Executive Director
Top Benefits
About the role
Who we are
DIBC is a program of the BC Original Minds Association (BCOMA), a registered charity that has advanced STEAM education for school-aged children across British Columbia for more than 26 years. Through team-based creative problem-solving challenges — spanning science, engineering, technical design, fine arts, and improv — students build creativity, collaboration, leadership, resilience, and confidence, and showcase their talents on a stage that reaches from regional and provincial tournaments all the way to Global Finals. Our vision is to ignite the power of creativity in all students to become the creative and collaborative innovators of tomorrow.
Position Summary
The Executive Director, known as the Affiliate Director is DIBC's lead operational role — responsible for growing the program's reach across BC, building partnerships and revenue, and delivering a successful annual Challenge season. This is a pivotal, growth-focused position at an inflection point for the organization: DIBC is shifting from a delivery-maintenance footing to a marketing-driven growth strategy. The Affiliate Director will lead go-to-market execution — building awareness, converting interested educators and families into active participants, and helping schools operationalize sustainable DI clubs and programs (with ongoing support, rather than one-off workshops). The ideal candidate is an outgoing, positive, and curious relationship-builder who thrives on collaboration and on creating something new.
Key Responsibilities
Revenue generation — grants & corporate sponsorships
- Lead the annual grant cycle (including the BC Community Gaming Grant): prepare and submit applications, track deadlines, and ensure compliance and reporting.
- Research and pursue additional grant opportunities across provincial, federal, and foundation sources.
- Build and execute a corporate sponsorship strategy — identify STEAM-aligned prospects, develop pitch materials, and cultivate long-term partners.
- Present the DI Experience to prospective corporate partners to secure sponsorship and donation support.
- Support fundraising and donation initiatives, including online donation campaigns.
Recruitment & outreach — schools, educators, parents & students
- Develop and execute a marketing-driven go-to-market strategy to grow participation across the province.
- Build and execute DIBC's annual marketing and communications plan, including social media content and regular posting.
- Lead email marketing, CRM, and communications that move interested contacts off the sidelines and into active participation.
- Build and sustain relationships with schools, educators, and parents — helping them operationalize DI clubs and programs with ongoing, hands-on support.
- Present the DI Experience to a range of audiences — teachers at conferences, and parents and students at schools — to build awareness and drive participation.
- Represent DIBC at educator conferences and Professional Development (ProD) events as an exhibitor and, increasingly, as a workshop presenter; develop webinar and on-demand teacher training for flexible access.
- Recruit, train, and support volunteers — team managers, appraisers, and Challenge Masters.
Season, tournaments & events
- Lead volunteers and organize and run DIBC's regional and provincial tournaments.
- Host and accompany DIBC's delegation of teams at Global Finals in Kansas City, USA.
- Coordinate venues, materials, inventory, and event logistics.
- Partner with schools to host events such as DI summer camps and team manager training.
- Organize an annual team manager training day; deliver and modernize team manager and appraiser training, including recorded and on-demand formats.
- Explore and implement flexible program formats — Instant Challenge tournaments, SkillFire, and camps — to broaden entry points.
- Lead and support Challenge Masters, appraisers, and tournament-day volunteers.
Administration & operations
- Manage day-to-day operations, budgets, service platforms, and vendor relationships.
- Maintain accurate financial records and cash flow, working closely with the Accountant, Treasurer, and President.
- Ensure compliance with charity, employment, grant, and partner requirements.
Board support & governance
- Report regularly to the Board on activity, progress against deliverables, and finances.
- Collaborate with the Board — including the educators who serve on it — on strategy, program direction, and governance.
- Support board planning, committee work, and succession and continuity.
DIHQ liaison & other duties
- Serve as DIBC's liaison to Destination Imagination Headquarters; stay current on programs, resources, and strategic direction.
- Learn from and collaborate with other affiliates, and take on other duties that advance DIBC's mission.
Qualifications & Experience
Required
- Post-secondary education or equivalent experience.
- Experience in one or more of: marketing and outreach, partnerships, fundraising, program management, or education.
