Executive Director

Job Details

Deadline: Open until filled

Location: Remote work

About the ICCA

The Indigenous Curatorial Collective / Collectif des commissaires autochtones (ICCA) is an Indigenous non-profit organization with the vision to Activate Indigenous Creative Sovereignty, ensuring future ancestors have agency over their own cultures as an Inherent Right. The ICCA engages in critical discourses, increases professional opportunities, develops programming, and most importantly, works to build reciprocal relationships with Indigenous curators, artists, communities, and the institutions it engages with.

The ICCA was launched in 2006 in response to the authority afforded to the non-Indigenous curatorial and academic community within the discipline of Indigenous arts in Canada. The ICCA has become known as a critical entity in the arts sector that many look to as a guide. ICCA’s mission is: to advocate, activate, and engage on behalf of Indigenous curators, artists, critics, and representatives; to develop and program projects; to build relationships; to increase opportunities for artists and curators; and to collaborate, challenge, and engage in discourse.

The ICCA has a robust membership program, including nearly 2,000 community members and 85 institutional members. The organization strives to serve its communities who come from a wide range of backgrounds, prioritizing access in its many service areas.

ICCA is governed by a Board of Directors, led by co-chairs Reuben Friend and Tarah Hogue.  For the last fiscal year, ICCA reported a total operating budget of $1,000,000. The main office location is in Toronto, Ontario.

The ICCA’s corporate purposes can be found here.

Job Description

As a collaborative leader for the ICCA, the Executive Director will be a vocal advocate for the organization and the communities it serves.  The Executive Director will be the public face of the ICCA, working to advance the organization’s mission in all territories while championing a positive culture within the team.

In partnership with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will lead the organization’s new planning processes and will be instrumental in operationalizing the organization’s strategic goals and initiatives, such as financial support for Indigenous arts communities, partnership development, ICCA programs and membership development, and curatorial delegations.  This includes re-imagining a new structure and work areas for the organization and the hiring of key new positions and direct reports.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Board of Directors in developing strategic plans and direction for ICCA;
• Attend Board and committee meetings, support the Board’s governance functions and development, and provide relevant information and analysis to assist the Board in making informed decisions;
• Oversee ICCA’s staffing structure, and hire and manage employees;
• Supervise, guide, and mentor staff, providing professional development and growth opportunities that advance the overall organizational culture and goals of ICCA;
• Conduct ongoing risk assessment and implement risk management strategies as directed by the Board;
• Manage the systematic recording, analysis, and reporting of financial and statistical information as a basis for planning, legal compliance, and program assessment;
• Ensure that the ICCA complies with all relevant legal and regulatory frameworks;
• Oversee the development and implementation of the ICCA’s communications plan;
• In partnership with the Co-Chairs of the Board, serve as the voice of the ICCA, and reflect the organization’s vision, mission, and goals both inside and outside the organization;
• Oversee the management and maintenance of the ICCA’s facility, equipment, records, and archives;
• Stay informed of trends, issues, policies, events, and shifts within the arts and non-profit sectors within all the territories nationally;
• Embrace other organizational leadership duties as needed.

Revenue Generation and Financial Management

• Prepare, present for approval, and administer the ICCA’s annual budget;
• Actively work to enhance the ICCA’s financial management capacity;
• Sustain and actively pursue revenue development through grant writing, donations, sponsorships, funding applications, and oversight of the ICCA’s institutional membership program, and fulfill all granting and reporting requirements;
• Embrace other revenue generation and financial management duties as needed.

External Relations

• Lead relationships with individual and institutional program partners, donors, and sponsors;
• Embrace other external relations duties as needed.

Traits and Characteristics

The Executive Director will be driven to complete tasks for the sake of supporting individuals and community/ies, demonstrating integrity and sharing responsibility for successes and failures with the team.  They will be able to build rapport with a wide range of people and inspire others with compelling visions for the organization.  They will be versatile and responsive to a variety of situations, adapting methods to best support the team in meeting goals.  

Other key competencies include:

• Diplomacy and Leadership – effectively handling sensitive situations and organizing and influencing people to believe in a vision while creating a sense of purpose
• Teamwork – cooperating with others to meet objectives
• Project Management – identifying and overseeing all resources, tasks, systems, and people to obtain results

Qualifications

• As the ICCA is an organization founded and run by and for Indigenous people, it is important that this role is filled by an Indigenous person who can confidently demonstrate their connection to their Indigenous community/ies;
• 5 to 10 years of experience working in not for profit and/or arts organizations/institutions;
• Strong knowledge of Indigenous art and cultures;
• Familiarity with curatorial practices;
• Experience with organizational strategies, administration, and financial systems;
• Competency with an Indigenous language or French is considered an asset

If you are an Indigenous person who does not meet all of these criteria and would still make a great Executive Director, we encourage you to apply!

Compensation and Benefits

ICCA provides a competitive compensation in the range of $90,000 to $110,000 with benefits which include a comprehensive health benefits plan, paid time off, and support for professional development.

How To Apply

Please submit your application by emailing a cover letter and curriculum vitae to the Board of the Indigenous Curatorial Collective at HR@icca.art.

The cover letter must clearly demonstrate your connection to your Indigenous community/ies and should outline your qualifications and vision for the future of the ICCA. The ICCA will do its best to respond to applicants in a timely manner, but only those who advance in the application process will be contacted. Candidates who are invited for second-round interviews will be offered an honorarium for their time.

The ICCA is committed to equity and dignity in our recruitment and employment practices, and welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

For questions or accommodation requests, please contact the ICCA Board at HR@icca.art.