Canada Institute of Linguistics
Vice President of Operations
Location: CanIL, Langley, British Columbia
Position Type: Full-time
Salary Range: $80,000 to $90,000 CAD (commensurate with experience)
Reports To: President
Organization Overview
The Canada Institute of Linguistics exists to equip linguistic scholars to serve alongside marginalized communities through language development for the glory of God. CanIL provides a wide range of applied linguistics training with specialties in descriptive linguistics, language survey, Bible translation, orthography development, literacy development, and language documentation.
God has entrusted us with the most powerful words in the world—the message of Jesus. If you feel called to help reach and empower communities around the world, we would love to meet you.
Position Overview
The Vice President of Operations plays a pivotal role in advancing the Canada Institute of Linguistics’ commitment to equipping scholars who serve marginalized language communities around the world. By strengthening the Institute’s operational foundations, this role helps create the conditions in which linguistic scholarship, cross-cultural service, and faith-informed education can flourish.
Reporting to the President, the Vice President of Operations provides executive leadership across the operational life of the Institute, shaping systems, guiding teams, and stewarding resources so that CanIL can sustain and expand its impact.
As a small, mission-driven institution, CanIL requires leaders who combine strategic oversight with practical engagement. The Vice President of Operations will operate both at the executive level and within day-to-day realities, building systems, refining processes, solving operational challenges, and at times stepping directly into hands-on tasks when needed.
Success in this role requires:
- Strategic thinking combined with practical execution
- Comfort moving between long-term planning and immediate problem-solving
- A collaborative leadership style grounded in humility and service
This is a role for a servant-leader who understands that healthy operations are not an end in themselves, but a vital means of enabling transformative work among language communities worldwide.
Primary Outcomes
CanIL operates with a lean administrative structure. The Vice President of Operations oversees multiple departments while working closely with frontline staff and department leads.
This role will be held accountable to achieve the following outcomes:
Executive and Strategic Leadership (60%)
- Serve as a senior leader in institutional planning and decision-making
- CanIL Operations departments are provided direct supervision, oversight & coordination:
○ Finance, Facilities, Community Life, Recruitment, Admission, HR, Strategic Data and Technology Services
- Mission and strategic priorities are translated into actionable operational systems
Operational Systems and Administration (20%)
- Administrative workflows and documentation are strengthened
- Leadership is given to the development and implementation of policies and procedures
- Operational clarity, compliance, and accountability is ensured
- Data and technology is utilized to improve institutional effectiveness
Community and Culture (20%)
- A healthy, Christ-centered institutional culture is actively fostered
- Staff development is supported through ongoing and engaged performance management
- Conflicts are addressed with wisdom and reconciliation-oriented leadership
- Cross-cultural understanding and care is promoted across the scope of the organization
Qualifications:
Required Skills and Competencies
- Demonstrated leadership experience within nonprofit, academic, or mission-driven organizations
- Experience managing multi-functional teams or departments
- Alignment with CanIL’s faith-informed mission and global service orientation and a deep sense of purpose in supporting work that serves language communities globally
- Commitment to excellence in both vision and execution
- High level of emotional intelligence and relational maturity
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- High organizational capacity and attention to detail
- Ability to demonstrate flexibility and move fluidly between strategic planning and practical execution
- Skill in conflict management and collaborative problem-solving
- Capacity to work effectively in a faith-based, cross-cultural academic environment
Preferred
- Master’s degree (MA or equivalent)
- Cross-cultural work experience
- Experience in overseas missions or comparable intercultural service
- Experience in faith-based institutional contexts
Why Join CanIL?
CanIL offers a rare opportunity for a leader who wants to build and strengthen an organization with meaningful global impact. As a small, mission-focused academic institution, the Vice President of Operations will have genuine influence — shaping systems, strengthening culture, and positioning the Institute for sustainable growth and long-term effectiveness.
This is not a role hidden behind layers of bureaucracy. It is a role where thoughtful leadership, careful stewardship, and hands-on engagement directly shape the health of the organization and the global communities it ultimately serves.
For leaders who thrive where purpose and execution intersect, CanIL offers meaningful work, visible impact, and the opportunity to contribute to something larger than themselves.
What We Offer Our Staff:
- Health Care Spending Account
- Paid vacation
- Christmas Bonus
- Weekly Chapel services
- Semi-annual Day of Prayer participation
- Torch Award tuition benefit at Trinity Western University
We thank all applicants for their interest in CanIL; however, only candidates who closely match the requirements will be contacted directly. CanIL requires that all staff have a pre-existing belief and demonstration of lifestyle as outlined in the Code of Conduct and Statement of Faith and abide by the biblical principles outlined in these documents. Candidates who are selected may be required to complete a background check.
