Title: Board of Directors
Application Deadline: 5pm EST on May 29th, 2024
Location: Anywhere in Canada
BOARD MEMBER RECRUITMENT
LEAF (the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund) is currently seeking three new members to join its Board of Directors for a three-year term. LEAF is a well-established and dedicated advocate for gender equality, demonstrating tangible results year after year in its achievement of its litigation, law reform, and public education mandate. In particular, we seek to advance the substantive equality of women, girls, trans and non-binary people by challenging laws, policies, and practices that discriminate against equality guarantees enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, most notably sections 15 and 28.
Since 1985, LEAF has intervened in over 130 cases that have worked to advance equality in Canada, resulting in landmark victories preventing violence against women and gender diverse people, allowing access to reproductive freedoms, and providing better maternity benefits, better spousal support, and the right to pay equity. Charter rights, in general, and section 15, in particular, have been tested and strengthened through the advocacy work of LEAF.
THE ROLE OF THE BOARD
The Board of Directors is the legal authority for LEAF. As a member of the Board, a Director acts in a position of trust for the community and is responsible for the effective governance of the organization. And, the Board of Directors is accountable to LEAF’s funders for the services outlined in any contribution agreements or contracts. Our Board works closely with the Executive Director and General Counsel in a governance and strategic, but non-operational, capacity.
The Board meets monthly (with the exception of July and August) and board members are expected to attend all board meetings and to join at least one board committee (Fund Development, Governance, Law Program, Finance and Audit, and Nominating). Board members are elected for a three-year mandate, which can be renewed once. Candidates may apply from across Canada, and meetings can be attended virtually or via phone. Being a board member requires a commitment of 5-10 hours per month.
IDEAL QUALITIES FOR THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE
LEAF invites feminist community activists, lawyers, students, academics, and anyone else who is passionate about gender equality in Canada to share your talents with us. We are recruiting three candidates to strengthen the diversity of perspectives and lived experiences at the Board level.
In particular, we welcome applications from Black, Indigenous, racialized, as well as trans and/or non-binary candidates, and also those living in rural and remote areas, the Territories, Francophone regions, the east coast, or the west coast, with experience and knowledge at the board level in any of the following areas:
- Charter rights analysis and/or litigation
- Fund development, fundraising and philanthropy
- Finance
- Non-profit Human Resources
- Frontline support and/or community based settings aimed at advancing gender equality
- Feminist activism
- Living in Canada as non-citizens
LEAF is committed to building a board that is reflective of the diversity of those we serve. We encourage applications from women, trans, Two-Spirit, and/or non-binary applicants who are Black, Indigenous, racialized, disabled, and/or from other marginalised communities. LEAF also encourages those early in their careers to apply.
HOW TO APPLY
We invite interested applicants to complete and email the volunteer application form, along with your resume and a cover letter that speaks to what draws you to the work of LEAF and to the unique perspectives you would bring to this board position to [email protected].
Please submit your application as soon as possible. The application deadline is 5pm EST on May 29th, 2024.
Applicants selected for an interview will be contacted by June 6th, 2024. Interviews will be conducted during the week of June 10-14th, 2024. Successful candidates will be notified by June 19th, 2024 and will be recommended for election to the Board of Directors at our Annual General Meeting on September 27th, 2024.
If you have any questions please contact LEAF National at 416-595-7170 or via email at [email protected].
Wherever possible, accommodations will be made available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
