ACT – Autism Community Training is searching for a new leader to take over the position of Executive Director of this dynamic organization in January 2017. This is a full-time position, based either in Burnaby or Richmond, British Columbia.

PURPOSE

The primary purpose of the Executive Director’s role is to ensure that ACT continuously anticipates and responds to the needs of families and professionals to understand the nature and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder through the provision of quality information and training. The work of the E.D. includes ensuring that the organization’s staff maintains a high degree of expertise, commitment and personal ethics, that the organization is managed in a fiscally responsible manner, that it is represented in the community as having a high degree of expertise and ethical standards and that all community stakeholders are aware of ACT, its services, the issues it is attempting to address and the ways in which it can be of service to them.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Communicating ACT’s vision to the autism community, government and the media
2. Working with ACT’s Board of Directors to refine and implement strategic and operational goals
3. Promoting ACT’s role as a leading provider of excellent training in autism-related topics
4. Leading ACT’s staffing, recruitment & retention strategy
5. Ensuring ACT’s financial management & and independence through revenue diversification
6. Supporting the development of ACT as a technologically advanced organization

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience

• Master’s Degree in a relevant discipline
• Experience working in the not-for-profit sector providing services to a special needs group ideal
• Experience in a leadership role
• Experience working with government ministries
• Experience seeking funding sources and raising funds
• Budgeting experience

Skills & Characteristics

• A passion for serving families and people with developmental disabilities
• Ability to work with complex individuals
• Ability to work with complex bureaucracies
• Ability to work with diverse groups to develop consensus.
• Collaborative, patience, diplomacy and respect for differing points of view
• Ability to motivate and align others to a vision
• Strong strategic thinking ability

About ACT – Autism Community Training

• ACT provides non-commercial, evidence-based information and training on ASD to parents and professionals – the most comprehensive community-level autism information service in Canada;
• ACT’s information and support work is funded by B.C.’s Ministry for Children and Family Development and by individual donors and sponsors;
• ACT’s services support individuals with autism to live productive, satisfying lives within their communities, ensuring that families and professionals, wherever they live in B.C. have access to:
  • A toll-free line for individualized, confidential support from trained Information Officers;
  • Autism Videos @ ACT (AVA) – instant access to ACT’s free online video library;
  • Autism Information Database (AID) – 2,000 information and community resources;
  • Next Steps Guide in English, Chinese, Punjabi and Korean;
  • Active Facebook page with 2,000 followers and 10 posts a week;
  • ACT’s Monthly News Round-Up reaches 8,000 individuals and organizations;
  • Registry of Autism Service Providers for Children under Six – over 650 vetted professionals;
• ACT hosted 26 live events in 2015, supported through registration fees and sponsorship;
• ACT is a registered charity; charitable tax number is #861691236RR0001.

The deadline for applications is Monday, November 21, 2016, 4 pm
Please send all resume and covering letter by email: Attention ED Search Committee [email protected]

Download ACT Executive Director brief job description

ACT is coordinating the translation of the Ministry of Children and Family Development “A Parent’s Handbook: Your Guide to the Autism Program” into eight languages (The Handbook can be viewed online at www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/autism/pdf/autism_handbook_web.pdf.)   The Handbook is an important information tool for parents that describes how the provincial Autism Program works.

This contract position would work with ACT staff and the individual translators to take the translated text and create documents in InDesign, appropriate for printing and downloading. It would be suitable for someone who has previous experience in designing multi-page documents such as annual reports, and preferably someone who has worked in other languages. All content will be supplied to the designer.

ACT – Autism Community Training (ACT) is a registered not for profit society that provides information and referral services to families of children with Autism Spectrum disorders as well as to para-professionals and professionals.  Our mission is to provide excellent information and training, in accordance with international best practices. Our goal is to enable parents, professionals and para-professionals to support children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder to live productive, satisfying lives within their families and communities.

Position Requirements

• Experience using InDesign
• Experience in designing annual reports, guides and manuals
• Experience doing design work in languages other than English is desireable

Education

Post-secondary diploma or degree in related area

Payment and Delivery schedule:

Will be negotiated and outlined in a contract

This position is available immediately.  The designer is expected to work off site and must have the appropriate technologies to complete the work.  In person meetings may be required to discuss design and delivery.  Project completed expected to be Spring 2017.

Please send your cover letter, resume and a sample of your work to:

ACT-Autism Community Training E-Mail to: [email protected]

We thank all applicants; however, only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.

ACT – Autism Community Training is the primary source for objective information and support on autism in B.C. A not-for-profit society led by a Board of Directors, ACT is seeking three new board members in time for our AGM on May 31^st. This year we are keen to identify candidates who understand the diverse concerns of families raising children with autism from the perspective of parents, siblings or other members of the extended family, as well as having professional expertise.

ACT’s Board is a governance board and does not involve itself in daily operations. Board members are called upon to provide the board with professional advice. Currently we would like to augment the considerable strength of ACT’s Board in the areas of human resources, media relations, marketing and fundraising.

For more information on ACT’s current Board see www.actcommunity.ca/about-us/board-members/. Those interested in finding out more, may contact the head of ACT’s Nominations Committee, Helga Marshall, c/o [email protected].

The deadline for submitting a resume and cover letter to [email protected] is May 9, 2016.