. 

• Guides projects and workflows from initiation to completion, including undertaking research and analysis, as directed. 

• Interacts with and maintains key external relationships within YWCA community, including Board Members, members, donors, government officials and the public. 

• Attends management meetings, taking notes of key decisions and tracking follow up items. 

• Engages with senior leadership team to manage organizational priorities for CEO and Board review, ensuring quality and timeliness of materials.  

• Leads and/or participates in operational planning and reporting as required for executive management or Board review. 

• Optimizes organizational procedures to increase efficiency and productivity. 

• Helps to build a highly inclusive, collaborative culture. 

People Management 

• Opportunity to supervise the Administrative Assistant, providing guidance, coaching and support. 

What you’ll need: 

• Post-secondary education in a related field. 

• Minimum 6 years’ progressive experience in a governance, operational coordination or executive assistant role, ideally with least 2 years of experience providing operational support to a board or senior executive. 

• Experience working with a Board of Directors, and knowledge of corporate governance preferred, especially in the nonprofit and charitable sector. 

• Ability to draft/edit sensitive, confidential and technically complex materials, including board memoranda, minutes and resolutions. 

• Demonstrated organizational acumen, detail orientation and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize workload, meet deadlines, and respond to shifting priorities in a fast-paced and evolving environment. 

• Superior administrative, project management (non-technical) and computer skills, and excellent communication abilities, including verbal, writing and presentation preparation skills. 

• Builds and fosters positive, strategic and collaborative relationships with peers, management, board members and a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate effectively with people from different cultural/diverse backgrounds and proven commitment to truth and reconciliation, anti-racism, equity and inclusion 

• Highly resourceful team player, with ability to work independently and with limited oversight and guidance 

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and tact, with a high degree of professionalism when dealing with sensitive issues and information. 

• A valid clear criminal record check (including working with vulnerable populations) is required.  

• The YWCA Metro Vancouver’s COVID-19 vaccination policy is currently suspended and as a result, vaccination from COVID-19 is not required at this time. However, should circumstances change and the YWCA deem it necessary to reintroduce such policy, you may be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be eligible to continue performing your duties. 

What we offer:  We offer our eligible employees the following benefits as part of their total compensation package: 

• Extended medical and dental benefits  

• A defined benefit pension plan 

• Flexible working arrangements for applicable positions 

• Employee Family Assistance Program, a confidential and voluntary support service for employees and their eligible family members 

• Free staff membership to our Health + Fitness Centre, discounts at our YWCA Hotel and priority in YWCA Child Care centres 

• Pay Rate: $38.57 per hour  

• A workplace that prioritizes employee health, safety and wellbeing, including many learning and growth opportunities such as our staff mentorship program and three equity committees who help to support our goals towards achieving meaningful equity and inclusion. 

• Please note: This position includes a hybrid work environment. Some flexibility is offered, but there is a requirement to work at our Program Centre in downtown Vancouver (likely 1 – 2 days per week), as well as evenings for Committee / Board meetings and occasionally for events.