Job Posting: Program Coordinator, Watershed Security Fund

0.8 FTE (Mon-Thurs)

Salary Range: $55,000 to $65,000 (30 hours / 4 days per week) 
Location:  Work from the downtown Vancouver office, with flexibility to work remotely 1- 2 days per week  
Application Deadline: April 14^th, 2025, or until the position is filled 

About Us

The Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC) is a philanthropic organization that works to advance sustainable, equitable, and socially-just land use and real estate practices across what’s known as BC. We do this by funding projects, connecting people, and sharing knowledge.  

The Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC) and the First Nations Water Caucus (Water Caucus) – with the First Nations Fisheries Council (FNFC) – are working together to provide interim stewardship for the Watershed Security Fund, and to support co-development of a permanent, co-governed entity to oversee and manage the Fund over the long term.  

The Watershed Security Fund (WSF) supports initiatives that prioritize the health of our waterways, centre First Nations rights and knowledge, and reinforce lasting partnerships and relationships. By investing in projects that prioritize reconciliation, collaboration, and ecosystem health, the Fund aims to ensure vibrant watersheds and healthy communities for future generations.  To learn more about the WSF, and the partnership between REFBC, FNFC and the First Nations Water Caucus, please have a look at our website www.watershedsecurityfund.ca.   

The Foundation believes that a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve strengthens our ability to achieve our mission.  

To learn more about REFBC, please check out www.refbc.ca

About You

You’re a highly organized administrative whiz who likes to support engaged and collaborative teams to do their best work.  

You pay strong attention to detail and can lead on designated tasks.  

You’re a great multi-tasker, coordinator and work planner. You’re comfortable navigating and supporting multiple shared file systems and relationship management platforms and data bases, and don’t mind the extra time and effort required to ensure effective information flow and document management in this context.  

You’re interested in the roles that watershed planning, stewardship and governance play in creating thriving, resilient, livable communities. 

You are excited and motivated by WSF and REFBC commitments to UNDRIP, co-development, and ensuring that reconciliation, mutual respect, inclusivity, and reciprocity are embedded in all practices, partnerships and collaborative relationships. 

You’re keen to help people access information and engage with others to support shared goals for watershed health.  You have a service-oriented approach, and are diplomatic, tactful, and enjoy developing meaningful contacts and relationships. You like finding administrative solutions and supporting team collaboration and coordination.  

You’re keen to help build a strong, mutually caring, supportive, flexible and creative culture within your team and organization. 

You are a motivated and well-organized self-starter with excellent written and verbal communications skills, who is eager to learn and respond to team needs. You’re an excellent time manager who can develop tools and systems to help others manage and contribute to shared work. Coordination and community relations skills are valued. 

You have experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams and PowerPoint), Zoom, Adobe Creative Suite, calendar management, process documentation, scheduling, and file management in shared platforms.  You have experience in, or are interested in learning, customer relationship management software such as Salesforce, or other grants management systems.

About the Job 

The WSF Program Coordinator supports REFBC and the WSF partnership with administration and coordination, file management, meeting planning and prep, along with task and process planning, management, and delivery.

Key Duties

• Lead REFBC coordination and logistics planning for involvement in WSF meetings and events throughout the year.   
• Coordinate meeting scheduling, preparation and distribution of meeting materials, day plans, presentations and agendas.   
• Take meeting notes and produce and distribute meeting summaries and minutes. 
• Coordinate and book team, working group or Joint Executive travel, meeting spaces, events and workshops, including meals and activities.  
• Prepare or review draft agreements or contracts, and draft correspondence for grant recipients, consultants and service agreements. 
• Support operational planning process, quarterly reviews, and collection of information for reporting out (e.g. quarterly REFBC Board Updates, WSF Annual Report).  
• Support technology use, organization of file systems, and shared platforms for file management. 
• Identify and organize appropriate team building, staff support, and shared learning opportunities.   
• Help identify and coordinate team participation in conferences, workshops and events throughout the year.  
• Participate in training as necessary to improve cultural safety, decolonize grantmaking or other processes, build relationships with traditionally under-served communities, improve service to partners, grantees and applicants, etc.  
• Committing to individual and collective team care and the cultivation of a supportive team environment. 

Grants Program Support

• Understand general WSF grant funding criteria and priorities to provide back up support for grants program inquiries as needed (or redirect to program staff). 
• Support during grants cycles. 

Knowledge, Skills & Experience 

• Experience working with BC First Nations 
• Understanding of UNDRIP and understanding of First Nations context in BC, and approach to working with First Nations 
• Cultural sensitivity/awareness  
• Ability to demonstrate emotional intelligence 
• Communication skills 
• Ability to build trust  
• Adaptability 
• Strong organizational skills  
• Demonstrated experience, aptitude and interest in file management  
• Ability to help keep others organized 
• Strong attention to detail 

Time, Support and Benefits  

Workload: 4 days per week (30 hours/week, ideally Monday – Thursday) 

Salary Range: $55,000 to $65,000 (for 30 hours / 4 days per week)  

We offer a comprehensive benefits program, which includes: 

• Generous extended health and dental coverage for employees, their spouses and dependents (after 3 months) 

• 4 weeks annual vacation, and a year end late December office closure 

• Family-friendly workplace policies, life insurance plan, and a workplace culture with an overarching emphasis on wellness and work-life balance 

• RRSP contribution of 10% of salary without matching requirement (after 6 months) 

• Health and wellness spending account for each employee 

How to Apply

Send us a resume and cover email and/or video clip of you, telling us: 

• A bit about who you are. 

• Why the position is of interest to you. 

• What skills, attitude and heart you bring to this work, and where you have learned these? 

• About your work history, volunteer work or community contribution. How will this translate to being successful in this role? 

Please include “Program Coordinator Applicant” in the subject line and send your resume and a cover letter by email to careers@refbc.ca

We strongly encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We encourage, though don’t require those who identify as First Nations and folks from other equity-deserving groups to indicate so in their cover letter.