Vice President, Customer Experience and Community Partnerships

Civida

Status: Open Location: Edmonton, AB

The Organization

Established in 1970, Civida is the largest provider of community and affordable homes in Edmonton. In partnership with the community and all levels of government, it aims to develop, support, and improve the lives of the families and individuals it serves. Through partnerships, investments, and a customer-centric approach, Civida is dedicated to its mission of providing safe, affordable homes while positively impacting the well-being and stability of its customers and communities.

Guided by a Board of Directors, Civida’s services include property management, benefit program administration, property development, community partnerships, fundraising, policy research, and advocacy. The organization values sustainability, excellence, engagement, and innovation in all it does, striving for its vision: Everybody’s Home. As an organization created under the Alberta Housing Act, it is also driven by the requirements of several regulations and pieces of legislation.

Civida is proud to be recognized as one of Waterstone Human Capital Canada’s Most Admired™ Corporate Cultures. Reflecting the principles they live out each day – excellence, innovation and engagement, the Civida team shares a commitment to building thriving communities, both within their team and for those they serve.

For more information about Civida, please visit their website.

The Opportunity

Reports to:	Chief Executive Officer
Direct Reports:	2 Directors – Director, Customer Experience and Director, Housing
Location:	In office in Edmonton, AB

Mandate

The Vice President, Customer Experience and Community Partnerships is responsible for designing, implementing and leading the customer experience and community partnership strategy across the organization.

As a member of the Executive, the Vice President, Customer Experience and Community Partnerships will provide strategic direction to other members of the Executive team, the Board of Directors and the Senior Leadership Team by building relationships based on trust and integrity, and ensuring collaboration and teamwork are fostered throughout the organization.

Bringing a strong tenant-experience lens to all operations, this leader drives continuous improvement, challenges the status quo, and elevates service standards, ensuring Civida delivers meaningful, responsive, and people-centred outcomes for the communities it serves.

Key Accountabilities

• Strategic Leadership: In collaboration with the executive team, develop a strategy that aligns with Civida’s overall business goals, placing customer and tenant needs at the forefront of decision-making processes.
• Financial Stewardship: Provide strategic financial leadership by developing, overseeing, and monitoring the division’s budget to ensure fiscal discipline, guide decision-making, and align operations with organizational priorities.
• Community Partnerships and Stakeholder Relations: Collaborate with the Alberta Social Housing Corporation, the Government of Alberta, and cross-sector partners to strengthen approaches, align policy and program directions, and improve the effectiveness of housing operations across the portfolio. Leverage relationships with partners in new ways that benefit tenants and Civida’s mission to create and sustain affordable housing.
• Innovation: Lead innovative, partnership-based programs, community outreach, and public and tenant engagement initiatives to support housing stability, resident well-being, and positive tenant and community outcomes.
• People Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of directors, management, supervisory, and unionized staff members, fostering a client-focused culture, setting performance goals, and providing coaching, feedback, and professional development.
• Organizational Excellence: Drive organizational excellence by embedding customer service best practices, managing performance, and advancing corporate culture initiatives aligned with strategic objectives.

First-Year Deliverables / Measures of Success

Success in the first year will be determined by the candidate’s ability to:

• Prioritize community engagement and strengthen grassroots relationships in the communities Civida serves.
• Partner with other organizations in Edmonton to administer their affordable housing programs, both to better meet the community’s housing needs and to grow a line of business for Civida.
• Ensure operations are financially sustainable, monitoring budgets and cost efficiency while balancing social service objectives and ensuring investments in priority areas.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability within the division and across the organization.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will have the following:

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in business, social work, political science, or another applicable discipline.
• Master’s Degree (completed or in progress) is preferred.

Experience:

• 15+ years in a people-management/leadership role with an outcome-based organization.
• Strong background in government relations, public relations, and not-for-profit or public sector leadership is essential.
• Proficiency in nonprofit management, public relations, and government relations is required.
• Expertise in budgeting, financial management, and cost control.
• Ability and experience working in high-pressure, fast-paced and volatile environments.

Competencies and Attributes:

• Accomplished leader with extensive experience in high-pressure, high-stakes environments, recognized for leading and mentoring high-performing teams while cultivating a client-focused, results-driven culture.
• Confident and energized by leading large, diverse teams.
• Highly professional with experience in political or governance environments.
• Comprehensive understanding of the affordable housing sector, including the Alberta Housing Act, Residential Tenancies Act, and Management Body Handbook.
• Strong understanding of the diverse populations that Civida serves.
• Calm, rational, and service-oriented approach to problem solving and people leadership.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, to interact with senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen.
• Strong political acumen.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Civida is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse team benefits and is essential to service excellence. In accordance with provincial legislation, accommodation will be provided by Mullen and the Civida throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions

If this opportunity excites you, please send an application package, including your resume and cover letter, to connect@mullenleadership.com. In the subject line of your email, please include the organization’s name and the position title.