Chief Executive Officer

Niagara Children's Centre; St. Catharines; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Niagara Children’s Centre seeks a dynamic Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization during a pivotal strategic transformation. The CEO will spearhead initiatives in pediatric rehabilitation while managing a substantial budget and fostering a culture of inclusivity and proactive engagement with stakeholders. This role demands experience in non-profit organizations, a strong vision for community service, and the ability to drive operational success.

Qualifications

• 10+ years management experience in pediatric rehabilitation or healthcare.
• Experience in managing multi-million dollar budgets.
• Strong understanding of non-profit governance and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Centre through capital redevelopment and strategic planning.
• Build partnerships with government and community stakeholders.
• Oversee operational excellence and manage a $16 million budget.

Skills

Leadership

Partnership Building

Empathy

Risk Management

Strategic Planning

Community Engagement

Education

Master's degree in health administration or related field

Job description

Niagara Children’s Centre is a child development and rehabilitation centre that provides rehabilitation and treatment services to children with physical, developmental and communicative disabilities, across Niagara Region. The centre serves 12 municipalities of the Region of Niagara and core services include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. The Centre employs 145 staff, mostly rehabilitation professionals. The Centre is governed by an 11-member volunteer board of directors, operating within a policy governance model. The agency’s annual budget is approximately $16 million dollars. The Centre has service agreements with the Ministry of Children Community and Social Services (MCCSS), Ontario Health at Home and the Region of Niagara.

The Opportunity:

Throughout its 73-year history, Niagara Children’s Centre (The Centre) has stayed attuned to the needs of children and youth with disabilities in the Niagara Region and has grown and evolved to meet these needs. In recent years, the Centre has expanded its offerings to meet the increasing demand for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services.

The Centre is now embarking on a transformative phase of capital redevelopment and seeks an exceptional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to succeed the retiring incumbent.

Our successful candidate will join The Centre at a dynamic and pivotal moment, as the Centre launches a new strategic plan in 2026, builds the capital redevelopment plan, upholds operational excellence, and pursues innovative opportunities to drive future growth and impact.

You are an established healthcare or community services executive, and possess a strong understanding of non-profit governance, operations, risk, compliance, and regulations specific to the sector.

You have a proven ability to build strong partnerships with government officials, Ministers, sector agencies, and community stakeholders, securing robust engagement with funders, donors, and community partners.

You embody a human-centric approach with empathy, humility, and respect, fostering an inclusive culture that embraces positive change and engages staff and families through exceptional listening and communication skills.

You have a “family-centred care” attitude when making decisions and changes that impact our children and youth clients. As a leader, you empower and motivate staff, champion talent development, and cultivate a collaborative, team-oriented culture.

You are inspired by The Centre’s mission to empower children to achieve their fullest potential.

Position Requirements:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive management and leadership experience in a pediatric rehabilitation, healthcare, or community-based non-profit setting with transferable skills, including at least 7–10 years in senior management roles.
• A graduate degree, preferably at the master’s level, in health administration, health sciences, business administration, or a related field, with eligibility for registration with the appropriate professional body.
• Demonstrated track record in strategic planning in conjunction with the Board and Senior Leadership Team, and leading organizational priorities through to execution.
• Experience in managing major fundraising campaigns, advocating for government or ministry funding, and working effectively with community stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of non-profit governance, operations, risk, compliance, and regulations specific to the sector. Prior experience with accreditation processes is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to foster partnerships with government, bureaucrats, Ministers, sector agencies, and community stakeholders while promoting inclusivity to the needs of an expansive community.
• A human-centric approach characterized by empathy, humility, approachability, and respect for individual contributions, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.
• Exceptional ability to manage complex operations, oversee a $16 million budget, make decisive decisions, and maintain role clarity and boundaries.
• Superior skills in relationship-building, public-facing representation, and engaging with funders, donors, and community partners to secure support for the organization.
• Demonstrated experience in integrating a diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility lens into all aspects of work, driving inclusive and equitable outcomes.

To receive the full Position Profile on this outstanding opportunity, or to submit your application, please contact EDGEPATH Talent Solutions:

Karen Hsiung: [e-mail] | LinkedIn

Laura McLennan: [e-mail]| LinkedIn

The application deadline is Friday, July 11, 2025, at 5pm ET.

All applicants and inquiries will be treated as confidential. We thank all applicants for your interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Niagara Children’s Centre is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for all stakeholders including our clients, employees, job applicants, visitors, and any other individual who enters our Centre or access our information. As an organization, we respect and uphold the requirements set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Customer Service Standard, and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations. If you require an accommodation(s) during the recruitment process, please notify the Partners at EDGEPATH.