Job Description

Staff - Non Union

Job Category M&P - AAPS

Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Business Development, Level E

Job Title Director, UBC Botanical Garden and Horticultural Centre

Department Administrative Leadership | Dean\'s Office | Faculty of Science

Compensation Range $8,647.50 - $13,511.58 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date March 17, 2023

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary
The UBC Botanical Garden is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the x\xca\xb7m\xc9\x99\xce\xb8k\xca\xb7\xc9\x99y\xcc\x93\xc9\x99m (Musqueam) people.

The University of British Columbia invites applications for the next Director of the UBC Botanical Garden. This position presents a unique opportunity to take a leadership role at Canada\xe2\x80\x99s leading university garden at one of the world\xe2\x80\x99s top universities.

The Botanical Garden is Canada\xe2\x80\x99s oldest university botanic garden, established in 1916. The Garden contains over 5400 different kinds of plants in its living collections. 39% of its collections are of wild origin. The Garden also contains the renowned Japanese Nitobe Memorial Garden and a Nursery, all of which is situated on the University of British Columbia\xe2\x80\x99s Point Grey campus, approximately 13 kilometers from downtown Vancouver. It has an annual operating budget of $3M, a total annual attendance of 100,000 and up to 52 full- and part-time staff members. It is a popular and busy public venue for events and education.

The Director provides leadership and vision in the Garden, maximizing engagement through collaborative research, public programming, and community participation A strong leader, the Director is responsible for overseeing and directing the gardens including the activities of strategic development, management of the collections, financial performance, project development and implementation, promotion and coordination of research, educational programming, membership development, marketing and public relations, fundraising and ongoing governance of this business unit within the Faculty of Science.

The ideal candidate will bring leadership characterized by an ability to garner broad community support, including the volunteer group, Friends of the UBC Botanical Garden, to increase visibility of the organization and carry forward major projects and programs. They will also bring a passion for gardens and a creative vision for reimagining the role of botanical gardens in an environment aspiring to champion equity, decolonization, and address our global biodiversity crisis and the climate emergency.

UBC is partnering with the executive search firm Perrett Laver on this search and all applications should be submitted directly to them, and not to the UBC careers website. Applications should consist of a full CV detailing academic and professional qualifications and relevant achievements. It should be accompanied by a cover letter describing how candidates meet the selection criteria, why the appointment is of interest, and what they believe they can bring to the role.

Further information, including details of how to apply, can be downloaded at
https://candidates.perrettlaver.com/vacancies/ , quoting reference 6401.

Organizational Status
Reports directly to the Dean of Science. Works with senior management, faculty, staff and students in the Botanical Garden. Initiates relationships and contacts with senior business, government, and other institutional representatives. Negotiates with industry leaders, organizational heads and both internal and external service providers. Works with and oversees the volunteer group, Friends of UBC Botanical Garden (FOGs), and sits on the FOG Executive as a voting member.

Work Performed

Strategic Business Development

• Demonstrates strong, effective and highly visible leadership to the Garden; responsible for leading and inspiring the management team to establish strategies, plans and objectives to grow the Botanical Garden and enhance its revenue and reputation within the scope of the academic mission of the University.

• Develops, manages and maintains an effective organizational structure that reflects the Garden\xe2\x80\x99s needs for the efficient, sustainable and high-quality delivery of research and program activities.
• Leads the team to ensure the successful execution of all Garden events, programs and initiatives; assigns responsibility for the accomplishment of specific objectives set out in the Garden\xe2\x80\x99s strategic plans.
• Together with Garden executive team, regularly monitors corporate/management development trends and needs, and leads relevant changes to Garden initiatives in general.
• Oversees development of strategies for a range of service offerings, to support and complement Garden activities, building on its key areas of expertise, communities and networks.
• Seeks out new research and business development opportunities, creating and developing new client relationships and expanding existing ones.
• In close collaboration with Faculty of Science management, leads the team to coordinate and implement Community Outreach Programs and business development efforts to:

1. Identify and nurture partner relationships and potential income opportunities;
2. Ensure increase in Garden profile and membership;
3. Influence and increase the number of grants for and gifts to the Garden.

