Director - Programs

Trellis-Society-For-Community-Impact; Calgary; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RRSP Group Savings Plan

Employee & Family Assistance Program

Paid vacation

Wellness days

Work Anniversary off

Holiday swap

Diversity and Inclusion

Job summary

Trellis-Society-For-Community-Impact seeks a Director (Full-time) to provide strategic and operational leadership across diverse programs, guiding managers, strengthening teams, and ensuring alignment with Trellis’ commitments and community priorities. This senior role advances program quality, partnerships and sustainable impact while navigating change with purpose.

The successful candidate will bring transformational leadership, financial acumen and a deep commitment to reconciliation, equity

Qualifications

• Progressive senior leadership experience in human services, community services or a related sector.
• Experience leading Managers and overseeing complex programs, services or portfolios.
• Strong operational, financial, quality-improvement and outcome-measurement expertise.
• Experience using data, outcomes and feedback to inform decisions, strengthen services and improve results.
• Experience leading change, challenging assumptions and turning strategy into practical action.
• Strong partnership skills with government, funders, Indigenous communities and community organizations.
• Inclusive, collaborative leadership style and the confidence to navigate difficult conversations.
• Commitment to reconciliation, equity and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across a diverse portfolio of programs and services, ensuring alignment with Trellis’ values, strategic priorities and commitments.
• Lead, coach and develop Managers, creating clear expectations, shared accountability and meaningful opportunities for learning, growth and leadership development.
• Build strong, inclusive and high performing teams by fostering psychological safety, open dialogue, respectful challenge and a culture of collaboration over silos.
• Oversee budgets, resources and operational planning to support quality service delivery, strong outcomes, long-term sustainability and organizational priorities.
• Use data, outcomes, feedback and emerging trends to evaluate performance, identify opportunities and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead through complexity and change by balancing immediate operational needs with a long-term vision for sustainable impact.
• Challenge assumptions, explore forward thinking solutions and take thoughtful risks grounded in purpose, sound judgment and a willingness to learn.
• Build trusted, collaborative relationships with government, funders, community partners and sector stakeholders.
• Communicate with clarity, confidence and humility, ensuring diverse perspectives are heard and considered in decision making.
• Collaborate across Trellis to advance organizational priorities, strengthen integration and identify opportunities for greater collective impact.
• Advance Trellis’ commitments to reconciliation, equity, inclusion and belonging through leadership, partnership and action.
• Represent Trellis externally through partnerships, sector engagement, advocacy and initiatives that contribute to broader systems change.

Skills

Senior leadership

Managers leadership

Financial acumen

Data-driven decisions

Change management

Partnerships

Equity & inclusion

Post-secondary education

Education

Post-secondary education

Equivalent combination with leadership

Job description

Trellis works with young people, adults, families, and communities to unlock their potential and support their growth. We are focused on generational change by providing a spectrum of services for people of all backgrounds, including those with complex needs. Our programs improve access to resources, develop family and community supports and build people’s capacity to deal with life’s challenges.

With our support, people from all walks of life are empowered to move beyond systemic barriers, cultivate great outcomes and reach their full potential. We’re Trellis – and we’re always growing!

Our Values

Our values define who we are and guide how we work together to achieve our vision of everyone reaching their full potential.

• Courage: We willingly embrace growth, and don’t see it as optional.
• Empathy: We relentlessly care about the growth of others and won’t let anyone go unsupported.
• Learning: We choose to grow through uncertainty, even when the status quo feels easier.
• Impact: We go beyond what seems doable and prove that growth is possible.

At Trellis, these values are more than statements. They are choices we make every day with the people we support, with one another and in the communities where we work.

Our Commitments

We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and connectedness, where everyone is welcomed. We believe in creating a workplace that celebrates the diversity of our teams and program participants and reflects the communities we serve.

We are committed to active reconciliation in alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Reconciliation is a highly valued and integrated part of our culture and work, with meaningful engagement from team members both collectively and individually.

