The Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) seeks an experienced and confident executive to ensure effective operational management and high-quality member services.
Position Title: Executive Director
Reports To: President (with formal accountability to the Executive Committee)
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Salary Range: $145, 000-$155,000.
Please see Notes below for application instructions.
Purpose of Position
The Executive Director serves as the principal operating officer responsible for the comprehensive management and operation of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO). The incumbent acts as an agent of PAFSO to ensure effective and aligned delivery of membership programs, corporate services, and operational support to enable the President and Executive Committee to fulfill their strategic, governance, and representational mandates and support the interests and effectiveness of Canada’s professional Foreign Service Officers.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Operations, Leadership & Reporting (40%), including:
- Provide visionary day-to-day operational oversight, ensuring the Secretariat’s alignment with PAFSO’s mission and long-term strategic objectives.
- Translate the strategic vision and direction provided by the President and Strategic Plan into actionable workplans, operational initiatives, and performance goals.
- Prepare and present regular operational and performance reports, ensuring the President is fully informed of organizational progress, risks, and opportunities.
- Lead and manage Secretariat staff in alignment with PAFSO’s values and priorities and foster an effective, inclusive, professional, and respectful work environment.
- Provide mentorship and coaching, support staff competency development, and maintain engagement with staff union representatives.
- Work with the Treasurer to oversee budgeting, resource allocation, financial planning, and expenditure control in line with Board-approved objectives.
- Maintain robust financial, communications and administrative systems and recommend process, program, or technological improvements to enhance value and efficiency.
- Ensure all organizational and member data are securely maintained, adhering to relevant privacy legislation and best practices.
- Integrate technology advancements to improve data security, administrative processes, and service delivery. Identify and manage organizational risks to ensure legal, financial, and reputational security.
- Oversee compliance with all relevant laws, bylaws, regulatory, and reporting requirements pertaining to associations/unions.
- Design and implement crisis response plans for operational continuity and organizational reputation. Support the President and Executive Committee in all aspects of governance, including policy development, documentation of decisions, and board succession planning.
- Oversee and direct Secretariat services to the Executive Committee, ensuring that elected officers receive effective, timely, and accurate information and support.
- Oversee and support the Labour Relations Team Leader and specialist labour relations team, ensuring provision of accurate, timely and professional advice aligned with PAFSO’s values and strategic priorities.
- Act as management representative in staff grievance processes, oversee negotiation and implementation of the staff collective agreement, and maintain a positive relationship with the staff union.
2. Strategic Initiatives (40%), including:
- Facilitate strategic and operational planning sessions, aligning Secretariat initiatives with Board-established priorities.
- Collaborate with the President on the development and execution of communications, advocacy, and outreach strategies aligned with the strategic objectives approved by the membership.
- Develop and implement strategies to increase member engagement, satisfaction, growth, and retention.
- Establish and monitor feedback channels, incorporating member input to continuously improve value-added services.
- Oversee the association’s collective bargaining activities under the direction of the President/Executive Committee.
3. Continuous Improvement & Organizational Learning (20%), including:
- Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of key programs, services, and initiatives, reporting on outcomes and recommending improvements.
- Support an organizational culture of learning, encouraging professional development for staff and adoption of sector best practices.
- Promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in organizational policies and practices.
4. Other Duties
- Perform additional related duties as assigned by the President or Executive Committee as operational needs evolve.
Qualifications
Essential
- A minimum of 5 years management experience, at least 3 at the executive/senior leadership level, with exposure to relevant areas such as HR, policy/communications, financial, and performance management, ideally in a unionized environment.
- Demonstrated ability to act as an organizational agent at a senior level, representing the organization at high-level meetings, maintaining confidentiality and integrity under pressure and respecting fiduciary duties.
- Demonstrated competency in strategic, operational, and change planning with a proactive, client-focused approach.
- Demonstrated strong negotiation skills, ideally in collective bargaining, legal, or contracting environments.
- Demonstrated experience providing advice to senior decision-makers.
- Demonstrated superior interpersonal, leadership, and team-building skills, with proven ability to manage diverse personalities and situations.
- Demonstrated adaptability, flexibility, resilience, and composure under pressure.
- Strong client service orientation, and a proven track record of successful employee, volunteer, client or member engagement and retention.
- Post-secondary degree in a field related to PAFSO’s mandate such as labour/industrial relations, human resources, public policy, law, or international relations.
- Professional-level English or French proficiency with strong working skills in the second official language.
Assets
- Direct experience in a labour/industrial relations or foreign service role.
- Experience working with boards or oversight bodies.
- Current federal security clearance.
Notes
- Please provide both a c.v. and a cover letter with specific examples of how you meet the essential and asset qualifications before noon on Monday, July 14, 2025.
- PAFSO is located in the National Capital Region and follows a hybrid work model. The incumbent will be required to attend in-person meetings and be in the downtown office as needed during the work week. No funding will be provided for relocation.
- We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Interviews are expected to take place in-person at our offices the week of July 14, 2025.
- This position has also been posted on AssociationJobs at https://www.associationjobs.ca/job-details/26385/executive-director/?utm_source=DirectRSS&utm_medium=direct