Network Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Directeur exécutif du réseau (PDG)

Call for applications

Network Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 

Permanent full-time position

About Canadian Parents for French (CPF) 

CPF is a nationwide, research-informed, membership-based and volunteer-driven organization that promotes and creates opportunities for youth to learn and use French. With over 40 years of activity and 8 regional branches, the CPF recognizes the growing importance of bilingualism for all Canadians in today’s competitive environment. With a multidisciplinary team of about 12 professionals, the CPF coordinates National Awards, offers tutoring for children, advocates for the cause, provides resources to parents, and assists the branches that directly supports the members via services such as accounting, human resources, marketing, and staff sharing. 

Network CEO’S role

The Network CEO is the sole employee of the National Board of Directors with a broad scope of responsibility and accountability for all activities of CPF’s network office. This includes annual revenue and expense targets, and the setting and achievement of annual goals and objectives. The CEO is responsible for progress against the Network strategic plan. The CEO must act as a model of integrity and diplomacy, often working with sensitive and confidential matters. 

As the leading advocate of the CPF vision, mission, and strategic plan, the CEO serves on the National board and Network advisory councils and committees to ensure a consistent, professional image within the pan-Canadian organization. 

The CPF National Board, on behalf of the CPF Network, which comprises 8 regional branches across Canada, is currently seeking a fluently bilingual, strong leader and community builder to be its next Network CEO.

Summary of duties

The Network CEO is responsible for: 

• Optimizing Governance – Establishing Strategic Priorities and Direction 
• Overseeing Operational Management and Development 
• Leading People – Staff and Volunteer Capacity Building 
• Delivering Value – Programs, Advocacy, Services 
• Increasing Organizational Impact for Stakeholders

Responsibilities

Establishes Organizational Direction and Strategy 

• Leads organizational initiatives and develops relationships with existing and potential funders at the national level; 
• Acts as a role model demonstrating the ethics and goals of the organization;
• Facilitates dialogue to revise the strategic plan;
• Envisions and implements a long term financial strategy; 
• Leads development of risk management, marketing, and communication plans; 
• Seeks collaborations with stakeholders to be part of the Francophone and French as a second language communities and to achieve organizational objectives; 
• Communicates on behalf of the organization to maintain brand and organizational reputation.

Leads Operations, Financial and Human Resources

• Leads all aspects of human resource provisions, ensuring newly hired staff have the appropriate onboarding tools, training, and orientation to be successful; 
• Promotes a productive work environment, establishes clear roles, and builds a positive staff and volunteer culture;
• Ensures annual network staff performance appraisals are completed; addresses succession planning, actively monitors and fosters internal collaboration and innovation; 
• Engages in positive communications with all CPF branches and Offices, participating actively on Network advisory councils, National committees, Partner and Funder working groups and consultations; 
• Manages an annual network budget, aligning work plans to priority initiatives, and anticipates changes; 
• Approves expenditures within the authority delegated by the Board, and obtains Board approval for operating, capital, and fundraising budgets; 
• Oversees the development of projects and grants funding proposals;
• