Chief Executive Officer

The Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) is the national voice for General Surgeons in Canada, representing over 1,700 members. Through investments in education and research, CAGS provides the tools, support and resources for its members to achieve excellence in surgical care. Our advocacy efforts aim to improve the functioning of surgical care systems and practices and to improve access to quality surgical care in urban and rural settings, across Canada. For more information on strategic initiatives and member services, visit www.cags-accg.ca.

Reason for the Search

With a progressive Board of Directors and dedicated staff, the Canadian Association of General Surgeons is seeking the recruitment of a CEO who can naturally inspire and motivate a broad range of stakeholders and motivate innovative approaches to planning for the next evolution of service delivery and delivering a compelling member value proposition. The role requires a collaborative, influential, experienced leader with a passion for advancing the profession of general surgery and its subspecialties.

The current CEO is retiring and will be available to assist with a smooth transition.

The Position

Reporting to the Board of Directors and responsible for the overall strategy implementation of the organization, the CEO focuses on developing long, medium, and short-term strategies, resources, alliances/partnerships and connections to major stakeholders, internally and externally, to achieve the strategic objectives and operational plans while ensuring that the Canadian Association of General Surgeons is responsive and supportive of member needs throughout their professional lives.

The primary focus of this position is to provide leadership and direction for achieving the mission, vision, and strategic priorities based on the visioning and priority-setting work of the Board while leading staff to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization. The CEO will implement the policy and planning work of the Board of Directors while being accountable for achieving the strategic, financial, and operating objectives of the Canadian Association of General Surgeons.
The CEO is responsible for overseeing, or directly undertaking the work noted in the attached appendix. The position is very hands-on, especially as related to finance, compliance and reporting.

The Canadian Association of General Surgeons has partnered with surgical sub-specialty societies for a shared staffing model through a management agreement. The CEO for CAGS is also responsible for the operational management of these societies. It also provides in kind management to the Canadian General Surgery Foundation.

Qualifications, Experience and Qualities

The preferred candidate will possess experience in a related leadership capacity. While a University Degree coupled with postgraduate studies or an advanced level degree in management will be considered an asset, equivalent experience is also highly valued.

The ideal candidate can demonstrate understanding of not-for-profit governance and experience working with a volunteer Board, preferably experience working with Canadian national or provincial medical specialty societies or other experience working with volunteer doctors or medical providers. In addition, the ideal candidate would understand membership organizations, knowledge of program development, implementation and evaluation processes; knowledge of planning processes and budget preparation; financial procedures; managing budgets; knowledge of leadership strategies and the ability to inspire staff, volunteers, and stakeholders for success. Additionally, understanding of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada’s mandate and accreditation and MOC requirements and processes would be valuable.

As a champion of innovation, service excellence, and stakeholder engagement, the ideal candidate is a confident decision-maker who can forge successful relationships and quickly gain and maintain the respect of colleagues, staff, stakeholders and the Board. The CEO must be approachable and insightful, be able to maintain focus on priorities, be an effective communicator, and set an example of professionalism, integrity, and values driven leadership. They must also be happy to roll up their sleeves to do what is required to support a small team depending on ebbs and flow of work and directly support admin and operational requirements.

Bilingualism in English and French would be considered an asset and enable to the organization to provide enhanced services to francophone members.

Team & Work Culture

CAGS has a total of 6 staff with a varied set of expertise and experience that provide services across 6 unique organizations. Staff include Membership & Communication Manager, Education Manager, Conference Manager, Conference Assistant and Administrative Associate. CAGS has a productive and effective fully virtual working environment. Given requirements for evening meetings to accommodate the schedules of surgeons who volunteer on committees and boards, CAGS encourages staff to flex their time for work life balance and supports individual needs in this regard. At busy times all team members step up to support each other, working outside of their direct job when required. The CEO is expected to also create opportunities for individual staff to flourish in their unique strengths and expertise. As financial capacity grows, there is opportunity to hire to add additional skill sets and provide opportunities for staff to spend more time on their specific areas of expertise.

Remuneration

CAGS is offering an exceptional executive leadership opportunity, and an attractive total compensation package comprising a competitive annual salary, with vacation and benefits.

