Program Director of Climate Justice and Sustainability

Energy Vault; Winnipeg; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational organization seeks a Program Director of Climate Justice and Sustainability to spearhead initiatives promoting climate action, resilience, and environmental justice. This role involves strategic planning, community engagement, and collaboration with various stakeholders to embed sustainability within educational practices.

Benefits

Employment Equity policy

Reasonable accommodations for applicants during the interview process

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of climate action planning and sustainability principles.
• Demonstrated experience leading initiatives focused on climate justice.
• Experience in educational or community-based environments is a strong asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the Climate Action Plan.
• Collaborate across departments to promote sustainability and environmental justice.
• Build and maintain partnerships with Indigenous communities and organizations.

Skills

Collaboration

Project Management

Communication

Critical Thinking

Education

Post-Secondary degree in Indigenous Environmental Knowledge or related field

Job description

Program Director of Climate Justice and Sustainability

The Program Director of Climate Justice and Sustainability will provide visionary leadership and strategic coordination for Winnipeg School Division’s (WSD) climate action and climate justice initiatives. Reporting to the Assistant Superintendent of Anti-Racism, Equity, and Climate Justice, the Director will guide the development, implementation, and monitoring of WSD’s Climate Action Plan through a lens of reciprocity, accountability, and Indigenous land-based knowledge. The role requires collaboration across all departments—including the Indigenous Education, Facilities, Transportation, Nutrition Services, and Schools—and active engagement with students, staff, families, and community to promote land stewardship, and a shared responsibility to build resilience, sustainability, and environmental justice across all parts of the division.

Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

Strategic Planning and Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of WSD’s Climate Action Plan in alignment with divisional priorities and the Strategic Plan.

• Establish short- and long-term goals to promote carbon reduction, environmental resilience, and sustainable practices across all areas of operation , with a focus on supporting communities disproportionately impacted by climate change.

• Collaborate with the senior leadership team to embed climate action, and climate justice within divisional planning, budgeting, and decision-making. Partnership and Departmental Support

• Work in partnership with Facilities, Transportation, Nutrition Services, Schools, and other departments to identify, implement, and support climate action strategies.

• In consultation with indigenous community leaders, knowledge keepers, and elders Provide guidance, to project teams on sustainable building practices, energy efficiency, waste reduction, transportation strategies, food sustainability initiatives, and reciprocity with the land.

• Develop cross-departmental initiatives that integrate sustainability into operational and educational practices that are rooted in indigenous way of knowing. Community Engagement and Partnerships

• Build and maintain partnerships with Indigenous communities, local, provincial, and national organizations, non-profit organizations, youth groups, and partners to advance climate action and climate justice efforts.

• Facilitate community engagement opportunities that connect students, families, caregivers, and staff with broader sustainability, climate action, and climate justice initiatives.

• Represent WSD in climate action, climate justice, and sustainability networks, conferences, and collaborative projects.

Education and Capacity Building

• With the Support Teacher for Anti-Racism and Climate Justice, support schools in embedding land-based principles, and sustainability into school culture, curricula and school-based initiatives.

• Develop professional learning opportunities for staff to enhance knowledge and practices related to climate action, climate justice and sustainability.

• Promote student leadership in climate action through division-wide initiatives, projects, and events that are meaningful, relevant, and impactful to the broader community. Monitoring and Reporting

• Develop community-informed systems to monitor progress on climate action and report on key outcomes.

• Provide regular updates and reports to divisional leadership and the Board of Trustees, that are grounded in community priorities.

• Communicate successes and opportunities for growth in climate action efforts to the broader WSD community in ways that invite community voices, dialogue and participation.

Qualifications:

• Post-Secondary degree in, Indigenous Environmental Knowledge or Land Based Learning, Education for Sustainability, Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Public Policy, or a related field (preferred).

• Extensive knowledge or lived experience of climate action planning, resiliency strategies, and sustainable development principles grounded in both Western and Indigenous knowledge systems.

• Demonstrated experience leading cross-sectoral projects or initiatives focused on climate action and climate justice, organizational sustainability, and community-based climate action.

• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to build and maintain reciprocal relationships across departments, with diverse communities, with external partners.

• Experience in educational settings or in community-based learning environments is considered a strong asset.

• Excellent communication, facilitation, project management, and critical thinking skills.

• Ability to work within an anti-racist, decolonial, equity-focused, and climate justice-oriented framework.

How to apply:

Click the button "Apply Online" and log into your account. First time users will be required to create a profile to apply.

We thank all interested individuals, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Employment is subject to a clear Child Abuse Registry check and Police Information Check

Winnipeg School Division has an Employment Equity policy which strives for the removal of barriers to the hiring, advancement, full inclusion, and fair representation of women, Indigenous peoples, 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, persons living with a disability and racialized people at all levels within the organization. In support of achieving a diversified workforce, preference will be given to qualified candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the Employment Equity groups.

Winnipeg School Division will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants disabled by barriers during the interview and assessment process, upon request.

About Winnipeg School Division

WSD is one of Manitoba’s largest employers with over 6,000 full and part time employees in 84 locations including 79 schools (including one virtual school), two administrative buildings, a training centre, a buildings maintenance location and school bus depot and our fleet of almost 100 school buses. Every employee is vital in helping us achieve our purpose, vision, values and principles of learning to support the almost 30,000 students we serve.

Joining Winnipeg School Division means getting the opportunity to work in schools in a variety of communities throughout Winnipeg that are culturally diverse and emphasize the inclusion of all students.