Governance Manager

Job Purpose

The Governance Manager provides strategic and operational support to ensure effective, consistent, and well-organized governance across World Vision Canada

Reporting to the Director, Office of the President, the role serves as a key governance partner to the President & CEO, Board of Directors, Committees, and organizational leaders, ensuring governance requirements, practices, and processes are consistently upheld.

The Manager oversees the administration and coordination of Board and Committee governance, including meetings, decisions, records, reporting, policy reviews, and governance systems. The role maintains expertise in bylaws, mandates, policies, and World Vision Partnership requirements, while supporting Board effectiveness through orientation, evaluations, Field Exposure Visits, regional forums, and governance communications.

Through sound judgement, integrity, service, and stewardship, the Governance Manager contributes to strong governance practices, informed decision-making, accountability, and organizational effectiveness.

Responsibilities

Governance Effectiveness

• Serve as a trusted governance adviser to the Director and Office of the President
• Provide informed advice on bylaws, mandates, policies, delegated authorities, statutory obligations, governance requirements and recognized practices for Canadian charities and not-for-profit corporations.
• Support the Director and President & CEO in their work with the Board Chair and Committee Chairs, including Board and Committee evaluations, workplan reviews, meeting feedback and improvement priorities.
• Monitor governance developments and recommend practical changes that strengthen accountability to donors, children, communities and the World Vision Partnership.

Compliance Leadership

• Lead the governance policy lifecycle, including the authoritative inventory, review calendar, interpretation, drafting, reconciliation, approval, communication and evidence of compliance.
• Identify policy gaps, conflicts, outdated requirements and governance, compliance or reputational risks and recommend timely action.
• Partner with Legal Services, policy owners and subject-matter experts to ensure Board and Committee policies, mandates and authorities remain current and aligned.
• Coordinate governance-related inputs for external audit, internal audit, World Vision International requirements and periodic governance peer reviews, and track resulting recommendations to completion.
• Administer annual conflict-of-interest declarations and maintain related records and reporting.

Board & Committee Planning and Meetings

• Lead the annual governance calendar and forward workplans for the Board of Directors and its Audit, Executive and Governance Committees, aligned with bylaws, oversight responsibilities, policy cycles, strategic priorities and regulatory obligations.
• Partner with the Board Chair, Committee Chairs, Director, Office of the President and organizational leaders to develop purposeful agendas that distinguish decision, discussion and information items.
• Lead end-to-end delivery of virtual and in-person meetings, including formal notices, schedules, venues, technology, materials, hospitality, travel, accessibility, meeting protocols and follow-up.
• Set and uphold standards for Board and Committee papers, reviewing submissions for completeness, clarity, consistency and decision readiness.
• Support Board decision-making between meetings through written resolutions and other processes permitted by the bylaws and applicable policy.

Records & Reporting

• Attend Board and Committee meetings as governance lead and prepare concise, accurate minutes that capture decisions, material discussion, risks and actions.
• Ensure approved minutes, resolutions, policies and supporting records are signed, stored and retained in accordance with records-management requirements.
• Compile, revise and submit required corporate filings and governance reports to World Vision International, including the Board Chair’s report ensuring final records are submitted and stored appropriately.
• Own the Board and Committee decision and action tracker, follow up with accountable leaders and escalate overdue or at-risk commitments.
• Maintain the governance dashboard, providing clear visibility into meeting readiness, policy reviews, decisions, actions, compliance obligations and improvement commitments.
• Maintain the Board portal as a secure, reliable source for current materials and official governance records, with appropriate access and version control.

Directors Lifecycle Engagement

• Support Board succession planning, recruitment, appointment, orientation, education and ongoing development in partnership with the Director, Office of the President for the CEO & President, Governance Committee and Board Chair.
• Maintain accurate records for Board members, Corporation Members, Patrons and Committee membership, terms, skills, declarations and required documentation.
• Plan and coordinate Field Exposure Visits and other learning opportunities for Board members, including safeguarding, security, travel, briefing, program and host-office coordination.
• Coordinate World Vision Canada’s participation in the North American Regional Forum and related regional or Partnership governance activities.
• Develop governance newsletters, updates and other communications that keep Board members informed of organizational, Partnership and governance developments.
• Work with Philanthropy and other teams to facilitate appropriate opportunities for Board members to engage with major donors, partners and stakeholders.

Cross-Functional & Partnership Coordination

•  Coordinate with Finance, Risk and Internal Audit on Audit Committee materials, financial oversight, enterprise risk, internal audit plans and compliance reporting.
• Coordinate with People & Culture and Legal Services on CEO performance review, compensation, succession and other confidential governance matters.
• Maintain trusted working relationships with World Vision International governance colleagues, regional peers, external advisers and sector networks.
• Maintain the governance budget and related procurement, travel and expense processes within approved authorities.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in business administration, governance or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in administration, executive or Board support, policy coordination, records management, or a related field.
• Experience working within a Canadian charitable, non-profit, or international development organization is considered an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, meetings, records, projects, contributors and deadlines with accuracy and consistent follow-through.
• Demonstrated initiative, accountability and resourcefulness, with the ability to anticipate needs, work independently, resolve issues and recommend practical improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to understand, interpret and apply policies, bylaws, mandates, procedures or other organizational requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, sound judgement and demonstrated experience preparing formal documentation and handling confidential or sensitive information.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint, together with experience using Board portals, Jira, dashboards and document-management systems.
• Experience coordinating complex virtual and in-person meetings, events and travel involving senior leaders or external stakeholders.

Working Conditions:

• Ability to travel for business purposes and work occasional evenings and weekends is required.
• Occasional domestic and international travel may be required, including travel to World Vision program locations, based on business needs.

Why Consider Us? 

Our competitive compensation & benefits include:

• Health Spending Account
• Up to 6% matched pension contributions
• Parental leave top-up
• Generous paid vacation, sick days, wellness and personal days
• Office closed extra days before long weekends (6x/year)

• World Vision Canada has consistently been awarded Canada and GTA top employer awards.
• We are Canada’s largest development, relief, and advocacy non-profit organization.

This is a current vacancy that we are actively recruiting for. The salary range represents the expected compensation for this role and is provided in accordance with Ontario’s pay transparency requirements under the Employment Standards Act.

Placement within the range will be determined based on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity. The final offer will reflect the successful candidate’s background and demonstrated capabilities.

#LI-Hybrid