Director of Youth Programs

Company Overview

ACCESS, the place to start building your future today. ACCESS delivers a unique and diverse assortment of labour market services and support frameworks, including education, training, employment advising, and financial assistance to members of the urban Indigenous community. Our mission is to increase Indigenous participation in the labour market. We develop strong partnerships with organizations and employers, understanding their employment needs and matching them to the needs of our trained and supported Indigenous clients, ensuring a successful outcome for both parties.

Our core values of Respect, Honour, Sharing, Kindness are active in our dynamic and supportive work environment. www.accessfutures.com

The Director of Youth Programs is a senior leadership position responsible for the strategic development, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive youth services that reflect ACCESS' core values of Respect, Honor, Sharing, and Kindness. This role provides visionary leadership to ensure that Indigenous youth are supported in their academic journeys, leadership development, and transition to post-secondary education or meaningful employment.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Director oversees all aspects of youth programming and staff, fosters cross-sectoral partnerships, secures funding, and ensures program alignment with the organizational mission and community needs. A key outcome is the design and sustainability of culturally relevant leadership pathways for Indigenous youth, grounded in educational achievement and wellness. The Director is responsible for both the Vancouver and Surrey office staff and programs.

Leadership Competencies

Self-Leadership:

• Demonstrates positive leader role modelling of behaviours that align with our Core Values.
• Builds self-awareness for continued development.
• Exudes clear communication skills.
• Demonstrates strong collaborative skills with staff, management, and partners.
• Accountable and achieves results.

People Leadership:

• Advocates for quality service delivery ensuring clients receive the best experience.
• Builds trust through open lines of communication.
• Establishes clear expectations through regular and effective team and one on one meetings.
• Professionally navigates conflict.
• Fosters a pipeline of talent for the future through regular performance and career development conversations.

Strategic Leadership:

• Decisions based on the annual strategic direction; mission, vision, values.
• Develops programs and services that supports our vision and strategy.
• Builds ACCESS brand awareness and networks in our surrounding community.
• Secures funding opportunities through strong proposals and community connections.
• Understands financial responsibilities and is held accountable to the CEO, Board of Directors and Funders.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Program Development :

• Provide overall direction and leadership to the Youth Programs portfolio.
• Actively leads in the development of new youth initiatives in line with current employment and career trends.
• Spearheads the development, revision, implementation and application of Youth policies and procedures with alignment to ACCESS’s overall policy and procedure protocol.
• Contributes to the implementation of the strategic and long-range plans by providing ideas and expertise that supports the development of the Annual Operating Plan (AOP).
• Prepares monthly report and attends monthly management meetings.
• Prepares quarterly reports for funders, Urban Spirit Foundation, the board of directors and others as assigned by the CEO.
• Lead the development of innovative, culturally grounded programs that support Indigenous youth from K-12 to post-secondary transition.
• Develop long-term goals, strategies, and evaluation frameworks for youth services.
• Provides direction to the Youth Program Team of available local resources and supports for youth participants
• Ensure all programs reflect ACCESS' mission and uphold its core values.
• Other duties as assigned by the CEO

Team and Operational Oversight:

• Supervise and mentor Youth Programs Manager, Youth, Coordinators, and support staff including regular check-in meetings and organizational performance review process.
• Build a high-performance team culture centered on accountability, respect, and collaboration.
• Oversee staffing structures, scheduling, and resource allocation for all youth initiatives.
• Ensure appropriate training and professional development for youth staff.

Community Engagement and Partnership Building:

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with Indigenous communities, schools, post-secondary institutions, social services, and government ministries.
• Partners with organizations in support of ongoing program enhancements exposing a wide range of educational and career opportunities to youth participants.
• Research and develop programs that present opportunities to youth.
• Foster cross-agency collaborations to enhance service delivery and referrals for Indigenous youth.
• Serve as an ACCESS representative in community consultations, forums, and leadership tables related to Indigenous youth success as directed by the CEO.

Program Integration and Curriculum Alignment:

• Ensure that programming complements and integrates with BC’s K-12 curriculum and Career Life Education (with particular focus on My Blueprint and work experience placements).
• Stay informed on provincial and national youth leadership programs (e.g., Duke of Edinburgh) to create complementary pathways.
• Promote culturally responsive approaches to education, wellness, leadership, and life skills.
• Oversee development of individualized youth transition plans focused on education or employment outcomes.
• Promote a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach in all programming.

Funding, Evaluation and Reporting:

• Strong financial skills as required for planning, budgeting, allocating resources and monitoring funds.
• Pragmatic and sound financial judgement as it relates to financial responsibility.
• Lead grant writing, proposal development, and reporting in collaboration with the CEO and Finance team.
• Oversee program data collection and analysis to assess impact, identify gaps, and support continuous improvement.

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements:

• A Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Business Administration or Indigenous Studies is preferred; a combination of relevant certifications in a related field will also be considered.
• Minimum one year of director level experience with 4 years of progressive leadership experience in youth services, Indigenous organizations, or educational programs.
• Strong ability to develop and maintain effective collaborative internal working relationships in alignment with ACCESS core values.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including developing presentations and speaking to small and large audiences.
• Make decisions that reflect sound judgement, organizational values, and the best interests of ACCESS, Clients, and the community.
• Proven experience developing, leading, and evaluating community-based programs for youth or other related programming.
• Deep knowledge of Indigenous cultures, protocols, and the impacts of colonization on youth and families.
• Experience with school systems, post-secondary transitions, or career readiness for Indigenous Peoples.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to work in partnership with diverse stakeholders.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office, with a strong ability to adapt to changing technologies.
• Valid Class 5 BC driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle.

As an Indigenous organization who serve urban Indigenous people, preference will be given to candidates of Indigenous descent.

Additional benefits include:

• Two wellness days per year
• Paid Christmas office closure
• Off-site team professional development days, typically in Whistler, BC

Curious to learn more, please submit your cover letter and resume and tell us how you will contribute to our team!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $83,000.00-$86,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Company pension
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Vision care
• Wellness program

Application question(s):

• Employees are required to undergo a criminal record check and a vulnerable sector check; do you have any concerns with this?
• Do you have a Class 5 driver's license and access to a personal vehicle?

Work Location: In person