Executive Director

Connor, Clark & Lunn Financial Group Ltd.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Connor, Clark & Lunn Foundation invites a strategic leader to join as Executive Director, reporting to the Board and directing governance, grants, and operations in a newly defined role. Based in Canada with a flexible hybrid model, the role leads governance, grants oversight, budgeting, and stakeholder engagement across CC&L affiliates and staff, aiming to deepen community impact nationwide.

The Executive Director leads governance, grant operations, and communications, collaborating with Board

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in charitable/nonprofit sectors in Canada
• Strong governance understanding and grantmaking knowledge
• Experience partnering with volunteer boards of directors
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on operations
• Excellent written and verbal communication with professionalism and diplomacy
• Strong financial management, budgeting, and reporting skills
• Proficiency with governance, communications, and reporting tools

Responsibilities

• Lead the Foundation's governance framework and strategic recommendations approved by the Board
• Oversee operational activities including financial, administrative, and internal resources
• Develop and maintain governance policies, reporting frameworks, and annual operating budgets
• Ensure statutory and regulatory obligations are met, including CRA compliance and reporting
• Maintain risk management frameworks and governance documentation with the Board
• Serve as primary liaison to the Board and support committee meetings and minutes
• Develop grant review processes and reporting to support decision-making and oversight
• Build and maintain grant tracking systems and relationships with stakeholders
• Lead internal and external communications strategy for the Foundation
• Represent the Foundation publicly and engage with CC&L employees and affiliates

Skills

Leadership

Board governance

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Tools

Financial reporting software

Job description

Interested in joining one of Canada’s top performing asset managers? We are looking for an Executive Director to join the Connor, Clark & Lunn Foundation for a newly created leadership role supporting the Foundation and its Board of Directors. The Connor, Clark & Lunn Foundation was established over 25 years ago to support philanthropy across CC&L Financial Group and its Canadian affiliates. Since 1999, the Foundation has distributed more than $15 million to over 700 charitable organizations across Canada.

The Foundation is now entering an exciting new chapter with a renewed governance framework, updated granting policies and procedures, and a dedicated Executive Director role to lead the Foundation’s operations and strategic evolution. This is an opportunity for a collaborative, purpose-driven leader to shape the future of the Foundation by strengthening governance, enhancing granting processes, engaging employees and partners across the firm, and deepening the Foundation’s impact in communities across Canada.

The Executive Director will report directly to the Board of Directors and serve as the Foundation’s sole dedicated employee, while drawing upon internal resources and support teams across CC&L Financial Group and its affiliates.

The position may be based in Toronto or Vancouver and operates within a flexible hybrid work model.

What You Will Do:

Foundation Leadership & Operations

• Lead the implementation of the Foundation’s new governance framework and strategic recommendations approved by the Board
• Oversee all operational activities of the Foundation, including coordination of financial, administrative, and internal support resources
• Develop and maintain operational processes, policies, and reporting frameworks to support effective governance and granting activities
• Support the development and implementation of annual operating budgets and ongoing financial reporting to the Board
• Ensure all statutory, legal, and regulatory obligations of the Foundation are met, including CRA compliance, receipting, record keeping, and reporting requirements
• Maintain and regularly review risk management frameworks, policies, and governance documentation with the Board

Board & Committee Support

• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors and support the Board in fulfilling its governance responsibilities
• Coordinate Board and committee meetings, including preparation of materials, agenda development, minutes, and follow-up actions
• Support the Applications Committee in reviewing grant applications and making recommendations to the Board using consistent and transparent criteria
• Develop reporting and tracking processes to support grant decision-making, funding oversight, and trend analysis
• Assist the Board in developing and reviewing governance policies, committee structures, recruitment practices, and an investment policy for the Foundation

Granting & Community Impact

• Lead the administration and due diligence process for all grant applications
• Develop and refine granting processes, funding agreements, and grantee reporting practices
• Build and maintain systems and databases to track grant applications, funding decisions, and historical disbursements
• Foster strong relationships with applicants, grantees, employees, partners, and external stakeholders
• Support employees and partners in connecting clients and communities to the Foundation’s work and impact

Communications & Engagement

• Lead the Foundation’s internal and external communications strategy
• Promote awareness and engagement with the Foundation across CC&L Financial Group and Canadian affiliates
• Develop and implement strategies for volunteerism, employee engagement, and the Foundation’s annual Week of Giving initiative
• Act as the primary public representative and spokesperson for the Foundation

What You Bring

• Leadership experience within the charitable or nonprofit sector in Canada, ideally within a granting foundation or philanthropic organization
• Strong understanding of the Canadian charitable and social profit landscape, including grantmaking practices and charitable governance requirements
• Experience working closely with volunteer Boards of Directors in a collaborative and strategic capacity
• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic leadership with hands‑on operational execution
• Exceptional relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence without direct authority
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a high level of professionalism, diplomacy, and emotional intelligence
• Strong financial management, budgeting, reporting, and organizational skills
• Experience leading projects, implementing process improvements, and managing competing priorities and timelines
• Comfort engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, including applicants, volunteers, senior leaders, and community organizations across Canada
• Experience developing communications, engagement, or volunteer initiatives is considered an asset
• Knowledge of statutory and regulatory requirements for Canadian charitable organizations, including CRA compliance obligations
• Strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and a commitment to transparency, accountability, and service excellence
• Proficiency with technology, reporting systems, and tools used to support governance, communications, and operational effectiveness

The salary range for this position is $100,000 to $150,000. The salary range provided reflects the base salary range for this position as required by legislation. In addition, there is an annual performance bonus which contributes to the total compensation for this position. Further questions may be directed to the HR team during the interview process.

#LI-HYBRID #LI-RD1

For a closer look at how you can build your career with us, we invite you to explore cclgroup.com .

CC&L Financial Group is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or expression, disability, or age.

Your application will be reviewed by a member of the hiring team - AI is not used in the screening, assessment or selection of applications at this time.