POSITION PROFILE SENIOR MANAGER ... - Coro Strandberg

POSITION PROFILE 

SENIOR MANAGER, CORPORATE SOCIAL 

RESPONSIBILITY 

SERVUS CREDIT UNION LIMITED 

March 30, 2009

Position Profile 

Senior Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility 

Servus Credit Union Limited 

THE COMPANY: 

Servus Credit Union is a member-owned, community-based financial institution with roots 

dating back to 1938. Servus is Alberta’s largest credit union and, on November 1, 2008, became 

Canada’s first province-wide credit union when it amalgamated with Community Savings and 

Common Wealth Credit Union. The new Servus serves 400,000 member-owners from 100 

locations in 63 communities across the province and has assets of $9.5 billion. 

Based in Edmonton with Regional Offices in Lloydminster and Red Deer, Servus Credit Union 

provides a complete line of financial services including: loans, deposits, investments, telephone 

and Internet banking, ATMs, debit and credit cards, financial planning, insurance, trust, 

agricultural and commercial services. 

Setting Servus Credit Union apart from other financial institutions is their commitment to the 

following: 

Member-Ownership 

Member-ownership in Servus Credit Union is represented by the purchase of Common 

Shares. All it takes is a $1 investment to benefit from credit union membership – including the 

right to democratically elect and run for a position on the Board of Directors. Plus, their 

member-owners share in their profits and are protected by a 100% Deposit Guarantee. 

Exceptional Service 

Servus Credit Union serves from 100 locations in 63 communities across the province - from 

Fort McMurray to Lethbridge and Jasper to Lloydminster. Their service is powered by the 

knowledge and experience of 2000 employees, every one of them dedicated to helping their 

members improve their financial well-being. With a full range of products and services for 

personal, business and agricultural banking at their disposal, innovative financial solutions are 

close at hand. 

Local Decision Making 

Servus Credit Union is an Alberta company based in Edmonton with regional offices in 

Lloydminster and Red Deer. Staying close to the people we serve is fundamental to their 

success. We experience the same economic highs and lows and can adapt quickly to meet the 

needs of their members. We also support 35 community councils – volunteer groups comprised 

of credit union members that identify activities and needs within their geographic and cultural 

communities and keep Servus informed on matters of interest and concern. 

Profit Sharing 

Sharing their success with the people who make it possible is a fundamental principle of being a 

credit union. In 2008, a combined total of more than $33 million was returned to memberowners 

by the amalgamating credit unions (Servus, Community Savings and Common Wealth). 

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100% Deposit Guarantee 

Deposits are 100% guaranteed by the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation. 

This means both the money that is put in and the interest earned is safe and secure – up to any 

dollar amount. The Government of Alberta ensures that the Credit Union Deposit 

Guarantee Corporation’s obligations to depositors will be carried out. 

Community Support 

Community building and people helping people are two of the guiding principles that make 

Servus Credit Union and their employees unique. Through a variety of donation and 

sponsorship programs, and even an employee volunteer program, Servus helps build lives, not 

just bank accounts. 

They are very proud of their heritage as an Alberta credit union. The promise of service to 

members and communities has been the foundation of their success and is a continuing priority 

for them. Their member-owners are not just numbers. They make them feel at home and create 

a comfortable banking experience for them. 

In 2009, they will focus their energies on four strategic imperatives: financial performance, 

member experience, employee experience and business processes. These priorities will keep 

them focused on both the financial and non-financial essentials of their business. The 

weakening global economy will pose challenges for Servus in 2009, but they are prepared to 

meet these challenges while investing in the elements necessary for their credit union to succeed 

in the long term. 

For additional information please go to http://www.servuscu.ca. 

