Executive Director

Cooperation Canada; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 140,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterinarians Without Borders North America is seeking an Executive Director to drive strategic leadership, enhance financial management, and cultivate donor relationships. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in international development, strong communication skills, and a commitment to animal health and community welfare. This full-time position requires travel and offers a competitive salary and benefits package, with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

Commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity

Qualifications

• Five to ten years in a senior role at an NGO.
• Experience in financial oversight and securing resources.
• Knowledge of Canadian and US regulations regarding charity management.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic direction and oversee financial management.
• Cultivate relationships with donors and stakeholders.
• Lead and develop a remote-based staff team.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Financial Management

Strategic Analysis

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Master’s degree in International Development or related field

Job description

Organization: Veterinarians Without Borders North America (VWB NA)

Location: Ottawa (currently working remotely), will require travel within Canada and internationally for up to 25 days a year

Reports to: Board of Directors

Salary: Base: $140,000-$150,000, negotiable based on experience and expertise

Term: Full-time, indeterminate

Application deadline: June 22, 2025. Interviews will be scheduled for the first week of July 2025

Anticipated Start date: August 4, 2025

Languages: English and French fluency desired

Position Overview:

Veterinarians without Borders North America (VWB NA) is seeking a proven leader with extensive knowledge of the animal and community health domains. Our ideal candidate possesses exemplary communication skills, and a leadership approach that is collaborative, respectful, and inclusive. A demonstrated history of leading through innovation, creativity, and sensitivity is required. You will be responsible for upholding and promoting a workplace culture that embodies the mission, vision, and values that define our organization. Your financial management experience is extensive and must include a deep understanding of cash-flow planning, budget development, and experience working with staff to ensure financial controls are in place and adhered to. A passion for fostering the health of animals, people, and the environments that sustain us is a prerequisite to success.

About Veterinarians without Borders North America

VWB NA is a humanitarian organization, comprised of Veterinarians Without Borders/Vétérinaires sans Frontières (VWB Canada), a Canadian charity founded in 2005, and Veterinarians Without Borders USA (VWB USA), an American charity established in 2023. Our combined mission is to strengthen animal health and welfare to build more resilient communities. We do this by enhancing veterinary care, bolstering community disaster response and recovery, championing sustainable livelihoods, and improving the well-being of animals, humans and ecosystems worldwide. Our organization engages in activities around the world related to the health of farm animals, domestic animals, and wildlife, as well as public and ecosystem health. Operating in over 13 countries and as part of the VSF International network (active in 55 countries), we address global challenges like zoonotic disease, food insecurity, climate change, and humanitarian crises that affect animals and the people who depend on them.

See https://www.vwb.org for more details.

VWB North America has identified unique areas of expertise in One Health, gender and climate change where the organization can achieve our mission. Essential to this approach is leveraging volunteer and expert networks in Canada and the USA, as well as overseas with our VSF International partnerships to mobilize resources toward implementing development projects. The VWB NA 2025-2030 strategic plan aims to enhance the organization’s work through four strategic directions:

1. Elevate and expand One Health globally by enhancing veterinary services that recognize the critical interconnections between animal, human, and environmental health.
2. Improve animal health and food security by providing access to veterinary services in identified underserved communities worldwide.
3. Respond to and mitigate the impacts of disasters by strengthening risk management and participatory capacities in all programs, offices and partnerships.
4. Scale impact and sustainable programming by deepening long-term partnerships and enhancing local capacity.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Director (ED) is employed by VWB Canada and also acts as ED for VWB USA in order to provide seamless leadership to the umbrella brand, VWB NA. Reporting to the Boards of Directors of VWB Canada and VWB USA, the Executive Director (ED) will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for VWB NA staff and network responsibilities including raising institutional and private funds, and providing oversight and guidance to global and national programs run by VWB NA.

