About L’Arche Montréal

L’Arche Montréal is a rich community comprised of five homes and an art workshop. For over 40 years, the community has been welcoming people living with and without intellectual disabilities. Together, these individuals share a common way of life founded on the core values defined in L’Arche Canada’s Servant Leadership Model. The community has proven to be a place of unconditional welcoming that is based on human dignity and the respect of one’s differences. Since it was founded in 1964, L’Arche’s 154 communities across the world, including the 30 across Canada, have worked together to build a more humane and fairer world where each individual’s gifts are appreciated and celebrated.

Job description

Under the supervision of the board of directors, the Community Leader will collaborate with l’Arche’s leadership in Quebec, Canada and internationally while upholding l’Arche’s mission, values and philosophy. As the executive director, he/she will be responsible for planning, organizing and achieving the organization’s goals by directing the entirety of activities relating to the management and supervision of programs and services, as well as managing human, material and financial resources so as to respond adequately to the needs of the community, especially those of individuals living with an intellectual disability. He/she will also collaborate with the Board of Directors, the coordination team, the community board, the house leaders and other team members to ensure compliance with government directives as well as with community and regional policies.

Primary responsibilities

Management of operations as well as human, financial and material resources

• Ensure that celebrations, traditions, spiritual exercises and gatherings are inclusive and enriching;
• Oversee services and activities offered to people living with intellectual disabilities, including medical and psychosocial check-ups as needed, and ensure a positive environment for them;
• Ensure the proper functioning of the art workshop. Plan and oversee the implementation of the workshop’s annual action plan, the processes for achieving same, and prepare annual reports on community activities;
• Oversee financial planning, the budget and the financial status of the organisation while respecting the requirements of lenders so as to preserve the financial health of the organisation;
• Coordinate and participate in financing activities by seeking to diversify the organisation’s sources of funding;
• Oversee recruitment, supervise human resources and plan for the continued training of all staff and volunteers;
• Ensure the efficient management of administrative staff and assistant workload;
• Ensure the maintenance of buildings and vehicles; oversee upgrades of installations and equipment; ensure provision of adequate supplies for the proper functioning of the organization;
• Manage communication tools and supervise internal and external communications with a view to preserving the organisation’s image among the community, collaborators and partners.

Board of Directors (BD)

• Support board members in their roles as administrators and implement policies and procedures; monitor the annual budget approved by the Board;
• Ensure open and continued communication with the Board and with different levels of the Federation of l’Arche in Canada and report to them;
• Participate with the board of directors in implementing the strategic action plan in order to achieve the objectives and the mission of l’Arche Montréal.

Partnership development

• Represent l’Arche to families, sponsors, donors and other public health and social services agencies and institutions;
• Strengthen the position and image of l’Arche Montréal at the local, regional, national and international levels;
• Encourage partnerships and collaboration with other organisations in the sector, government partners and other regulatory bodies;
• Apply for relevant grants and subsidies;
• Assess internal and external factors having an impact on the organisation with a view to managing risk, responding to the needs of the community and responding to financial reporting requirements;
• Represent l’Arche in the region and build relationships with the media, educational institutions and other organisations with similar mandates;
• Build a sense of community with friends and families.

L’Arche

• Represent the Arche-Montréal community at various levels of l’Ache regionally, nationally and internationally (AAQ, Arche Canada, Arche International);
• Participate in various meetings and workshops organized by these associations (which includes travel and stays outside of Montréal);
• Collaborate on different projects and brainstorming sessions with these associations as needed.

Required management skills

• Autonomy, initiative, versatility and creativity;
• Demonstrable participatory, mobilizing and uniting leadership;
• Empathy for individuals with intellectual disabilities;
• Good judgement, rigour and honesty;
• Efficient and timely decision-making;
• Strong ability to work in teams;
• Strong presentation, animation and delegation skills;
• Strong workflow planning and organization skills;
• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to adapt to changing situations;
• Culturally sensitive: able to understand, communicate and efficiently interact with people from different cultures;
• Excellent level of written and spoken French and English;
• Appropriate level of introspection, self-criticism, and ability to receive feedback;
• Conflict resolution and management;
• Excellent oral, written and electronic communication skills.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. Other combination of relevant training and experience will also be considered;
• 1 – 3 years of experience in a management position;
• Prior experience at l’Arche (assistant; member, board of directors; volunteer, etc.) an asset;
• Authorization to live and work in Canada;
• Bilingual (English/French);
• Willingness and ability to pass a background check.

Working conditions 

• Permanent, full-time position, 40hrs a week, Monday-Friday, with occasional evening and weekend work;
• Based at l’Arche Montréal’s headquarters in Montreal, QC;
• Salary based on education and work experience;
• Employer contributions to an RRSP;
• Access to a group insurance plan;
• Role starts in June/July 2023;
• Other benefits with this position: expense account (ex. phone, internet, car, etc.), autonomy, potential for occasional remote work.

How to submit an application 

Considering the organization’s mission and the profile being sought, we invite you to propose the name of individuals who could fill this position and/or submit your own application by sending a cover letter and CV in English or in French, along with 1 or 2 references no later than May 15^th 2023 to the attention of:

Damian Marczuk, President, Board of Directors
damian.marczuk2@gmail.com