Help IAF Grow!

Make a difference and use your on-the-ground knowledge of agriculture or food processing to support our sector to grow and thrive. Put your excellent financial and governance skills to use, helping agriculture and food processing.

The IAF Board of Directors is recruiting talented, energetic, industry leaders who are passionate about building a competitive, sustainable and resilient agriculture and food sector in British Columbia.

We are currently looking for a total of three (3) Directors for two (2) Primary Agriculture and one (1) Value-added Food & Beverage Processing seat.

Available Positions

There are three positions available soon on the IAF Board of Directors:

Two (2) Primary Agriculture

One (1) Value-added Food & Beverage Processing

What’s the difference between the seat types?

Primary Agriculture

A person who has at least two years’ experience in:

  • Crop Production: oilseed and grain; vegetable and melon; fruit and tree nut; greenhouse, nursery, floriculture; other crop.
  • Animal Production: cattle ranching and farming; dairy farming; hog and pig farming; poultry and egg production; other animal farming.

Value Added Food & Beverage Processing

A person who has at least two years’ experience in: value added food and beverage processing.

Overview

The IAF Board is a strategic board that sets and considers the priorities and goals of the Strategic Plan. The Directors are voted in by the Members. The Board of Directors hires the CEO who is responsible for IAF’s operations, the Board is ultimately responsible for ensuring IAF is successful and achieves the goals and initiatives outlined in the Growing Together 2025 to 2030 Strategic Framework. This means the Board as a whole is responsible for:

  • Ensuring good governance
  • Upholding fiduciary duty and financial health
  • Hiring and delegating to the CEO
  • Setting strategic direction and policy

Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

IAF’s Board of Directors is committed to fostering diversity across all levels of the organization. This includes a commitment to achieving a membership that reflects the broadest range of qualifications, skills, experiences, and perspectives. A diverse Board working in an atmosphere of inclusion will produce better, more innovative decisions and increase the IAF’s capacity to serve the interests of BC’s agriculture and food sector.

Essential Skills & Experience (2+ years)

  • Board and/or governance experience
  • Agriculture or food processing experience
  • Financial literacy
  • Information Technology
  • Able to meet term and time commitments
  • Leadership skills and abilities

Desired Skills & Experience

  • Diversity and regional representation
  • Government relations
  • Business management/development experience (accounting, HR, legal)
  • Climate change/academic experience
  • Trust development and management
  • Program delivery especially UX and IT solutions
  • Knowledge and tech transfer
  • Participation in sector organization(s)
  • Related degree or diploma

Legal Requirements

  • Canadian citizen and resident of British Columbia
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Not be in violation of any of the eligibility requirements outlined in IAF Bylaws section 2.4 4. CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS 2023

Term & Time Commitment

  • Directors serve a term of three years
  • No person shall serve as a Director for more than two consecutive terms.
    • Directors who wish to stay on (i.e. renew their first three-year term) will be re-appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
  • The IAF Board of Directors meets four times per year.

Board Meetings:

  • Twice a year virtually (1/2 day) in January and April
  • Twice a year in-person (1 to 2 days) in June and October

The IAF Board of Directors may meet up to five additional meetings per year:

  • Special Board Meeting: Once a year virtually (1 to 2 hours) in August
  • IAF Annual General Meeting: Virtually (1 to 2 hours) in September
  • Orientation: virtually or in-person (1/2 day) in October
  • Other Special Board Meeting(s): As required virtually (1 to 4 hours)
  • Board workshops as required, virtually or in-person (this could include Strategic Planning workshops, media training or similar)

There is an expectation that Directors will participate in a Committee(s). Committee opportunities include:

  • Executive Committee, monthly virtual (1 hour)
  • Audit & Finance Committee, virtual or in-person (1 to 1.5 hours) prior to Board meetings (four times per year) or as needed
  • Governance Committee, virtual or in-person (1 to 1.5 hours) prior to Board meetings (four times per year) or as needed
  • Special committee(s), virtually as needed

Compensation

Board Directors are compensated on a per-diem basis at a rate set by the Members.

The current per-diem rate for an eight-hour day is $250 per day (effective June 14, 2002).

For meetings of less than eight hours, per diem will be paid in two-hour increments of $62.50.

Per diem is available for Director preparation time and attendance (virtual or in-person) at:

  • Regular and in-camera Board meetings
  • Committee meetings of the Executive, Audit and Finance and Governance & Nomination
  • Meetings of special committees as determined by the Board.
  • Official Board workshops organized by the IAF (e.g., annual Strategic Planning workshop, media training)
  • Joint ‘board-to-board’ meetings with key stakeholders
  • Other ad-hoc meetings as arranged by the Board.

Travel

Travel across British Columbia may be required. In-person meetings are generally held in Victoria at the IAF offices and occasionally in the Lower Mainland. Additionally, the IAF Board participants in a bi-annual ‘Board Tour’ exploring a select location in BC. These tours are an opportunity to meet and learn from stakeholders and members, and see the impact of IAF-delivered funding on the sector first-hand.

In addition to the per diem the Director travel policy that guides directors on the travel re-imbursements that can be submitted.

Regional Representation

IAF’s Board of Directors welcomes candidates from across British Columbia. Representation from each of BC’s major agricultural production regions is considered during the recruitment process.

Recruitment Process

The IAF Board of Directors will screen applications for eligibility to ensure the candidates meet the legal requirements and essential skills.

IAF staff will work with eligible candidates to prepare a two-minute video highlighting their skills and experience and reasons for wanting to be an IAF Director. This video will be shared with IAF Members and may be played at the AGM.

IAF Members will elect (or acclaim) Directors at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations will not be accepted from the floor of the AGM.

Apply

If you are interested in joining the IAF Board of Directors please apply by May 30, 2025 at 4pm: Apply

Your application should include:

  • A CV and a one-page cover letter demonstrating that you meet the essential qualifications and the competencies
  • A letter of support from a BC agriculture or food processing organization (i.e. industry association or similar)

Learn more about IAF

For questions about this opportunity, please contact IAF CEO, TJ Schur at tjschur@iafbc.ca.

FAQ

Board of Director’s business/organization/company may apply for projects under IAF-delivered programs. We have a clear Conflict of Interest Policy at IAF. The Board of Directors are a strategic board, meaning they are not involved in project decision making but do have a fiduciary responsibility regarding funding disbursement.

That said, as per the Policy, Directors are asked at the beginning of each meeting if they have any conflict of interest in any item in an agenda. If a conflict is present, the Director recuses themselves from the conversation (i.e. leave meeting or zoom as needed).