Board of Directors 2025 call for applications – Oxfam Canada

Are you passionate about women’s rights and gender equality? Do you dream of a just and sustainable world? Are you interested in non-profit governance, and would you like to contribute to an organization whose mission is to end poverty and injustice? Then apply to become a member of Oxfam Canada’s Board of Directors today! All candidates must submit a cover letter and a resume, complete a demographic self-identification form, and provide the names of three references, including their current or most recent employer. Candidates must submit their application by email to [email protected] with “Application to Board of Directors” in the email subject line. The deadline to apply is May 11^th 2025 New members of Oxfam Canada’s Board of Directors will be elected in September 2025 to serve for a three-year term. For more information, please refer to the Call for Applications below and the Frequently Asked Questions section. You can learn more about the talented, generous and dedicated people who currently serve on Oxfam Canada’s Board of Directors here.  

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Oxfam Canada is currently recruiting dynamic individuals with diverse personal, professional and lived experience and expertise as candidates for a three-year term on its Board of Directors. Oxfam Canada recognizes that its approach to governance must be consistent with its commitment to grow as a feminist, anti-racist and inclusive organization; to build more and deeper relationships with Indigenous and Black women’s organizations; and to take steps forward in reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples living in Canada. The composition of the Board of Directors is informed by these commitments and an intersectional   approach. Oxfam Canada is committed to ensuring that the Board is comprised of no fewer than 50% of members who identify as women, trans or non-binary; 50% of members who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Colour; and two members under the age of 34.  

Scope of position

Directors act as trustees on behalf of all Oxfam Canada’s stakeholders, including supporters, donors, partners, funders and allies – in Canada and internationally. The Board has overall responsibility for ensuring the organization’s mission is fulfilled and legal obligations are met, holding the Executive Director and senior leadership team to account for performance against targets. Directors provide strategic leadership and direction, confirm Oxfam Canada’s mission, approve strategic plans, oversee and evaluate success, assure financial health, enhance Oxfam’s public image, and select the Executive Director, providing them with ongoing guidance and support and reviewing their performance. Canadian law imposes on Directors specific fiduciary duties of care, loyalty, and obedience to the law. Directors are responsible for ensuring financial solvency through oversight of finances and budget and assuring appropriate management of risk. Directors serve as ambassadors for Oxfam Canada, creating opportunities and nurturing relations in support of its strategic objectives. All candidates must agree to sign Oxfam Canada’s Code of Conduct and undergo all screening procedures outlined in Oxfam Canada’s Misconduct Disclosure Policy.  

Commitment

Directors are elected to a three-year term on the Board. Working with the Executive Director and the senior leadership team, Directors are expected to attend, at minimum, four Board meetings a year. Two of these are shorter virtual meetings (1.5 hour). The other two meetings take place over two-days (Friday and Saturday), once in October and once in March, either in Ottawa or virtually. Directors are encouraged to participate in Board committees, such as the Finance & Audit Committee, the Policy Committee, and the Governance, Anti-racism and Reconciliation Committee. Committees usually meet between two and four times a year, for one-hour meetings. Oxfam Canada recognizes that Board members carry multiple responsibilities and commitments in their personal, professional and activist lives. The Board of Directors endeavors to accommodate these responsibilities and commitments to allow all Board members to contribute to the Board and to Oxfam Canada according to their best ability.  

Responsibilities

The major responsibilities of all Board members are as follows:

• Stewardship of Oxfam Canada’s governance
• Approval and oversight of the Strategic Plan
• Approval of annual Operational Plans and Operating Budgets
• Oversight of financial health and management
• Oversight of fundraising strategies from public and institutional sources
• Oversight of program integrity, quality and accountability
• Oversight of risk management in areas of governance, finance, operations and reputation
• Leadership in support of Oxfam Canada’s commitment to women’s rights and gender justice
• Leadership in support of increased income from public and institutional fundraising
• Strengthening accountability to partners, funders, donors and the public
• Assuring Oxfam Canada is meeting its commitments to the global Oxfam confederation
• Oversight of the relationship and collaboration with Oxfam Quebec
• Assuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, adherence to policies and standards, and promotion of good practice
• Regular review and renewal of Board-approved policies and strategies
• Hiring the Executive Director, approving the ED salary scale and the ED’s total compensation package, approving the ED’s performance objectives, ensuring oversight and appraisal of the ED’s performance, and overseeing succession planning
• Strategic advice and support to the senior leadership team

