Chief of Staff - WES Canada (Remote)

World Education Services

32d•Remote

About The Position

The Chief of Staff serves as the Managing Director's trusted advisor and strategic partner, ensuring the effective operation of WES Canada and enabling the Managing Director and WES Canada leadership team to focus on strategic leadership. The role coordinates executive priorities, supports decision-making, facilitates cross-functional alignment, and monitors execution of key organizational commitments, enabling leaders across WES Canada to deliver against our strategic and organizational priorities and commitments. This role operates across a highly matrixed organization and requires strong organizational awareness, political acuity, sound judgment, and the ability to influence without direct authority. Accountability for functional strategies, operational delivery, and organizational outcomes remains with the appropriate executive and departmental leaders with the Chief of Staff leveraging trusted relationships, the ability to connect information, perspectives and priorities across teams, and a focused on a commitment to outcomes to support WES Canada in realizing its’ strategic and organizational priorities.

Requirements

A degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, public policy, organizational leadership, or a related field, or an acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience.
8-10 years of relevant work experience with strong preference in strategy execution, executive advisory support, organizational leadership, project or program management, policy, or business operations.
Exceptional project manager who thrives in a fast-paced environment, delivers high-quality work, is comfortable managing up, and enjoys juggling dynamic priorities involving complex cross-functional initiatives or executive priorities involving multiple senior stakeholders .
Track record as an excellent problem-solver who enjoys taking on new challenges and demonstrates strong decision-making skills and judgement.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills that convey complex information to a range of stakeholders in compelling formats, including via PowerPoint slides; with demonstrated experience preparing executive correspondence, Board materials, presentations, speeches, briefing notes, and decision papers.
Experience developing and monitoring executive work plans, organizational priorities, dashboards, or key performance indicators.
Demonstrated qualitative and quantitative analytical skills to assess situations, break down complex problems, identify strategic tradeoffs, and apply learnings in a larger context.
Experience utilizing inclusive and participatory models for strategy development, planning, decision-making, and/or budgeting within organizations and/or with external partners.
Good interpersonal skills, including tact, diplomacy, and flexibility, and demonstrated experience building trust and credibility with diverse stakeholder groups to achieve results.
Ability to exercise independent judgment, manage multiple competing priorities, and work effectively under pressure with resilience, initiative, and a high level of ownership.
Strong people management and supervision experience.
Proficiency in oral and written French.

Nice To Haves

Multisector experience is preferred.
Experience utilizing frameworks and models for strategy development, scenario planning, organizational decision-making, performance measurement, and budgeting.
Experience working in the public, nonprofit, social impact, regulatory, professional association, or private sectors, with familiarity across more than one sector considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic thought partner to the MD and leadership team by assessing competing priorities, monitoring emerging issues and organizational initiatives, identifying risks, dependencies, and strategic trade-offs, and providing objective analysis recommendations, and escalation support.
Serve as an organizational integrator who works across the MD, Canada Leadership Team, Executive Team, WES Canada Board, and organizational departments to ensure the flow of strategic information, issues, decisions, and materials are effectively managed.
Project manage WES Canada's inputs into Enterprise-level or global board/leadership reporting, in addition to WES Canada Board governance logistics and operations.
Manage the MD's internal and external commitments, including coordinating Board and committee materials, reports, briefing materials, updates, meeting preparation or logistics, and follow-up in partnership with relevant leads, ensuring that materials requiring the MD’s review, input, or approval are planned and prepared in a timely manner.
Oversee and support the development and execution of the MD's annual work plan and WES Canada’s strategic priorities, by coordinating cross functional planning, monitoring progress, reporting results, addressing barriers, and supporting leadership decision-making.
Project manage and provide oversight to selected high-priority strategic initiatives, special projects, task forces, working groups, on behalf of the MD
Oversee the operational work associated with executive reporting and dashboards by working with Finance, Strategy, and departmental leaders to consolidate performance information for executive decision-making and continuous improvement across accountable stakeholders.
Manage the translation and support the integration of Enterprise-wide strategic priorities into Canada-specific execution plans (and vice versa — surface Canada-specific issues upward).
Oversee departmental annual budget coordination within WES Canada and where shared services, shared costs, or cross-entity resource allocation exist (e.g., shared Communications, IT, or Finance functions spanning US/Canada).
Ensure effective and timely communications from the MD, such as correspondence, announcements, presentations, talking points, speeches, and other communications, working in close coordination with Communications Department and relevant subject matter experts.
Build and maintain trusted relationships with department and enterprise leaders to ensure the MD is informed of significant organizational, stakeholder, operational, and reputational matters.
Attend, on behalf of the MD when delegated, selected internal and external meetings, briefings, and events; capturing key insights, coordinating next steps and ensuring briefing is given to all relevant individuals, including the MD, to advance agreed priorities.
Provide people management, oversight, and mentorship for administrative staff that support WES Canada.
Oversee and manage consultants, honorarium, and any other expenses related to activities covered through the WES Canada budget