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REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: 

Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer 

VP, Corporate Marketing VP, Corporate Communications Senior Manager, Channel Marketing 

Senior Manager, CSR 

Corporate Citizenship Manager 

Community Relations (3 roles) 

Team includes: event and CSR/community relations personnel, environmental champions 

Key external stakeholders include: all community partners, Servus Kids Foundation, 

Community Councils, municipal and provincial governments, not-for-profit sector, 

environmental firms/suppliers 

Key internal clients include: Strategy and Governance, Corporate Services/Properties, Human 

Resources, Enterprise Risk Management, Retail and Business Banking and 

Communications/Marketing/Channel 

OPPORTUNITY: 

This is a key position in developing a corporate responsibility/corporate citizenship strategy for 

Servus Credit Union. This position has accountability to the President and CEO, as well as the 

Board of Directors through the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, given that CSR 

is a topic at these top levels of the organization. CSR includes management practices, human 

resources practices, governance/ethics, community economic development and environmental 

management, otherwise known as the 3 Ps (Profit, People, Planet) or social, economic and 

environmental integration. This leader monitors CSR issues nationally and internationally and 

engages key audiences, both internal and external in determining what the CSR strategy will be for 

Servus. 

This position is responsible for all community relations strategies and programs, manages the 

Community Council/Affinity Partner portfolio and creates forward looking CSR strategies such as 

an environmental management program. The position establishes metrics and reporting of CSR 

programs and implements these in a cost effective manner, reviews all community outreach 

programs annually, and supervises a team of community-conscious individuals. 

The most important decisions include the recommendation, development and implementation of 

an effective corporate citizenship strategy to ensure Servus’ reputation as a socially responsible 

organization. An ongoing evaluation of all corporate citizenship activities is critical. Under the 

direction of the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, this person develops and 

implements strategies for appropriate corporate citizenship activities in support of Servus Credit 

Union’s mission, vision and goals. 

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Key responsibility areas include: 

Corporate Citizenship Strategy and Implementation 

Working with internal and external stakeholders, lead the development and implementation of a 

Corporate Citizenship Strategy that addresses the five pillars of the corporate social responsibility: 

governance/ethics, management practices, environmental stewardship, human resources practices 

and community investment. 

Managing the Community Investment Portfolio 

Responsible for managing the corporate Community Investment (CI) portfolio, ensuring we are 

receiving adequate return on our investment in terms of profile, brand equity and business 

development. 

Community Council 

Execute the Community Council portfolio, ensuring we are receiving adequate return on our 

investment in terms of member input to our business, community profile, brand equity, member 

feedback and business development. 

Management of CSR Team 

Manage and provide leadership to corporate citizenship team. 

Marketing Team Leadership 

Provides leadership to the Marketing Team as a member of the Marketing Management Team. 

LOCATION: 

With a population of almost a million residents, Edmonton is a bustling northern metropolis 

and is situated as the international gateway to Alberta’s oil and gas regions. As one of Canada’s 

safest, greenest and cleanest cities, it has a demographic median age of 36.4 years. It has more 

affordable housing than most other major Canadian cities, and is part of the only Canadian 

province that does not charge provincial sales tax. 

Known as Canada’s ‘Festival City’, Edmonton hosts over thirty annual festivals throughout the 

year, celebrating sports, culture, music, visual arts and theatre. 

If your interest is primarily in theatre and performing arts, Edmonton has a bustling arts and 

culture scene. From Shakespeare and chamber music to experimental jazz and DJs, Edmonton’s 

music scene is lively and diverse. They are also home to the more theatres per capita than 

anywhere else in Canada. And from the breadth of Art Gallery of Alberta’s international and 

provincial collection to the artist-run Latitude 53 and the 124st Gallery Walk, art lovers will be 

busy. 

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Is recreation more down your alley? You can use Edmonton as your base for exploring all that 

the northern Alberta outdoors has to offer. You can day trip to rich historical sites, exceptional 

wildlife, and world-class outdoor recreational facilities—including over seventy golf courses! If 

you stay in town, you can forget that you’re in a city at all by spending some time in the lush 

greenery of Edmonton’s river valley. There you’ll find the Valley Zoo and the botanical 

landmark of the Muttart Conservatory’s four glass pyramids. 

Would you rather watch sports? Edmonton is home to both the Edmonton Eskimos and the 

Edmonton Oilers, who both promise world-class sports entertainment. 

For shopping, you can stroll through the Old Strathcona district which ranks among Canada's 

10 best shopping districts, offering more than 300 stores varying from art and antiques, fashion 

and beauty, sports and wellness, to environmental and vegetarian fare. Or, you can find time 

for shopping, ice skating and mini golf all at the West Edmonton Mall, the ‘greatest indoor 

show on earth’. 

