Senior Vice President, Mission

Diabetes Canada has a vision to create a world free of the effects of diabetes. The organization raises almost $40M annually, has approximately 130 staff, and works across Canada, with the exception of Quebec where it partners with the existing provincial organization. Diabetes Canada has a long history of success in this country.  The discovery of insulin to treat diabetes in 1920 by Canadians Dr. Frederick Banting and Charles Best was ground-breaking and life changing. Charles Best went on to found the Diabetic Association of Ontario in the 1940’s, which evolved into the Canadian Diabetes Association in 1953, and into Diabetes Canada in 2017. Today, Diabetes Canada is the largest diabetes health charity in Canada, serving the more than 4 million people who live with the condition from coast to coast to coast. Diabetes Canada is the country’s most trusted provider of education for individuals with diabetes as well as the healthcare providers who care for them, a fearless advocate for better diabetes health systems and care, and a long-time funder of research into diabetes prevention, care and potential cures.

It is within this context that Diabetes Canada (“DC”) welcomes applications and nominations for the recruitment of its Senior Vice President, Mission, who will assume the role in summer 2025. 

Reporting to the President & Chief Executive Officer, Laura Syron, the Senior Vice President, Mission (“SVP, Mission”) is a vital member of the organization’s Senior Leadership Team, and supports and interacts with DC’s Board of Directors, especially its Mission Committee. The SVP, Mission oversees a total team of approximately 30 FTE, across four teams (Diabetes Knowledge & Connection; Healthcare Professional Education & Engagement; Government Affairs, Advocacy & Policy; and Research & Science). The SVP, Mission is responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of all DC’s mission strategies including leadership and oversight of the business plans and a budget between $20-25M annually. The SVP, Mission identifies, nurtures and supports partnerships, relationships, and strong collaborations with external stakeholders to achieve these goals, including a focus on health-equity deserving communities who experience a higher prevalence of diabetes. The SVP also leads DC’s relatively new work in evaluating its mission impact, a key enabler of its strategic plan, through ensuring the integration of DC’s mission initiatives across the organization, especially Fund Development and Marketing & Communications. In particular, the SVP, Mission plays a significant role in ensuring that DC’s annual and longer-term mission activities inspire donor engagement and support. 

As the ideal candidate, you have substantial experience with a “mission” portfolio, including providing knowledge resources for people with lived experience, and/or a wide range of healthcare practitioners.  You likely also have experience with advocacy and policy in a health context, and with researchers and scientific discovery. As a proven and knowledgeable senior leader, your career includes team leadership and management responsibilities, budgetary oversight, working with boards, subcommittees, and volunteers and working across an organization to further its goals, ideally from senior leadership team level. You have worked in a health-related organization, preferably with non-profit status, and are able to deliver results and impact in a complex health ecosystem.  Colleagues refer to your ability to problem solve, think innovatively, comfort acting as a spokesperson for an organization, and in making clear and transparent decisions in the best interests of an organization in a complex, fast-paced environment. You understand how to translate a strategic plan into operational and business plans, and how to implement those plans through engaging others, both internal and external to the organization, towards the common goal. Diabetes affects over 4 million Canadians, many of whom are in equity deserving communities. As such, candidates must be dedicated to DC’s vision and values and demonstrate a commitment to advancing models of decolonization, truth and reconciliation, and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) principles. Candidates must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university, and the ability to work in both French and English is considered an asset.

To learn more about this impactful leadership opportunity with Diabetes Canada, please submit a comprehensive resume along with a cover letter in confidence to Jane Griffith (jane@griffithgroup.ca) and/or Caroline McLean (caroline@griffithgroup.ca). 

Salary Range and Compensation Package: A competitive salary commensurate with experience paired with a comprehensive group benefits plan, including health and dental coverage, vision care, life insurance, disability coverage (STD/LTD), an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), an additional health spending account, and a company-matched Pension/RRSP program. Generous paid time off in addition to vacation including personal days, extra paid holidays beyond provincial statutory holidays, plus an end-of-year office closure.

Location/WFH: While the head office is located in Toronto, DC employees live right across the country. Travel across Canada is required, however, in this role.

Diabetes Canada welcomes and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including, but not limited to women, Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and persons of all sexual orientations and/or gender identities.

All qualified candidates are welcome to apply; however, priority will be given to those legally eligible to work in Canada.

Diabetes Canada and Griffith Group are committed to an inclusive, accessible and welcoming hiring process that provides reasonable accommodation to all applicants. Please advise Jane Griffith (jane@griffithgroup.ca) should you require any accommodation to participate in the recruitment and/or assessment processes.