Director, Stewardship Programs

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director, Stewardship Programs is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership to ARMA’s Stewardship Programs. The position will oversee the teams responsible for the verification of incentive and grant funding claims to ensure compliance with the requirements of Alberta Recycling programs.

The Director, Stewardship Programs provides strategic direction and leadership for ARMA’s Stewardship Programs, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and program requirements. The position leads the teams responsible for governing and overseeing incentive and grant funding claims, ensuring program integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

1. Lead, coach, and mentor the Stewardship Program Team while nurturing strong relationships with all employees and senior management.
2. Develop and foster a culture focused on high-performing teams by developing and supporting growth plans, individual objectives, effective communication channels and performance feedback.
3. Support the development of a high-performing culture focused on innovation, collaboration, and succession planning.
4. Be a positive role model and change agent, while acting as the second in command (2IC) to the VP, Stewardship and lead by example to engage, empower and influence the Stewardship Program Team.
5. Supervision and planning of the Stewardship Program Team activities, budget, diversity, and resource deployment.

Program Management and Optimization

1. Directly responsible for the evaluation, approval, and management of the funding processes under the Stewardship Programs, including managing the review of applications and eligibility for funding from current and prospective registered processors for conformity to the program incentive requirements.
2. Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all grant funding programs, including program design, implementation, policy development, performance measurement, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
3. Oversee grant program funding decisions, funding agreements, and processes to ensure achievement of organizational objectives.
4. Responsible for managing the planning, development, implementation, ongoing delivery, and evaluation of ARMA Stewardship Programs
5. In conjunction with the VP, Stewardship, manage and implement best practices in program development, implementation, evaluation and compliance of all stewardship programs.
6. Lead or sponsor strategic initiatives and special projects that support organizational priorities, program modernization, operational effectiveness, and continuous improvement.
7. Support the management of the environmental assurance procedures (environmental, health and safety audits) of the Programs according to the guidelines identified in the business plan and outlined in the government regulations.
8. Work in conjunction with VP, Stewardship to develop and execute multi-year stewardship strategies, roadmaps, and operational plans.
9. Support the VP, Stewardship in evaluation of program effectiveness, efficiency, financial sustainability, and environmental outcomes, and be a champion in innovation, process modernization, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision making.

Stakeholder Engagement

1. Manages relationships with active, registered processors under the Stewardship Programs and related parties regarding matters associated with funding programs, industries, and markets.
2. Communicates with recycling programs in other provinces regarding common issues related to the relevant recycling industries.
3. Provide senior-level support and issue resolution for approved Registered Processor inquiries and stakeholder concerns escalated through the Stewardship Programs team.
4. Prepare and deliver stewardship program presentations to ARMA partners, including local governments, regional waste management authorities, industry associations, producer responsibility organizations, etc.
5. Develop and maintain positive working relationships and effective communication with processors, municipal collection sites, depots and other stakeholders.

Financial Stewardship

1. Lead Stewardship’s annual operating, capital and multi-year financial planning in conjunction with Finance.
2. Collaborate with Finance and executive leadership on multi-year financial planning, program expansion, and assessment of financial implications of operational decisions.
3. Review monthly and quarterly financial reports, analyze budget-to-actual variances, and provide recommendations to senior leadership.
4. Provide oversight of program expenditures, ensuring financial resources are managed responsibly and within approved budgets.
5. Identify, assess, and mitigate financial risks associated with program operations, including funding shortfalls, cost pressures, and unplanned expenditures.
6. Work with Finance to analyze financial data and guide program management, including monitoring forecasts and budget variances analysis and reporting.
7. Act as a trusted liaison to the VP, Stewardship on financial and corporate services related inquiries and issues.

Other Duties

1. Maintains an understanding of and adheres to Alberta Recycling policies, procedures, and standards.
2. Contributes to a positive and safe culture by modeling the organizational values and leadership behaviors.
3. Performs other job-related duties and assists other team members, as required.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Education & Experience

1. Required advanced professional knowledge in business administration, program management with several or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
2. A minimum of seven (7) years of related leadership experience.
3. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered
4. Experience developing, implementing, and executing projects.
5. Experience using Office 365 applications, in particular Excel and Power BI with strong to advanced skill, and the ability to become familiar with firm-specific programs and software.
6. Demonstrated analytical ability with a keen eye for identifying anomalies.
7. Demonstrated ability to work with internal and external stakeholders to address complex issues through excellent planning and project management.
8. Proven time management, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
9. Flexibility in adapting to changing priorities.
10. Experience interacting with government entities is an asset.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

1. Leadership & Navigation: Uses information, personnel, time, and other resources necessary effectively and efficiently to accomplish tasks within the parameters of organizational hierarchy, processes, systems, and policies and establishes appropriate courses of action for self, teams, and individuals to accomplish specific goals. Motivates team and provides coaching and assistance as required.
2. Strategic Thinking: Understands the strategic relationship between effective financial, risk and compliance management and core business functions.
3. Technical Capability: Knowledge of principles, practices, and functions of effective operational management and proven experience leading operational planning and reporting.
4. Business Acumen: Understands and applies information to contribute to the organization’s strategic plan leveraging business knowledge, strategic agility, systems thinking, and metrics/analytics to measure performance.
5. Communication Proficiency: Provides clear, concise information to others in verbal, written, electronic and other communication formats. Listens actively and ensures effect communications throughout the organization.
6. Critical Evaluation: Uses critical thinking and problem solving to assess and interpret information to make business decisions and recommendations.
7. Relationships Management: Builds engaging relationship will all organizational stakeholders through trust, teamwork, and direct communications. Demonstrates approachability and openness.
8. Ethical Practice: Integrates core values, integrity and accountability throughout all organizational and business practices and acts with personal, professional, and behavioral integrity.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Background Check
2. Drivers Abstract
3. Supplemental Insurance

All employees are subject to a pre-employment Background Check, and employment is contingent upon successful clearance results. ARMA is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on any characteristic protected by law.