Chief Executive Officer

The Sunshine Foundation of Canada is a national charitable organization that changes the lives of youth living with severe physical disabilities across Canada through programs that lay the foundation for lifelong change.   

Since 1987, Sunshine has been trusted by families and healthcare professionals to provide over 8,800 Sunshine individual experiences and more than 64 Sunshine DreamLifts across the country, igniting brighter futures for youth with disabilities.

It is within this context that the Sunshine Foundation of Canada (“Sunshine”) welcomes applications and nominations for the appointment of its Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). This appointment calls for a transformative, dedicated and supportive leader with the passion and drive to reach ambitious goals and take Sunshine to its next level of achievement.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible for advancing the national profile of the organization and raising the awareness of Sunshine's vision to increase the number of young people Sunshine serves and inspire more Sunshine dreamers, changing their lives forever. 

With the upcoming launch of an organizational brand refresh, and the recent launch of Sunshine’s first five-year $10M Comprehensive Campaign, the CEO will provide strategy, vision and innovation to raise the necessary funds to increase program fulfillment four-fold and secure ever-increasing levels of philanthropic support. As the external face and spokesperson of the organization, the CEO will build positive relationships across a broad stakeholder group including corporate partners and funders, community groups, volunteers, politicians, and other organizations.

The CEO will lead and empower a talented team and foster and advance an entrepreneurial, high-performance, and caring culture. The CEO ensures the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of the organization, including financial planning and management, human resources, risk management, programs and services, marketing and communications, and strategic planning.

As the ideal candidate, you have progressive leadership experience, ideally gained within a not-for-profit organization, and you understand the dynamics of working with, and in support of, a Board of Directors. You are an experienced fundraiser with a proven track record of soliciting transformative gifts, coupled with fiscal management experience. Marketing and branding experience is an asset. You have the ability to foster relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including corporate leaders, funders, community partners, staff, volunteers, and young program participants. You have strong communication skills and are at ease promoting an organization’s mission to external stakeholders and enhancing an organization's community profile both locally and nationally.

Your problem-solving skills support and enable you to set clear priorities and make sound decisions. As a leader, you empower mission-driven and results-oriented teams, while fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment. Like Sunshine, you value integrity, compassion and respect, and have the courage and commitment to achieve the organization’s goals. Candidates must have a commitment to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Candidates must also have a commitment to advancing Sunshine’s mission; lived experience is considered a strong asset. A post-secondary degree or diploma is required.

To learn more about this impactful leadership opportunity with The Sunshine Foundation of Canada, please submit a comprehensive resume along with a cover letter in confidence to Sam Walton (sam@griffithgroup.ca) and/or Noshina Choudhary (noshina@griffithgroup.ca).

The Sunshine Foundation of Canada is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, and strongly encourages applications from women, members of Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities; Two-Spirit, non-binary, trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer people; people with disabilities; and members of other equity-deserving groups.

The Sunshine Foundation of Canada and Griffith Group are committed to an inclusive, accessible and welcoming hiring process that provides reasonable accommodation to all applicants. Please advise Sam Walton (sam@griffithgroup.ca) should you require any accommodation to participate in the recruitment and assessment processes.

All qualified candidates are welcome to apply; however, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.