Those interested are asked to provide a resume and cover letter in confidence to Carol Broderick at carol@cags-accg.ca by March 15, 2026.

Organizational Priorities

The CEO is responsible for overseeing, or directly undertaking, the work noted in the following domains:

Financial Management: Ensures sound management for a sizeable CAGS operating budget including developing and reporting against an annual budget, maintaining financial controls and developing effective policies and procedures to ensure the prudent management of funds. Also manages finances for CSF and 5 other organizations. The CEO ensures other compliance and insurance actions are taken and in place for all organizations. Most of the finance and compliance tasks are completed by the CEO directly with support of a contracted bookkeeper who prepares monthly financial reports and liaises with the auditor during annual audits for all societies.

Association Management: CAGS currently manages 4 subspecialty surgical societies, with potential for expanded delivery to new societies as operations permit. As such, the organization has and will continue to build capacity for shared services and technology. The CEO for CAGS is also responsible for implementing the direction of these societies as per their Board of Directors. For these organizations, the CEO has oversight of operations including website maintenance, member communication, member enrollment, dues collection, quarterly executive meetings, preparation for the Canadian Surgery Forum (of which all are program partners), annual general meetings, financial management and reporting, annual scientific meetings and annual research grant competitions including awarding of funds to recipients. CAGS currently manages the Canadian Hernia Society (CHS), the Canadian Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (CSCRS), the Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology (CSSO), and the Canadian Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (CHPBA).

Charitable Foundation: CAGS houses the Canadian General Surgery Foundation which supports annual research operating grants and other programs for general surgeons at all stages of practice. CAGS staff provide in-kind management services to the Canadian General Surgery Foundation, including governance, finance, fundraising and deployment of funds, including disbursement of research grants.

Conference Management: CAGS is the host organization of the Canadian Surgery Forum (CSF), the largest surgical conference in Canada, and is responsible for all operational requirements and planning. The CSF is a partnered conference comprising six surgical societies which guide the direction and program of the conference through a collaborative MoU. The number of conference partners is expected to expand in 2027. The CEO works closely with the conference team on day-to-day decision making and implementation. CAGS also supports scientific meetings of partner societies as per management agreements.

Governance: CAGS has approximately 22 committees and working groups, including an Executive Committee of the Board and the Board of Directors. Additionally, CAGS manages the governance for the Boards and committees of 4 partner societies and a charitable foundation. The CEO sits on all Boards and on the CAGS Executive Committee and is responsible for developing policies and procedures with respect to onboarding, offboarding, appropriate nominations and succession planning for leadership roles.

Stakeholder Management: CAGS builds and maintains strong working relationships with a variety of different stakeholders with similar goals. Stakeholders include the provincial surgical associations, international surgical organizations, the academic community, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and others.

Reputation Management: CAGS represents CAGS members in various contexts as a respected and credible face and voice for its members, including at the annual Canadian Surgery Forum, midterm Board meetings, partner events, and CMA CEO Roundtable. Further, the CEO must be diligent to anticipate issues that may impact on the organization’s reputation and proactively mitigate those risks.

Member Programs Development: CAGS proves oversight into the development and delivery of innovative, value-added programs for CAGS members and ensures that programs align with the vision and strategy of the association. Committees and staff create new initiatives to better meet the needs of CAGS members and develop strategies to increase membership nationwide.

Education Development: CAGS has invested heavily in capacity to create and deliver education to members. Committees and staff develop and deliver in person and virtual educational programs for members that meet their professional and surgical needs. CAGS has a learning management system and ongoing growth of content for members is a key priority for the organization. Education provided includes the annual conference, in-person courses, virtual patient cases, online courses, and longer-term courses.

Resident Resources & Annual Exam: The association also provides an annual examination for all general surgery residents in Canada to help prepare them for their certifying exam. CAGS staff manage the annual resident examination by working with the Examination Chair to ensure smooth delivery, including the exam delivery platform, outside contractors, reporting and billing of the examination. CAGS also provides support and resources to residents throughout their residency program.

Accreditation Provision: CAGS is an accredited provider of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). CAGS manages internal accreditation processes to maintain the status of accredited CPD provider under the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Work with the CPD Committee to manage the CPD planning process for the organization. Review accreditation applications from other physician organizations.