Board Coordinator

Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Canada•Toronto, ON

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Board Coordinator sits on a combined team of both Board of Directors and Association Team, providing the link between the Board of Directors, the Association membership, MSF Canada employees, the volunteers who support MSF Canada’s associative activities and the associations of other MSF sections. The work of this combined team aims to encourage, support, and organize the Association to carry out two critical roles: the governance of MSF Canada and sustaining associative life in Canada. The Board Coordinator plays a key role to help maximize the efficiency and functioning of the Board of Directors by aiding in the coordination and facilitation of Board Members’ key tasks and activities, particularly those of the Board President. This role is critical to ensure the Board and its Committees can achieve annual priorities and function with both efficiency and efficacy. The Board Coordinate should have an overview of all committee work carried out by the Board (with the exception of that which is sensitive or confidential) , events, and communications relating to the Board and is responsible for ensuring that opportunities for coordination, coherence, and complementarity within the Board’s work are not overlooked. The Board Coordinator must be diplomatic, service- and results-oriented, with an eye for detail, excellent writing and communication skills and a demonstrated capacity to effectively organize and prioritize workflow in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

Solid understanding of governance expectations of Canadian charities and / or of MSF entities
Experience in a senior administrative or executive coordination position
Experience crafting executive-level communications
Experience organising and coordinating an annual cycle
Experience in a role with a high level of confidentiality
Experience organising full/multi-day meetings with out-of-town participants
Experience working with non-profit / humanitarian Board(s) in Canada and internationally (or similar, related experience)
Experience coordinating priorities of diverse stakeholders into coherent workstreams
Fluency in spoken and written English
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada; MSF Canada is not able to support or relocate candidates from outside Canada.

Responsibilities

Coordinate Board activities, dates, and events, including logistics for Board members, ensuring clarity on individual roles, goals, and deadlines.
Manage the Board calendar, meeting minutes, and all documentation required for Board operations, owning the full scope of administrative tasks.
Drive coordination of all Board activities and events, ensuring seamless collaboration with the Association Team.
Develop and execute Board-related communications for stakeholders, ensuring accuracy and alignment with key messaging.
Independently manage operational tasks within the Coordinator role, ensuring the Board remains focused on its strategic oversight role while maintaining smooth day-to-day operations.
Develop and manage the annual Board calendar in alignment with the control cycle and calendar of the Executive Director’s office and the International Movement.
Track and oversee the completion of the Boards annual priority tasks by working with Committee Chairs and individual members to set clear deadlines, provide regular updates on outstanding items, and ensuring timely follow up.
Organise and maintain Board documents including updating, archiving, and improving the digital archiving systems on SharePoint in collaboration with the Board Secretary.
Coordinate and annually review the onboarding process of new Board members to ensure they are smoothly integrated into Board activities.
Provide logistical, administrative, and follow-up support to Board Committees, including agenda setting, action point tracking, and communication with stakeholders.
Maintain clear workflows between Board Committees to ensure alignment and avoid duplication of efforts.
Establish guidelines on board committee processes to streamline workflows and improve efficiency.
Coordinate Board meeting logistics and related events including: Aiding in the development of, and then circulation of the agenda and any supporting documents, Meeting logistics for in person meetings; Minute taking and timely distribution of minutes post-meeting.
Coordinate Board activities and events with the Association Team; Board Coordinator should lead information dissemination so that the Board and the Association Team are working cooperatively.
In collaboration with Association Team Lead, ensure that AGA minutes are accurate, high-quality, and in accordance with governance requirements.
Monitor and manage the Board budget (in coordination with the Treasurer and the President) including: Tracking expenses and flagging concerns about overspending or excessive requests; Serving as the primary point of contact for budget-related inquiries; Processing reimbursement requests and Board-related expense invoices with the Treasurer & Association Team Lead.
Liaising with the Procurement and Travel Team and the Board to ensure fiscally responsible transit and lodging for Board travel.
Ensure Board Member compliance with all required board trainings (as required by MSF or law) and manage documentation such as the Board Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest Declarations, and NDAs.
Maintain and update the Board Directory and the Board SharePoint to ensure accessibility and accuracy.
Provide orientation for staff on Board operations and functions as needed.
Serve as the point of contact for Board technical and support requests to the Executive.
Offer ad-hoc administrative support to the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Legal Officer or Secretary as required.
Manage the Board inbox, acting on routine communications and escalating critical or sensitive topics when necessary.
Draft and edit communications on behalf of the President (with final approval), including routine updates to stakeholders.
Collaborate with the Association Team and other stakeholders to ensure consistency and alignment in all communications with key messaging and objectives.