Chief Executive Officer NB SPCA
Chief Executive Officer
New Brunswick SPCA · Retained search led by Hawthorne Recruitment
Fredericton, New Brunswick
The New Brunswick SPCA is the lead voice for animal welfare in the province. After a period of significant progress, it is ready for its next chapter, and for its next Chief Executive Officer.
This is not a caretaker role, and it is not a turnaround. The foundation is built. The work now is to build the structure on top of it: to grow the organization's reach, resources, and influence, and to lead a healthy, ambitious organization into its most significant chapter yet.
About the Organization
The NBSPCA operates two arms under one roof. A charitable arm that advances animal care and welfare across the province, working largely through a network of fourteen independent partner shelters and programs such as veterinary assistance. And an enforcement arm with statutory authority for animal protection under provincial law.
That enforcement mandate is wider than most people expect. It spans companion animals and agricultural animals alike, and can extend to large-scale livestock situations. The work is demanding, often urgent, and it sits at the intersection of animal welfare and human wellbeing.
The organization is on strong footing. Government funding has grown significantly in recent years, with additional revenue from municipal contracts and donor support. Operations are stable, the enforcement team is well staffed, and a board-approved strategic plan sets direction through 2028. It runs on a budget of roughly $3.5 million with a team of 24, including a unionized enforcement team. Real opportunity remains in donor development, community outreach, and operational modernization.
The Mandate
Reporting to an engaged, trusting board, the next leader will:
- Grow philanthropic revenue well beyond its current capacity, and raise the organization's public profile through education, community outreach, and corporate giving.
- Strengthen government relations and advocate for the modernization of animal welfare legislation. This work has produced real results, and it has to be actively maintained.
- Secure financial sustainability, building on recent government funding and diversifying revenue so the mission rests on more than one source.
- Deepen collaboration across the network of independent partner shelters, working through partnership and shared purpose.
- Modernize financial, HR, and administrative systems.
- Lead a unionized workforce, including collective bargaining, with confidence.
- Hold the emotional complexity of animal welfare work, including public scrutiny, diverse stakeholder interests, and difficult operational decisions.
The Temperament
This is a small organization with a large mandate. The CEO thinks years ahead and still does the hands-on work today. Early on, expect more doing than delegating.
“You have to care deeply about the cause, and keep the common sense to go with it. Let the emotion keep you driven, but never let it drive you.”
— A member of the NBSPCA Board
Who we are looking for
You are an experienced executive with range, who pairs strategic vision with a willingness to handle operational detail, and who leads through complexity without losing credibility with stakeholders. You translate vision into clear plans, priorities, and metrics. You are an inclusive, values-based people leader, a genuine relationship builder, and a confident public spokesperson who can tell this organization's story.
This is likely not the right role for a pure administrator, a caretaker content to maintain rather than build, or someone drawn to the cause without the executive range to lead it.
Qualifications and Experience Valued, Though Not Required
- A bachelor's or master's degree in business, community development, social sciences, public administration, or a related field. A CFRE, CPA, CPHR, or PMP designation is an asset.
- At least ten years of progressive leadership in the nonprofit, business, government, or community sector, including five or more years managing people and budgets.
- Experience with board relations, governance, and strategic planning.
- Strong financial literacy and oversight.
- Depth in HR, performance management, and program evaluation.
- A record of accomplishment in fund development, major gifts, and philanthropic planning.
- Excellent written and verbal communication.
- An authentic, durable connection to New Brunswick or Atlantic Canada.
- Experience in nonprofit, charitable, or health-charity leadership.
- Bilingual capability in English and French.
Real room to make a mark
A board that trusts its leader and stays out of the operating weeds. A cause that moves people. And a rare first-mover opportunity: there is no dominant philanthropic voice for animal welfare in New Brunswick today, and the NBSPCA is positioned to be it. For the right leader, that is real room to make a mark.
Apply Today
We welcome both applications and confidential conversations. Apply today through Hawthorne Recruitment where we are committed to Matches Made Meaningful.
The New Brunswick SPCA and Hawthorne Recruitment are committed to an equitable and inclusive search. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, and accommodations are available on request at any stage of the process.
Required career level
- Executive/Leadership