The United Church of Canada is seeking an experienced and passionate Anti-Racism and Equity Lead to join our newly established Identity and Governance Unit on a one-year term contract, full-time at 35 hours per week. This position represents a current, active vacancy within our organization, related to the secondment of the incumbent in the position to another assignment.

All applications received through The United Church of Canada's Applicant Tracking System (ATS) for all publicly advertised positions, AI might be used to support certain applicant evaluations however, all applications are manually reviewed by our hiring team to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all candidates. All decisions are made solely by the hiring team.

The Identity and Governance Unit provides integrated leadership to ensure the Church's structures, decisions, and practices reflect its identity, governance responsibilities, and commitments to justice, equity, inclusion, and reconciliation. This unit brings together governance, legal and judicial oversight, equity and anti-racism, archives and institutional memory, Indigenous governance, and ecumenical coordination to support a transparent, accountable, and values-based organization.

This role will play a key leadership function in advancing the Church's vision for a more diverse, equitable, anti-racist, and inclusive future.

Position Summary

Reporting as a member of the Staff Leaders' Team, the Anti-Racism and Equity Lead provides strategic leadership for The United Church of Canada's equity, diversity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression initiatives.

The successful candidate will build on current developments to continue to implement an organization-wide vision and strategy that addresses systemic barriers, promotes belonging and inclusion, and strengthens anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices across governance, employment, leadership, and ministry.

This role also contributes to Toward 2035, The United Church of Canada's denomination-wide strategic vision, with particular attention to helping the Church become increasingly multigenerational, multiracial, intercultural, and inclusive.

Primary Areas of Responsibility

Strategic Leadership and Vision

- Develop and champion a church-wide vision for anti-racism, equity, diversity, and anti-oppression.
- Partner with senior leadership, governance bodies, and church committees to advance strategic priorities related to equity and inclusion.
- Ensure organizational strategic plans incorporate equity and anti-oppressive lenses.
- Support implementation of equity and intercultural engagement initiatives under the Toward 2035 strategy.




- Serve as staff resource to the Anti-Racism Common Table and the bilingual Equity and Anti-Oppression Circle.
- Monitor progress toward anti-racism and equity goals and recommend improvements.
- Build partnerships with churches, ecumenical organizations, community groups, and civil society partners.
- Stay informed on emerging research, best practices, and developments in equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Organizational Leadership and Program Development

- Lead the development and implementation of the Church's equity, diversity, and anti-oppression strategy.
- Provide expert advice on policy development, organizational culture, and equity training initiatives.
- Collaborate with Human Resources to create equitable recruitment, retention, and advancement strategies.
- Identify and address barriers affecting Indigenous, racialized, 2S and LGBTQIA+, and other equity-seeking employees.
- Support inclusive leadership development and career advancement pathways.
- Develop and report on organization-wide equity plans and initiatives.
- Review policies, procedures, and workplace practices to identify opportunities for systemic improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

- Develop communication and feedback mechanisms that encourage participation and identify barriers to inclusion.
- Share best practices and promote organizational learning related to anti-racism and equity.
- Partner with Communications to highlight progress, commitments, and key initiatives.
- Facilitate workshops, presentations, training sessions, and educational opportunities.
- Lead and support relevant working groups, affinity groups, and committees.
- Provide regular updates and strategic advice to the Executive of General Council.
- Support governance-related equity training and resource development.

***To request a copy of the full job description, send an e-mail to: [email protected] with Anti-Racism and Equity Lead on the subject

Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Education, Social Sciences, Social Justice Studies, Human Resources Management, or a related field.
- Minimum 3 to 5 years of leadership experience advancing anti-racism, equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-oppressive practices.
- Demonstrated success leading organizational change and equity-focused initiatives within a complex organization.




- Strong understanding of intersectionality and systemic barriers experienced by equity-seeking groups.
- Experience working with diverse communities and stakeholders to address issues affecting marginalized populations.
- Knowledge of employment equity, human rights, accessibility, and anti-discrimination legislation.
- Experience developing policies, programs, training, and organizational strategies.
- Robust project management, research, evaluation, and reporting skills.
- Exceptional communication, facilitation, relationship-building, and presentation skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint, Outlook, Dynamics 365, Teams, and related technologies.
- Alignment with the vision and values of The United Church of Canada.

Assets

- Certificate or specialized studies in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
- Theological education or training.
- Knowledge of anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, transphobia, heteronormativity, and other forms of systemic oppression.
- Experience working in the not-for-profit sector.
- French language proficiency.

Working Conditions

The United Church of Canada has adopted a hybrid workplace model, providing flexibility for this position, working both offsite and in the General Council Office, currently located in Toronto, ON. The incumbent will be provided, for work purposes, use of secure devices and must be available by email, phone, teams or zoom during regular office hours Monday to Friday. Sitting and viewing a computer screen for long periods, keyboarding/using voice recognition software, intermittent physical activity including sitting, standing and being on the phone for long periods of time will be required. Occasional additional hours may be required.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Human Rights Code, The United Church of Canada will provide reasonable accommodations to employees with human-rights related needs.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $79,455 to $92,955. This is based on category 8 on our salary range. Placement on the salary range will be based on factors such as market condition, internal equity, candidate experience skills and qualifications relevant to the role. Pension and group benefit plans coverage and annual vacation round out this compensation package.

The United Church of Canada is committed to creating an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace. We welcome applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and individuals from other equity-deserving groups.

Closing date for applications: October 8, 2026

📌 Anti-Racism and Equity Lead - Term Contract (Toronto)
🏢 CareerBeacon
📍 Toronto