Chief Executive Officer{
Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC) leads the fight against blindness by raising and directing funds to vision research. With approximately 1 in 5 Canadians having an eye disease that puts them at risk of vision loss, FBC’s work is critical. As Canada’s leading private funder of vision research, FBC offers hope to Canadians by identifying the best, most promising research that is driving treatments and cures for blinding eye diseases, and by raising and stewarding funds to support this essential, sight-saving research. Over its 49-year history, it has invested over $40 million to support vision research and education across Canada: providing over 200 research grants that have led to over 600 new discoveries in areas such as stem cell research, neuroprotective therapies, technological developments, pharmaceuticals, and gene therapies.
Founded in 1974 as the Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation of Canada, the organization rebranded in 2000 to Foundation Fighting Blindness and expanded its mission beyond rare inherited retinal diseases to include age-related macular degeneration. Its long-term focus on funding vision research steadily demonstrated that a discovery about one disease often reveals important insights about another. These meaningful interconnections inspired and informed the expansion of its mission to include all blinding eye diseases, and in 2019 the organization became Fighting Blindness Canada. Click here for a copy of FBC’s 2022 Impact Report.
It is within this context that Fighting Blindness Canada welcomes applications and nominations for the appointment of its next Chief Executive Officer.
Reporting to the Chair and Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the senior leader of the FBC team and is passionate about improving healthcare and reducing vision loss for all Canadians. The CEO is responsible for the overall strategy, coordination, design and implementation of fundraising initiatives, scientific and research activities, awareness programs, advocacy, public activities and events, and administration. This includes working with the Board and the FBC senior staff as well as volunteers to manage and develop new financial resources, raise awareness of the FBC and its mission, and manage human resources and governance structures for the organization.
The CEO is the champion of the vision for the organization, engaging and inspiring others to achieve mission goals, working closely with staff and volunteer leadership to develop and provide oversight for fundraising events and initiatives. The CEO plays a significant role in identifying, evaluating, and developing new sources of potential funding to grow the FBC’s revenue to increase its research grants, including FBC's Transformative Research Capital Campaign. The CEO liaises with the vision research and scientific community in Canada and internationally, including attending meetings of the FBC’s Scientific Review Panels and its Mission Investment Steering Committee as well as overseeing the allocation of research grants. The CEO manages all financial and human resources ensuring adherence to sound operations practices, legislation and Board directives as well as setting clear, results-oriented, realistic, and measurable goals for staff. The CEO oversees all governance activities pertaining to the FBC including inspiring, engaging, and managing the continual and dynamic involvement of Board Members, and together with the Chair of the Board, oversees plans for Board renewal and succession, as appropriate.
As the ideal candidate, you are a proven leader who has experience with human and financial resources, strategic planning and implementation, board governance, community engagement, and fundraising and capital campaign activities from either a professional or a volunteer capacity. You have progressive experience in a complex environment. Professional or lived experience gained in research intensive and/or healthcare related organizations is required. Your career includes working effectively with a voluntary board of directors and volunteer committees, and knowledge of governance best practices. Colleagues and peers describe you as a credible, authentic, motivational, and an articulate leader who communicates professionally and effectively with staff, board members, donors, external partners, and the community at large. You have a track record of team and financial management as well as knowledge of federal and, ideally provincial, legislation affecting charities and not-for-profit organizations.
To learn more about this impactful leadership opportunity with FBC, please submit a curriculum vitae along with a cover letter in confidence to Jane Griffith (jane@griffithgroup.ca) and/or Nicole Arnold (nicole@griffithgroup.ca).
FBC welcomes and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including but not limited to women, Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and persons of any sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
All qualified candidates are welcome to apply; however, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
FBC 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 this posting, recruitment, selection and/or assessment processes.