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RECRUITMENT NOTICE
Board of Directors
January to February 2025
The Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum is Canada’s most significant Cold War artifact – it is an impressive four-storey underground facility that operated as the country’s central communications headquarters during the Cold War, ready at any moment in case of a nuclear attack. Today, it is a one-of-a-kind museum and national historic site, telling stories of national and international importance.
The Diefenbunker is an independent charitable organization governed by a Board of Directors and led by an Executive Director. A full-time professional staff and a corps of volunteers attend, collectively, to the stewardship, vision, growth, and sustainability of this important organization. We promote the importance of understanding our past, for present and future generations to strive to build a more peaceful future.
BOARD RECRUITMENT
The Diefenbunker is seeking qualified candidates to serve on its volunteer Board of Directors, to help steer the organization on the exciting path toward its next phase of growth. If you have an interest in history and share our passion for the success of the Diefenbunler, then we’d like to hear from you.
The Board has a particular need for individuals with expertise in the following areas:
- Philanthropy, fundraising, and donor relations, advocacy
- Public Affairs (communications, public relations, marketing)
- Government Relations
In its commitment to a culture of equity, inclusion and diversity, the Board encourages applications from candidates whose personal backgrounds could enhance the social, cultural, demographic, and geographic diversity of the Board
The museum is located in rural West Ottawa (Carp), Ontario. Applications are invited from Canadians from across the country. While the museum uses technology to facilitate virtual meetings of both the Board and its Committees, directors are expected to attend two on-site meetings annually, in June (AGM) and in August (planning retreat), at their own expense.
Appointments will be considered in April/May and made at the time of the museum’s 2025 Annual General Meeting in mid-June. Appointments are for an initial three-year term and can be renewed.
DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
As a not-for-profit corporation, the museum is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors with a duty of care, diligence, and loyalty.
The Board carries the following primary responsibilities:
- Purpose: Oversee the implementation of the museum’s mandate and vision
- Legal: Ensure compliance with legislation and legal requirements, as well as governing policies. Ensure that the objects of the corporation are properly carried out. Set operating policies.
- Strategic: Set the long-range objectives and strategic priorities of the museum’s mandate.
- Risk: Assess potential risks to the organization and identify mitigation strategies. Ensure assessment and control systems are in place.
- Fiduciary: Ensure the corporation’s financial stability and overall performance. Ensure the integrity of accounting practices.
- Leadership: Ensure an effective management team is in place to secure resources and manage museum operations. Hire and oversee the performance of the Executive Director.
- Profile: Champion the organization within personal networks and industries, including philanthropic networking, to build and nurture a community of stakeholders.
- Fundraising: Participate in fundraising activities and make a charitable donation annually at a level that is personally meaningful.
- Succession: Plan for the succession and diversity of the Board.
Directors are accountable to:
- Become deeply familiar with the museum’s mandate, programs, policies, and needs.
- Regularly attend and participate in all bi-monthly meetings of the Board, the committee(s) on which they serve annual general meetings, strategic planning sessions, and other special meetings, as required.
- Participate on a minimum of one Board committee, possibly as chair.
- Draw on professional expertise to provide guidance and oversight, as required.
- Prepare for meetings by viewing reports and materials provided in advance.
- Ensure personal compliance with the Code of Conduct and any other applicable policies.
- Maintain the confidentiality of all deliberations and proceedings of the Board.
- Keep up with issues and trends that affect the organization.
Director time commitment:
- The Board meets six times per year for two hours each. Hybrid (virtual and in-person).
- Committees meet bi-monthly for one hour and occasionally more often, as required.
- Directors are expected to arrive at meetings fully prepared by having read all documentation and background information.
- Planning sessions are held every three years to update the Strategic Plan.
- The term of office is three years, renewable up to three times for a maximum of nine years.
HOW TO APPLY
If you think that you could contribute to the Diefenbunker and are inspired by our vision, we encourage you to apply for our Board of Directors by submitting:
- An expression of interest (max. 500 words); and
- A resume or
Submissions should be emailed before end of day on Friday, February 28, 2025 to [email protected] and copying [email protected].
Applications will be considered as they are received. The Diefenbunker thanks all applicants for their interest in the position. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
For further background information, please consult the following pages on our website:
