Chief Executive Officer - Child Development Institute (CDI)

100+ years of impact. Lead the next chapter.

ABOUT CDI

Child Development Institute (CDI) is a leading children’s mental health agency offering a range of services to over 5,000 children, youth and families in Toronto each year. Building on a legacy of more than 100 years, CDI provides services that are accountable, responsive and effective in supporting healthy child development through a scientist-practitioner philosophy that grounds practice in evidence.

CDI’s mission is to transform lives through innovative and impactful early learning and mental health services. CDI provides four streams of service: early intervention, family violence, healthy child development (including operating child care centres) and specialized mental health services for children and youth with learning disabilities. One of CDI’s broadest-reaching programs, SNAP® (Stop Now And Plan), is an evidence-based cognitive-behavioural model for children aged 6-11 with conduct disorders and disruptive behaviour. SNAP has scaled to over 200 communities worldwide (including 28 international sites), supported by 65 SNAP Affiliate Licensed sites serving an estimated 10,000+ children and families.

Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, CDI operates four offices, various community program locations and Early Learning Centres across Toronto and is accredited by the Canadian Centre for Accreditation. CDI is also an active member of Children’s Mental Health Ontario. CDI receives funding through all three levels of government, the United Way of Greater Toronto, foundations, corporations, service clubs, employee groups, and individual donors, as well as parent fees in our child care centres. CDI has strengthened its funding model in recent years, diversifying revenue streams and expanding its services.

THE OPPORTUNITY

CDI is seeking its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to build on the organization's strong foundation and lead it into its next chapter. In this dynamic role, the CEO provides strategic leadership of the Agency and is accountable for the overall effective and efficient management of the Agency’s operations, services, human resources, financial resources, physical locations and relationships with funders, referral agencies and clients.

Leading a highly skilled team of over 200 employees, the CEO provides oversight for CDI’s $24M budget and ensures that CDI is able to achieve its mission and reach its next level of achievement in the development of world-class, innovative evidence-based mental health programs that help transform the lives of children, youth and their families.

ABOUT YOU

As an ideal candidate, you are a visionary and collaborative leader with strong business sense and change leadership skills. Passionate about serving community through evidence-based programs, you have extensive experience establishing strong, productive relationships with researchers and practitioners, Board of Directors, staff, partner agencies, community organizations, government representatives, and a wide range of stakeholders. Recognized as an innovative and systems thinker, you garner excitement around a vision that centres equity and are comfortable operating in a fast-paced, multi-service environment where facts, evidence, research and evaluation inform decision making, growth and scaling opportunities. You are a clear communicator with strong presence and a leadership style characterized by respect, authenticity and inclusivity.

To the role, you bring an understanding of the Child and Youth Mental Health landscape along with 7+ years of senior leadership experience (ideally acquired in the Not-for-Profit sector) and a Master’s Degree (MBA, MPA, MSW, etc.) or equivalent experience.Strong financial acumen and experience managing a diversified funding portfolio for a community-based agency would be considered an asset.

If you share CDI’s passion for making measurable, lifelong impact on the mental health and well-being of children, youth and their families, we invite you to bring your talents and energy to this exciting and rewarding leadership role.

For more information on this outstanding opportunity, or to submit your application in confidence, please email: CEOCDI@pursuitadvisory.com

Applications will be considered as they are received until the position is filled. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

CDI aims to be deliberate in our consideration of diversity, defined as differences in race, colour, place of origin, religion, immigrant and newcomer status, ethnic origin, ability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability status and neurodiversity. We invite all qualified candidates to apply. CDI and Pursuit Advisory Partners are committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). To request accommodation at any stage of the hiring process, please contact sclark@pursuitadvisory.com. This document is available in alternate format(s) upon request.

Pursuit Advisory Partners has not used AI in the creation of this job posting, nor will it be used in the screening, evaluation or selection of candidates for this search.