- Strong relationship-building, communication, and presentation skills.
- Comfort with digital tools — CRM, email marketing, spreadsheets/QuickBooks, and web platforms.
- Valid BC driver's license and a valid passport, with willingness to travel across the province and internationally (to Global Finals in the USA).
Preferred
- Experience in the non-profit or education sector.
- Grant writing and/or corporate sponsorship experience.
- Familiarity with STEAM education and the BC curriculum (ADST).
- Familiarity with Destination Imagination as a participant, volunteer, or team manager.
Key Competencies
- Outgoing and positive — energized by people and comfortable being the face of the program.
- Curious and eager to learn — open to new approaches and continuous improvement.
- A natural relationship-builder — likes to collaborate, partner, and create alongside others.
- A self-starter — comfortable working independently, leading change, and driving a strategy end to end.
- Organized — able to balance multiple workstreams (marketing, revenue, operations, and season delivery).
- Mission-driven — passionate about students, creativity, and education.
Working Conditions
- Must be based in Metro Vancouver with home office, with regular travel across BC (Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, and the Interior).
- Annual international travel to the USA to host and accompany DIBC's delegation at Global Finals in Kansas City (a valid passport and ability to cross the Canada–US border are required).
- Some evening and weekend work, particularly during the Challenge season (peak February–April).
Compensation & Benefits
Salary: $65,000–$85,000 for a full-time role with Extended health benefits.
- Three weeks' vacation, plus one paid week off over the Christmas / winter break.
How to Apply
Please submit a cover letter and resume to recruitment@destinationimagination.ca
Not the right fit? Search for Executive Director jobs in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
About Destination Imagination BC
Destination Imagination, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led non-profit organization whose purpose is to inspire and equip students to become the next generation of innovators and leaders. The organization seeks to connect students to opportunities emerging in the global digital economy. The most popular education offering is the Challenge Program, where student teams solve open-ended science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) and service learning Challenges and present their solutions to trained Appraisers. Founded in 1982, Destination Imagination has impacted more than 1.5 million students.
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Executive Director
Top Benefits
About the role
Who we are
DIBC is a program of the BC Original Minds Association (BCOMA), a registered charity that has advanced STEAM education for school-aged children across British Columbia for more than 26 years. Through team-based creative problem-solving challenges — spanning science, engineering, technical design, fine arts, and improv — students build creativity, collaboration, leadership, resilience, and confidence, and showcase their talents on a stage that reaches from regional and provincial tournaments all the way to Global Finals. Our vision is to ignite the power of creativity in all students to become the creative and collaborative innovators of tomorrow.
Position Summary
The Executive Director, known as the Affiliate Director is DIBC's lead operational role — responsible for growing the program's reach across BC, building partnerships and revenue, and delivering a successful annual Challenge season. This is a pivotal, growth-focused position at an inflection point for the organization: DIBC is shifting from a delivery-maintenance footing to a marketing-driven growth strategy. The Affiliate Director will lead go-to-market execution — building awareness, converting interested educators and families into active participants, and helping schools operationalize sustainable DI clubs and programs (with ongoing support, rather than one-off workshops). The ideal candidate is an outgoing, positive, and curious relationship-builder who thrives on collaboration and on creating something new.
Key Responsibilities
Revenue generation — grants & corporate sponsorships
- Lead the annual grant cycle (including the BC Community Gaming Grant): prepare and submit applications, track deadlines, and ensure compliance and reporting.
- Research and pursue additional grant opportunities across provincial, federal, and foundation sources.
- Build and execute a corporate sponsorship strategy — identify STEAM-aligned prospects, develop pitch materials, and cultivate long-term partners.
- Present the DI Experience to prospective corporate partners to secure sponsorship and donation support.
- Support fundraising and donation initiatives, including online donation campaigns.
Recruitment & outreach — schools, educators, parents & students
- Develop and execute a marketing-driven go-to-market strategy to grow participation across the province.
- Build and execute DIBC's annual marketing and communications plan, including social media content and regular posting.
- Lead email marketing, CRM, and communications that move interested contacts off the sidelines and into active participation.
