Work With Northern Roots Foundation

Organization Description

Northern Roots Foundation offers programs and services that achieve and maintain child and family wellbeing through multilingual, land-based, northern-rooted childcare, education, and social support, resulting in healthy, happy, and successful communities.

We are dedicated to ensuring that Executive Board membership will, as a collective, have maximum impact. Northern Roots CFW strives to support and promote excellence in board service and is the premier source of cutting-edge thinking and resources related to achieving child, family, and community wellness while revitalizing language and culture through education.

Our board members champion the importance of exceptional board leadership and believe that each and every organization needs a strong and effective board to fully realize its potential for good. In addition to the standard roles and responsibilities of a board member, our board members are active advocates and ambassadors for the organization and are fully engaged in identifying and securing the financial resources and partnerships necessary for Northern Roots Foundation to uphold its Mission to: Provide land-based, multilingual, programs and services, that are rooted in Northern Cree-Métis ways of knowing and being and achieve the Vision of: Healthy, happy, and successful communities with meaningful connections to land, language, and culture.

Main Organizational Industries

Childcare, Education, Social Support

Board Membership Areas of Expertise

• Land-Based Learning

• Language and Culture

• Health and Wellness

• Curriculum & Resources

• Business, Finance, Infrastructure

• Early Childhood Education

• Rights and Policy

• Grades 1-9 Learning

• Secondary Education

• Post-Secondary Learning

Job Function

Governance, Advocacy, Advisory

Membership Type

Volunteer Board Member

Job Description

Join the Executive Board for Northern Roots Foundation. The organization seeks a board member with experience in any of the Areas of Expertise previously mentioned, and a personal commitment to increasing the wellness of children and families. 

The board of Northern Roots Foundation organization is a volunteer board.  Members are not paid and dedicate their time and expertise to support Northern Roots Foundation and its mission and collective purpose.

Expectations of Individual Board Members

We expect each board member to:

• Know the organization’s mission, policies, programs, and needs.

• Faithfully read and understand the organization’s financial statements and board materials in advance of meetings.

• Serve as active advocates and ambassadors for the organization and fully engage in identifying and securing the financial resources and partnerships necessary for Northern Roots Foundation to advance its mission and collective purpose.

• Leverage connections, networks, and resources to develop collective action to achieve the Northern Roots Foundation mission.

• Help identify personal connections that can benefit the organization’s fundraising and reputational standing, and influence public policy.

• Prepare for, attend, and conscientiously participate in board meetings.

• Participate fully in one or more committees.

• Engage in learning opportunities to better understand the community your organization serves.

• Respect the experiences of all who bring their voices and lived experiences on to the board and into the boardroom and the organization.

We are looking for mission-aligned individuals with strong collaboration, communication, implementation, and strategic skills, a commitment to revitalizing language and culture, and honour Northern Roots Foundation Values:

• Uplift Indigenous languages and cultures of our global community by increasing access to revitalization opportunities for children, families, caregivers, and communities.

• Support child and family services authorities, governments and governing bodies, school districts, post-secondary institutions, that align with our Mission and Vision.

• Advance and connect the voices of informed community members and representatives who have lived experience in northern communities.

• Respond promptly and responsibly, positively impacting the lives of children and families in meaningful, traditional, sustainable ways.

Our Commitment to Multilingual, Land-Based, Northern-Rooted, Childcare, Education, and Social Support

We know that to achieve our goals, fulfill our mission, and realize our vision, we need to include individuals rooted to northern communities within Alberta, with perspectives drawn from a wide range of skill sets, areas of expertise, and lived experiences to help us avoid decision-making that could diminish the impact of our work.

We are publicly recruiting for board positions to ensure that we move beyond our immediate networks and honour our ongoing commitment to creating a board that is diverse in its composition, inclusive of expert language and knowledge holders, and intentionally-focused in its approach to how it views its mission, its work, and the communities it serves.

Interested Applicants please email a cover letter and updated resume to: HR@NorthernRootsCFW.ca