What Trellis Offers

We provide people with meaningful work and are committed to offering equitable total compensation to all staff. Benefits start from Day 1 of employment and include:

• RRSP Group Savings Plan based on tenure with Trellis Society
• Free and confidential Employee & Family Assistance Program
• Paid Vacation, Sick Days, Wellness Days and your Work Anniversary off
• Ability to swap statutory holidays for other days of importance to you
• Diversity and Inclusion embedded into everyday practice

The Role: Director (Full-time)

We are looking for a dynamic, experienced and values-driven Director who is energized by growth, complexity and possibility.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who sees leadership as more than a title. You will lead with purpose, build trust, support the growth of others and help create the conditions for strong teams and meaningful outcomes.

As Director, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a diverse portfolio of programs and services. Leading through Managers, you will strengthen program quality, team capacity, partnerships, financial sustainability and client outcomes. You will contribute to the broader direction of Trellis by bringing forward insight, identifying opportunities and helping turn strategy and ideas into action.

This is not a role focused on maintaining the status quo. Trellis is continually learning, evolving and growing. We are looking for a leader who is excited to navigate complexity, challenge assumptions, build alignment across diverse perspectives and help shape what comes next.

The successful candidate will bring a combination of strategic thinking, operational discipline and a strong possibility mindset. You will be comfortable making thoughtful decisions in uncertainty, leading through change and supporting others to do hard things together in a sustainable way.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across a diverse portfolio of programs and services, ensuring alignment with Trellis’ values, strategic priorities and commitments.
• Lead, coach and develop Managers, creating clear expectations, shared accountability and meaningful opportunities for learning, growth and leadership development.
• Build strong, inclusive and high performing teams by fostering psychological safety, open dialogue, respectful challenge and a culture of collaboration over silos.
• Oversee budgets, resources and operational planning to support quality service delivery, strong outcomes, long-term sustainability and organizational priorities.
• Use data, outcomes, feedback and emerging trends to evaluate performance, identify opportunities and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead through complexity and change by balancing immediate operational needs with a long-term vision for sustainable impact.
• Challenge assumptions, explore forward thinking solutions and take thoughtful risks grounded in purpose, sound judgment and a willingness to learn.
• Build trusted, collaborative relationships with government, funders, community partners and sector stakeholders.
• Communicate with clarity, confidence and humility, ensuring diverse perspectives are heard and considered in decision making.
• Collaborate across Trellis to advance organizational priorities, strengthen integration and identify opportunities for greater collective impact.
• Advance Trellis’ commitments to reconciliation, equity, inclusion and belonging through leadership, partnership and action.
• Represent Trellis externally through partnerships, sector engagement, advocacy and initiatives that contribute to broader systems change.

What You Bring

You are a strategic and people centred leader who can bring clarity to complexity while staying grounded in relationships, purpose and outcomes. You lead with confidence, recognize the expertise and lived experience others bring and create space for people to contribute, grow and take ownership.

You are energized by the opportunity to build strong teams, navigate change, develop partnerships and challenge the status quo.

You bring:

• Progressive senior leadership experience in human services, community services or a related sector
• Experience leading Managers and overseeing complex programs, services or portfolios
• Strong operational, financial, quality-improvement and outcome-measurement expertise
• Experience using data, outcomes and feedback to inform decisions, strengthen services and improve results
• Experience leading change, challenging assumptions and turning strategy into practical action
• Strong partnership skills with government, funders, Indigenous communities and community organizations
• An inclusive, collaborative leadership style and the confidence to navigate difficult conversations
• A demonstrated commitment to reconciliation, equity and inclusion
• Relevant post‑secondary education, or an equivalent combination of education and senior leadership experience

You May Be a Great Fit If

You are a leader who:

• You lead with curiosity, humility and confidence, and create the conditions for others to grow, contribute and take ownership
• You are energized by complexity and change, and can balance immediate priorities with long-term, sustainable impact
• You build trusted relationships through open communication, accountability and collaboration across diverse teams and partnerships
• You are willing to challenge the status quo, question systems and assumptions, and pursue more equitable, effective ways forward when current approaches are not achieving the impact people deserve

If you are excited by meaningful work, complex challenges, strong teams and the opportunity to help shape what comes next, we would love to hear from you.

Reporting Relationship

This position reports to the Chief Operating Officer.

Join Our Growing Team

The resounding impact we have on individuals and communities is thanks to our network of passionate, open minded and dedicated staff - people who are committed to their work everyday and eager to make an impact while continuing to grow their expertise. We’re always growing and we’re looking for passionate people who want to grow with us!

We appreciate your interest and thank all of those that apply, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted!