Executive Director

About Northern Ontario Angels

Northern Ontario Angels (NOA) is a not-for-profit corporation that facilitates essential business connections between Northern Ontario’s entrepreneurs and accredited angel investors.

With a mission to create more informed investors and better prepared entrepreneurs, NOA’s goal is to stimulate increased investment capital into Northern Ontario companies to help them succeed. This is accomplished by improving the flow of investment capital, investment education, and management expertise into high-growth potential northern companies.

Since inception, NOA has been instrumental in 416 deals being completed as of June 2021, with total Investment Results of $599.5 million dollars.  The companies received investments from NOA members valued at over $183.4 million dollars.  Approximately 50% of the deals are in technology companies.  The jobs protected in these investments include over 5,095 full time/part time jobs.

NOA is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, with the majority living and working in various cities across Northern Ontario. Directors include individuals from a variety of entrepreneurial and investment backgrounds. They are specifically selected for their unique connections, expertise, and influence to advance the NOA vision and mission.

About the Role

As NOA’s new Executive Director, you’ll be instrumental in sustaining and enhancing the success of the organization by working effectively in collaboration with a voluntary Board of Directors and committee, while determining people’s strengths and skills, and organizing them to work with companies to grow the economy in Northern Ontario.

Reporting to the Northern Ontario Angels Board of Directors through the Chair, you’ll be the Board’s official link to the operating organization, owning overall accountability to the Board for day-to-day NOA operations, performance, and direction within its mission and policies, and exercising all authority transferred to the organization by the Board.

Collaborative in your approach, you will act as a professional advisor to the Board, participate in the strategic and employee development, and growth of the organization. In this capacity, you’ll take on the responsibilities – jointly with the Chair – to ensure that the working relationship between the Board and the Executive Director is supportive, positive, and productive, including mutual, ongoing, constructive feedback. You’ll also ensure that all employees and contractors understand and respect the organizational structure.

Innovative and dynamic, you’ll be responsible for implementing the vision, mission, strategic direction, and policies of the Board; from managing daily operations, to implementing an effective, ongoing strategic planning process. This will include reporting on the status of the current operating plan and matters that could affect longer-term organizational success while overseeing and ensuring the successful completion of annual goals, ensuring compliance with all legal and contractual obligations, and assuming the responsibility of the NOA Privacy officer.

For this executive mandate, human resources management, financial management, and community relations will be some key areas of accountability. An experienced and vibrant leader, you will motivate, supervise, and manage all NOA employees and contractors, ensuring appropriate allocation/scheduling of resources within the approved budget under the direction of the Treasurer. You will protect and manage NOA’s assets and financial health, prepare and submit funding applications, submit reports to FedNor, NOHFC and other funding agencies, review and pursue funding budgets outlined by the Board, and ensure that appropriate financial control systems are established and maintained. An excellent communicator, you will network with other groups and agencies to support operations, funding proposal development, and economic development within Northern Ontario while preparing presentations, responding to media requests, and managing media relations.

Qualification, Knowledge, & Skills

A post-secondary degree in Business (or another closely related disciplines), or a demonstrated equivalent combination of education, and a minimum of five years of business experience, will have prepared you well for success as Executive Director. In this key role, you’ll also call upon the following knowledge, skills and experience: 

  • Related experience in a senior capacity (public or private sector) in a business-related field.
  • Strong understanding of Regional Innovation Centres (RICs), with in-depth knowledge of angel investing and the inter-relationships with RICs.
  • Strong analytical skills.
  • Proven supervision and organizational skills.
  • Ability to multi-task.
  • Familiarity with all business sectors.
  • Strong strategic and operational planning skills.
  • Strong business and financial management skills.
  • Ability to prepare business cases and operating plans.
  • Technical proficiency, e.g., Office systems, software, and Internet research.
  • Ability to travel extensively across Northern and Southern Ontario to close deals and attend events and conferences.

This is a challenging and rewarding mandate for an energetic business professional and team player with a high level of maturity, and the ability to communicate clearly and concisely while leading and motivating employees. This role requires the flexibility to manage multiple tasks and meet work demands, often on a last-minute basis. Due to the nature and requirements of the job, you must reside in Northern Ontario.

Bilingualism (French and English) would be considered an asset.

To apply for this unique executive leadership role in economic development, submit your application to Phelps, at careers@phelpsgroup.ca, specifying the job title in the subject line of your e-mail. Application deadline: September 23, 2021.

Northern Ontario Angels is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate against qualified applicants based upon any protected group status, including, but not limited to, race, colour, creed, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability or medical condition as defined by applicable equal opportunity laws. 

1113 Jade Ct, Suite 104, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6M7
Phone: 807-345-9638