The Leadership We Are Seeking
The Board of Directors seeks an Executive Director who will provide strong, culturally grounded, ethical, and accountable leadership to ACSA. The successful candidate will guide the organization in fulfilling its mission while fostering trust among staff, clients, Indigenous communities, funders, partners, and the Board.
ACSA is seeking a leader who combines confidence with humility. The successful candidate will bring the knowledge and experience needed to lead a complex Indigenous-serving organization while recognizing that effective leadership requires consultation, reflection, and accountability. They will understand that leadership is not about having all the answers but about creating conditions where good decisions can be made collectively and responsibly.
Above all, ACSA seeks a leader who understands that this role is an act of stewardship, service, and responsibility. The Executive Director’s purpose is to strengthen the organization’s capacity to serve Indigenous individuals, families, and communities while honouring the trust placed in ACSA by staff, partners, funders, and the Board.
Core Competencies and Responsibilities
1. Indigenous Cultural Leadership
Cultural knowledge and cultural humility are both required. The Executive Director must bring genuine depth of understanding while remaining open to learning and guidance from the communities ACSA serves.
- Demonstrated respect for Indigenous cultures, traditions, histories, and worldviews, with an understanding of the impacts of colonization, intergenerational trauma, and systemic inequities
- Commitment to reconciliation and Indigenous self-determination
- Ability to engage appropriately with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and cultural advisors
- Leadership of program and service planning through an Indigenous trauma-informed lens
2. Governance, Ethics, and Accountability
Transparency with the Board is a leadership strength, not an administrative obligation. This organization needs a leader who surfaces difficult issues rather than manages them quietly, and who welcomes oversight as part of the role.
- Strong understanding of non-profit governance and the distinction between governance and management
- Timely and complete reporting to the Board on significant issues, risks, and emerging concerns, with difficult information delivered promptly
- High ethical standards, willingness to disclose conflicts of interest, and readiness to address misconduct or policy breaches directly
- Principled decision-making consistent with organizational values, even when decisions are unpopular
- Succession planning to support organizational stability
3. Stewardship and Financial Management
Responsible stewardship of public resources extends beyond budgets to include organizational controls, contracting, and funder accountability.
- Development and oversight of annual budgets, cash flow monitoring, and financial reporting to funders and the Board
- Maintenance of strong financial controls, appropriate segregation of duties, and accurate records
- Fair and transparent procurement and contracting practices
- Research and development of funding proposals to sustain operational funding
4. Strategic and Operational Leadership
The Executive Director translates organizational vision into operational reality, building the systems and capacity ACSA needs to deliver on its mandate.
- Development and implementation of operational plans aligned with the strategic direction
- Preparation, implementation, and regular review of policies and procedures
- Oversight of efficient day-to-day operations, with proactive identification and management of organizational risk
- Anticipation of future challenges and timely adjustment of plans and priorities
- Ability to lead the organization through change, including revising goals and plans to reflect shifting priorities and building staff capacity to adapt
5. People Leadership and Organizational Culture
Staff should feel safe raising concerns, identifying risks, and offering different viewpoints. Building that kind of workplace is a core leadership responsibility.
- Recruitment, orientation, and development of staff with appropriate qualifications and alignment with organizational values
- Coaching, mentoring, and performance management, including progressive discipline where required
- Compensation, benefits, and professional development that support retention
- Staffing and succession planning with cross-training to support organizational resilience
6. Relationships, Communication, and Community Engagement
The Executive Director represents ACSA externally and must communicate with the clarity and consistency that builds long-term trust with communities, funders, and partners.
- Collaboration with Indigenous communities, government, non-profit organizations, and other stakeholders
- Proactive communication with stakeholders about the organization’s work and relevant sector developments
- Representation of ACSA at meetings, conferences, and community events
Qualifications
- Proven leadership in a comparable non-profit, public sector, or community-based organization
- University degree in social services, education, business, non-profit management, or a related field
- Thorough knowledge of and experience working with the Indigenous community, including experience in programming that addresses intimate partner violence and trauma through an Indigenous lens
- Strong financial management skills and experience with fund development
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships, lead teams, and manage change
Working Conditions
The role is based in Edmonton and requires in-person work in an office environment. The mission of the organization will regularly take the Executive Director to non-standard workplaces. There is considerable travel within Edmonton and some beyond. The work week includes scheduled evenings to accommodate Board meetings and to represent the organization at public events, meetings, conferences, and community gatherings.
What ACSA Offers
Meaningful impact through culturally rich work. Competitive salary in the range of $90,000 to $110,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position also includes a benefits package that provides vacation leave, sick leave, and WCB coverage.
The posting will remain open until Friday June 26, 2026, or until a suitable candidate has been selected.
Please forward your resume, covering letter and references to:
[email protected]
Visit our website to learn more
www.aboriginalcounseling.com/careers
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $90,000.00-$110,000.00 per year
Flexible language requirement:
Work Location: In person