Please visit www.edmonton.com for more information about what Edmonton has to offer. 

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Must have experience in working with senior leadership and developing messaging to 

communicate to internal and external audiences 

• Strong critical and conceptual thinker 

• Proven ability to manage positive client relationships and lead cross-functional teams 

effectively 

• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking and problem solving skills 

• Exceptional communication, project management skills and a proven ability to work with 

all levels of management, marketing staff and external partners is essential 

• Energetic, solutions-oriented, creative thinker with a proven ability to motivate others, 

including team members who are not direct reports 

• Self-starter who works well independently and in a team setting and should be resultsoriented, 

while upholding the vision, values and integrity of Servus Credit Union 

• Enjoy and appreciate the social nature of the position and have a passion for working to 

improve the community 

• Strong diplomacy skills and is able to problem solve and make quality decisions under 

pressure 

• Continual education and monitoring of trends and developments in marketing, corporate 

citizenship and community investment in the credit union sector and beyond 

• Business Skills, including building insight, communication skills, decision making, 

commercial awareness, IT, innovation, strategic awareness, leadership, handling complexity 

and problem solving 

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• People skills, including adaptability and empathy, developing others, influencing without 

power, open minded, integrity, political awareness, self-development and learning, building 

partnerships, team working and questioning “business as usual” 

• Technical skills, including technical expertise, understanding impacts, stakeholder dialogue, 

internal consultancy, selling the business case, understanding human rights and 

understanding sustainability 

THE CANDIDATE: 

Education/Certifications: 

• Bachelor Degree, with a preference for a Master’s degree, in public relations and/or 

business administration 

• Corporate Social Responsibility or Sustainability designation or professional association 

membership 

• Environmental management certification 

• Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility an asset 

Professional Qualifications: 

• 10-15 years in management at a senior level 

• Minimum 7-10 years related experience in a for-profit or not-for-profit organization, or 

experience in communications and/or public affairs in a large corporate environment with 

additional knowledge of CSR initiatives 

• Prior corporate citizenship, community investment or environmental with responsibility for 

bringing these programs alive 

• A strong knowledge of Alberta 

Personal Characteristics: 

• A champion who inspires 

• A balance between being a “go getter” and caring about people 

• Team player – someone who doesn’t run a one man show 

• Lives the values of social responsibility, both corporately and personally 

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WHY SERVUS? 

• Competitive compensation packages 

• Work/Life balance 

• Best-in-class benefit packages (70/30 cost split between Servus and Employee) 

• Discounts on loans and mortgages 

• Rate Bonuses 

• Free banking accounts (no or reduced service charges) 

• Flexible Spending Account ($750.00 per year) 

• Paid education (100% covered, paid up front) 

• We Care Program recognizing volunteers (chance for one week with pay and donation) 

• Social Club events such as Christmas parties, Corporate Challenge, Summer BBQ and 

Fundraisers 

• Long-Term Service Recognition Program (3, 5, 10, 15, 25, 30 years) 

• Presidents Award of Excellence (Employee Recognition Program) 

PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY: 

Send resumes or nominations as soon as possible to: 

Greg Ford 

Lynn Armstrong 

Partner 

Partner 

The Caldwell Partners International 


Suite 850-1095 West Pender Street 

Suite 850-1095 West Pender Street 

Vancouver, BC 

Vancouver, BC 

o | 604.629.7152 m | 604.805.7266 o | 604.629.7150 m | 604.908.5860 

Email: gford@caldwell.ca 

Email: larmstrong@caldwell.ca 

Christopher Mills 

Anna Anaka 

Associate 

Project Coordinator 



520 Fifth Avenue SW, Suite 2000 Suite 850-1095 West Pender Street 

Calgary, AB 

Vancouver, BC 

o | 403.537.5676 o | 604.629.7158 

Email: cmills@caldwell.ca 

Email: aanaka@caldwell.ca 

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POSITION PROFILE SENIOR MANAGER ... - Coro Strandberg

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