• Works with the Development Office to oversee the development and implementation of the strategy related to overall business development and revenue generation efforts.
• Provides oversight to all aspects of sales and marketing through subordinates.
• Works collaboratively with Beaty Biodiversity Museum, the Pacific Museum of the Earth, the UBC Farm, and the Museum of Anthropology in areas such as communications, marketing, and education outreach.
• Develops and maintains excellent working relationships with the Faculty of Science and has comprehensive and dynamic knowledge of the Faculty as well as the University\xe2\x80\x99s intellectual capital and teaching, research and consulting assets.

Finance

• Is responsible for the financial oversight of all aspects of the Garden, leading the development and sustainment of a system to oversee the complex fiscal environment.
• Oversees and approves development of business plans, operating and project budget projections, grant applications and statistics as required.
• Oversees operating budget (approximately $3m) including the operating allocation, sales revenue, donations, and endowment funding.
• Oversees the financial health of the Garden; accountable for setting, achieving and reporting annual financial forecasts and business plan goals.
• Ensures that there is a process to review and assess systems and procedures for effective utilization of financial resources, internal controls, and to monitor program budgets.
• Meets with donors and foundations connected to the Garden.
• Reviews and approves major expenses of the Garden and seeks ways to improve the overall efficiency of the unit.
• Oversees the development of programs and strategies to improve the Garden\xe2\x80\x99s endowments and donations.

Administration

• Directs the development and implementation of Garden activities, policies, practices and procedures, ensuring consistency with Faculty and University policies and the mission of the Garden.
• Ensures programs and courses meet all necessary academic and delivery metrics, approvals and, where necessary, accreditations.

• Oversees project development on all Garden sites
• Provides leadership in maintaining an inclusive working environment.
• Ensures the quality and cost effectiveness of program and service delivery.
• Negotiates or directly supervises negotiations with key clients, faculty, consultants or other providers of academic or professional services.
• Works with Faculty of Science Development Office to initiate, enhance and maintain donor and charitable foundation relationships.
• Ensures appropriate Garden representation on various Faculty committees and University committees.
• Represents the Garden in relevant local, regional, national and international associations.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Responsible for the overall performance of the Garden and its contributions to the Faculty of Science and the University. This includes revenue generating activities and academic responsibilities to the Faculty. Financial performance is measured in terms of both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Quantitative metrics include financial metrics such as annual revenue, gross and net contributions of the Garden, revenue from Garden activities, programs and its facilities. Qualitative metrics also include such metrics as membership, program and service delivery/quality rates or customer satisfaction rates and impact and effectiveness of initiatives and marketing strategies/efforts. Poor decisions will impact the short and long term goals of the activities and financial position of the garden and the Faculty. Errors in judgment would adversely affect the operation and economic stability of the garden, and the contractual obligations and reputation of the Faculty and the University.

Supervision Received
The position works under senior administrative and policy direction within broad objectives from the Dean or with senior management within the Faculty.

Supervision Exercised
Directly supervises the Associate Directors and through them, the technical and administrative teams.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of nine years of related experience in a senior management position, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one\xe2\x80\x99s own

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one\xe2\x80\x99s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline, MBA preferred. Requires experience in managing a significant operation including transformational leadership, communications, financial and strategic planning in an academic, public or private sector context. Specific experience with public gardens is not a requirement but is desirable. An affinity and passion for the mission of public gardens must be demonstrated. Prior senior-level leadership in a public cultural or destination-type venue that aspires to deliver an extraordinary research or visitor experience is ideal. Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one\xe2\x80\x99s own. Demonstrated commitment to enhancing one\xe2\x80\x99s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.