Job Specifications
Outdoor school, Nonprofit leadership
Position: Co-Director – Finance, Fundraising and Governance
School: The Guelph Outdoor School
Location: Hybrid – Guelph ON
Type: Full Time - One year term with the possibility to become permanent for the right candidate
Salary: $58,000.00 - $61,000.00
About The Guelph Outdoor School (GOS)
Guelph Outdoor School was born in the fall of 2012 as a solution to a growing constellation of unmistakable needs.
A non-profit, service organization, GOS outdoor immersion and mentorship programs have come to be recognized as an effective option at the intersection of mental health, education, and community well-being. GOS programs for kids are central and run throughout the week, during school hours. GOS also runs adult workshops and courses, delivers in-school programs, and hosts special events, field trips, and popular summer programs.
Mission
Guelph Outdoor School aspires to provide accessible, immersive, nature-based education that nurtures curiosity, connection, and stewardship. We offer transformative programs that support youth, families, and educators in developing skills for resilience and well-being. Through play, mentorship, and experiential learning, we cultivate a thriving community where people of all ages feel safe, valued, and inspired within the natural world.
Vision
A world where all people build deep, lifelong connections to nature and community. Through accessible outdoor learning and mentorship, Guelph Outdoor School fosters resilience, belonging, and a recognition of our interdependence with and responsibility to care for all life.
About The Role
The Guelph Outdoor School is seeking a Co-Director to join our team. This is a director level position that will work collaboratively with our existing Director of Programs and Development and share responsibility for the organization's overall leadership, sustainability, and integrity.
Together, you will collectively steward the mission, support staff and instructors, ensure program excellence, and guide the organization through its next stage of growth following a transition in founding leadership.
While the existing co-director focuses on the following areas: program quality & pedagogy, training & staff experience, community partnerships, and fundraising; the incoming co-director will focus on systems, financial oversight, non-profit governance, fundraising and grants, and organizational function, growth, and stability.
Process
This position will start as a 1 year contract to ensure the relationship is the right fit for both the organization and the candidate. The onboarding we will be engaging in will be intentional and slow, with regular check-ins, feedback and room for growth.
In the first year the focus will be on Listening and Building Trust: Getting to Know Each Other. This will happen through a transfer of organizational historic knowledge, rooting within community culture and relationships with your team and the land, building a shared leadership understanding, and working towards predetermined benchmarks to ensure professional abilities related to the role.
If after the first year both parties determine that the relationship is a good fit the candidate will be hired on in a permanent full time position capacity and engage in a two year onboarding process that will lead to full autonomy and authority within the role.
Key Responsibilities
Non-Profit Governance
Ensure excellence in non-profit function (bylaws, board meetings, AGM)
Support board development, and engagement
Support implementing the move to attain Charitable Status
Financial Stewardship and Oversight
Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and fiscal stewardship
Support and manage a small finance team
Develop and implement financial policies and financial reporting processes for board meetings
Fundraising and Resource Development
Development and coordination of fundraising plan
Identifying and applying to granting opportunities
Stewardship of monthly and major donors
Strategic Planning and Leadership
Lead and support working groups within the portfolio of this position (finance and fundraising)
Coordination and implementation of Organizational Objectives and Key Results (OKR’s)
Coordination and creation of annual, grants, and special reports
Community Stakeholder Relationships
Support land based partnerships
Collaborate in the coordination of parent and volunteer committee
Collaborate in building and stewarding community partnerships
Relevant Skills And Experience
3-5 years of nonprofit or senior leadership experience
3-5 years experience working within nonprofit financial and fundraising systems
Strong project and team management skills
Experience working with Boards of Directors and non profit governance
Strong fundraising, granting and campaign knowledge and skills
Collaborative leadership style and strong communication skills
Alignment with the mission and values of the organization
Relevant education possibiliti