Specifically, the ED will be responsible for ensuring that VWB NA financial, operations, fundraising, marketing, human resources, and infrastructure strategies are effectively implemented across all areas of the organization. The candidate will have considerable experience in leading organizational growth, financial management of international NGOs, and in public relations. The ideal candidate will have a comprehensive understanding of, and experience within, the development and humanitarian sectors and be able to confidently articulate the VWB NA role and mission in a compelling manner.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership and Program Oversight

• Drive the development and implementation of the overall strategic direction of VWB NA in accordance with the vision, mission, values, strategic direction and goals set by the Boards of Directors for Canada and the USA;
• Ensure the ongoing and consistent quality and delivery of finance, administration, programs, communications, fundraising and human resources functions; ensuring the budget, staff and priorities are aligned to achieve strategic goals;
• Act as a professional advisor to the Boards of Directors on all aspects of VWB NA activities, on issues and concerns internal to the organization, and on trends and emerging issues in the external environment;
• Implement VWB NA’s policies while continuously evaluating their effectiveness and drafting changes and/or new policies for board approval;
• Serve as ex officio member of board committees to seek and build active Board participation in achieving overall performance goals of VWB NA;
• Ensure effective systems to regularly evaluate organizational progress against goals;
• Lead, coach, develop and retain high-performing staff teams;

• Support staff in identifying and evaluating opportunities for VWB NA program expansion and management that aligns with strategic planning;
• Evaluate and assess emergency response opportunities, executing plans promptly where appropriate.

Finance, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure robust financial health and stewardship across both U.S. and Canadian entities;
• Oversee compliance with legal, charitable, and grantor requirements across jurisdictions;
• Identify and mitigate organizational risks and safeguard the integrity and reputation of VWB NA.

Communications

• Provide oversight to the senior management team that formulate and execute comprehensive marketing, branding and development strategies that will ensure consistency in VWB NA positioning, garner attention and support for national and global activities and priorities and enhance revenue from major donors, foundations, government agencies and corporations;
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications – from online to external relations;
• Function in a leadership, professional capacity with respect to media relations representing VWB NA as the main Spokesperson.

External Relations, Fundraising & Partnerships

• Serve as a powerful ambassador for VWB NA, building visibility and credibility with donors, governments, and partners;
• Oversee a diversified fundraising strategy that includes institutional grants, foundations, major gifts, and individual giving across Canada and the USA;
• Ensure that VWB NA donor tracking and stewardship systems are effective and meeting the needs of the organization, the staff that use these systems and VWB NA supporters;
• Cultivate relationships with philanthropic, corporate, government agencies and academic partners to advance VWB NA’s mission and sustainability;

Qualifications

Required:

• Master’s degree in International Development or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Five to ten years of experience in a senior role in a similar organization;
• A strong grasp of the social, economic, political and cultural realities pertaining to the international development sector and global animal health;
• Ability and confidence to act as the head spokesperson and represent VWB NA;
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating and maintaining relationships with donors and stakeholders;
• Demonstrated track record of securing resources from institutional and other donors for international development initiatives;
• Safety & security awareness and expertise, including willingness to travel to fragile contexts;
• Knowledge of and experience working in developing country contexts, preferably in some of VWB NA countries of programming;
• Superior oral and written communication skills: clear, concise, persuasive writing style;
• Sound understanding of gender and development issues, and commitment to gender equality;
• Strong capacity for strategic analysis and representation, including working with networks and developing partnerships;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated capacity to work in partnership in a cross-cultural context;
• Demonstrated ability for financial oversight in a leadership capacity;
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and supervise a largely remote-based staff;
• Extensive knowledge of Canadian and U.S. laws and regulations with respect to employment and charity management;
• Understanding of major donor fundraising trends and channels both nationally and internationally.

Preferred:

• Demonstrated experience in cultivating and maintaining relationships with Global Affairs Canada
• Fluency in both official languages of Canada
• Experience with emergency and/or disaster response

Remuneration

VWB NA offers a competitive salary with a comprehensive benefits package and is committed to equity, inclusion, and diversity in its selection process.

How to apply:

To apply, submit a cover letter and detailed resume clearly explaining how your skills and experience meet the expectations of the position description. Please submit your application to [e-mail]. Please write “Executive Director” in the subject line of the email.

VWB NA is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified candidates of all gender identities and from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to join our organization.

Application deadline: June 22, 2025.