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Islamic Relief Canada Continuous Improvement and Innovation Lead
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Compensation: $65,500 - $76,000
Please note: the posted salary range is intended to provide potential candidates with a general understanding of the compensation associated with the position. The actual salary offered may be at any point within the posted range, depending on individual qualifications and other relevant factors.
ABOUT ISLAMIC RELIEF:
Islamic Relief is an international relief and development agency striving to alleviate poverty and suffering around the world regardless of colour, race or religion. Established in 1984 in response to the widespread famine in Africa, Islamic Relief has grown to be a key, well known and respected aid agency in disaster relief and the ongoing development of people in over 25 countries. It specialises in Education & Training, Health and Nutrition, Water & Sanitation, Income Generation, Orphans’ Support, Emergency Relief and Disaster Preparedness. Islamic Relief is a member of the Humanitarian Coalition.
Job Purpose:
At Islamic Relief Canada, we are committed to continuously improving and enhancing our work through innovation. Innovation at IRC means challenging our current processes and finding creative, out-of-the-box alternatives to create value, improve efficiency, increase engagement, and drive positive impact. We are looking for an experienced and visionary Continuous Improvement and Innovation Lead to play a pivotal role in institutionalizing innovation throughout our organization. The ideal candidate will have a passion for driving change, a deep understanding of innovation frameworks, and a proven track record of embedding innovation into organizational strategy.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Understand the organization’s operations and current challenges.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for innovation, including process improvement, community engagement, and donor experience enhancement.
- Lead the design and implementation of innovation initiatives, pilot programs, and experiments to test new ideas and concepts.
- Develop and implement innovation frameworks, systems, methodologies, and processes to drive a systematic approach to innovation across all departments.
- Provide guidance and support to teams throughout the innovation lifecycle, from idea generation and validation to execution and lessons learned.
- Support cultural change by promoting a mindset of creativity, collaboration, continuous improvement, risk-taking, and learning from failure.
- Champion innovation best practices and lessons learned across the organization.
- Track and measure key performance indicators related to innovation, such as idea generation and project success rates.
- Lead and facilitate innovation training for staff at all levels of the organization, providing them with the tools and techniques to generate innovative ideas.
- Organize and facilitate engaging ideation workshops and brainstorming sessions, encouraging cross-functional collaboration and creative thinking.
- Serve as an advocate for innovation both internally and externally, representing the organization at conferences, workshops, and networking events as needed.
Qualifications & Competencies
- Bachelor's degree in business, technology, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
- Minimum of 3 years of experience leading improvement and innovation initiatives, preferably within the humanitarian sector.
- Proven track record of developing and implementing innovation strategies, frameworks, and processes.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex challenges into actionable solutions.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and inspire diverse stakeholders, motivate teams, and secure trust and confidence.
- Creative thinker with a passion for social impact, exploring new ideas and challenging the status quo.
- Experience working in cross-functional teams and managing multiple projects simultaneously, while demonstrating adaptability and flexibility.
- Familiarity with design thinking, human-centered design, and participatory approaches to innovation is desirable.
- Culturally intelligent and recognizes the nuances and complexities of different stakeholders, combines maturity of judgment with a contemporary outlook.
Join us in our mission to create a more compassionate and just world where no one is left behind. If you are a strategic thinker with a heart for humanitarian work and a desire to drive positive social impact, we invite you to apply.