- Build and sustain relationships with schools, educators, and parents — helping them operationalize DI clubs and programs with ongoing, hands-on support.
- Present the DI Experience to a range of audiences — teachers at conferences, and parents and students at schools — to build awareness and drive participation.
- Represent DIBC at educator conferences and Professional Development (ProD) events as an exhibitor and, increasingly, as a workshop presenter; develop webinar and on-demand teacher training for flexible access.
- Recruit, train, and support volunteers — team managers, appraisers, and Challenge Masters.
Season, tournaments & events
- Lead volunteers and organize and run DIBC's regional and provincial tournaments.
- Host and accompany DIBC's delegation of teams at Global Finals in Kansas City, USA.
- Coordinate venues, materials, inventory, and event logistics.
- Partner with schools to host events such as DI summer camps and team manager training.
- Organize an annual team manager training day; deliver and modernize team manager and appraiser training, including recorded and on-demand formats.
- Explore and implement flexible program formats — Instant Challenge tournaments, SkillFire, and camps — to broaden entry points.
- Lead and support Challenge Masters, appraisers, and tournament-day volunteers.
Administration & operations
- Manage day-to-day operations, budgets, service platforms, and vendor relationships.
- Maintain accurate financial records and cash flow, working closely with the Accountant, Treasurer, and President.
- Ensure compliance with charity, employment, grant, and partner requirements.
Board support & governance
- Report regularly to the Board on activity, progress against deliverables, and finances.
- Collaborate with the Board — including the educators who serve on it — on strategy, program direction, and governance.
- Support board planning, committee work, and succession and continuity.
DIHQ liaison & other duties
- Serve as DIBC's liaison to Destination Imagination Headquarters; stay current on programs, resources, and strategic direction.
- Learn from and collaborate with other affiliates, and take on other duties that advance DIBC's mission.
Qualifications & Experience
Required
- Post-secondary education or equivalent experience.
- Experience in one or more of: marketing and outreach, partnerships, fundraising, program management, or education.
- Strong relationship-building, communication, and presentation skills.
- Comfort with digital tools — CRM, email marketing, spreadsheets/QuickBooks, and web platforms.
- Valid BC driver's license and a valid passport, with willingness to travel across the province and internationally (to Global Finals in the USA).
Preferred
- Experience in the non-profit or education sector.
- Grant writing and/or corporate sponsorship experience.
- Familiarity with STEAM education and the BC curriculum (ADST).
- Familiarity with Destination Imagination as a participant, volunteer, or team manager.
Key Competencies
- Outgoing and positive — energized by people and comfortable being the face of the program.
- Curious and eager to learn — open to new approaches and continuous improvement.
- A natural relationship-builder — likes to collaborate, partner, and create alongside others.
- A self-starter — comfortable working independently, leading change, and driving a strategy end to end.
- Organized — able to balance multiple workstreams (marketing, revenue, operations, and season delivery).
- Mission-driven — passionate about students, creativity, and education.
Working Conditions
- Must be based in Metro Vancouver with home office, with regular travel across BC (Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, and the Interior).
- Annual international travel to the USA to host and accompany DIBC's delegation at Global Finals in Kansas City (a valid passport and ability to cross the Canada–US border are required).
- Some evening and weekend work, particularly during the Challenge season (peak February–April).
Compensation & Benefits
Salary: $65,000–$85,000 for a full-time role with Extended health benefits.
- Three weeks' vacation, plus one paid week off over the Christmas / winter break.
How to Apply
Please submit a cover letter and resume to recruitment@destinationimagination.ca
Not the right fit? Search for Executive Director jobs in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
About Destination Imagination BC
Destination Imagination, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led non-profit organization whose purpose is to inspire and equip students to become the next generation of innovators and leaders. The organization seeks to connect students to opportunities emerging in the global digital economy. The most popular education offering is the Challenge Program, where student teams solve open-ended science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) and service learning Challenges and present their solutions to trained Appraisers. Founded in 1982, Destination Imagination has impacted more than 1.5 million students.