Desired experience, skills and attributes

All candidates should demonstrate a deep personal commitment to gender justice and women’s rights; a strong belief in the vision, mission and values of Oxfam Canada as outlined in the 2021-2025 Oxfam Canada Strategic Framework; and a very high standard of personal ethics. Candidates should demonstrate the following behavioural qualities:

• Understand a director’s role and fiduciary duties, and ideally have prior experience on a not-for-profit Board
• Think strategically
• Communicate effectively and be able to work within a diverse team
• Have, or commit to acquire, financial literacy appropriate to their role on the Board
• Be willing to devote the time and effort required to be an effective Board member, including attendance at Board orientation, Board meetings, committee meetings, and public events
• Be free of conflicts that would impede their ability to fulfill their fiduciary duties, and demonstrate ability to recognize and manage specific conflicts of interest that arise from time to time

  For the 2025 nominations process, candidates with experience in the following areas are particularly encouraged to apply:

• Audit, accounting and financial management
• Philanthropy
• Governance and risk management
• Labour movement

The Nominating Committee seeks to recruit Board members from across Canada, and is particularly seeking applicants from outside Ontario and British Columbia.  

Application and nomination process

All candidates must submit a cover letter and a resume. In their cover letter, candidates should describe what contribution they would bring to Oxfam Canada’s Board of Directors; how their values align with Oxfam Canada’s mission, vision, feminist principles and commitment to anti-racism; and what specific areas of lived experience and professional expertise they would bring to the Board among those being sought out by Oxfam Canada at this time. Candidates must provide the names of three references, including their current or most recent employer. Candidates must also complete a demographic self-identification form and include it when submitting their application. Candidates must submit their application by email to [email protected] with “Application to Oxfam Canada Board of Directors” in the email subject line. The deadline to apply is May 11, 2025. In accordance with Oxfam Canada’s By-laws, the Board of Directors has established a Nominating Committee whose responsibility it is to identify and recommend individuals to become Board members. The Nominating Committee will review all applications and will call shortlisted candidates for an interview over the month of June. Shortlisted candidates will be required to undergo all screening procedures outlined in Oxfam Canada’s Misconduct Disclosure Policy. Following the interviews and screening procedure, the Board Nominations Committee will confirm a final slate of candidates in August. The Nominating Committee will present this slate of candidates to the voting members for election at Oxfam Canada’s Annual General Assembly on September 18, 2025.  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the role of the Board of Directors? The role of the Board is to govern Oxfam Canada by providing oversight to the organization’s strategy, and ensuring sound fiduciary practices. Members of the Board of Directors are committed to furthering Oxfam Canada’s mission to fight inequality and patriarchy to end poverty and injustice, and espouse Oxfam’s values of equality, empowerment, solidarity, inclusiveness, accountability and courage.   Who sits on the Board of Directors? The Oxfam Canada Board of Directors is composed of up to 15 members. You can learn more about the talented, generous and dedicated people who currently serve on Oxfam Canada’s Board of Directors here. The Board recognizes that its governance approach must be consistent with Oxfam Canada’s commitment to grow as a feminist, anti-racist and inclusive organization; to build more and deeper relationships with Indigenous and Black women’s organizations; and to take steps forward in reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples living in Canada.  The composition of the Board of Directors is informed by these commitments   and   an   intersectional   approach. Oxfam Canada has made the following commitments in terms of Board composition:

• The Board should be comprised of no fewer than 50% of members who identify as women, trans or non-binary.
• The Board should be comprised of no fewer than 50% of members who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Colour.
• The Board should include at least two youth members (under the age of 34).

The Nominating Committee seeks to recruit Board members from across Canada, and is particularly seeking applicants from outside Ontario and British Columbia. All candidates are asked to complete a demographic self-identification form.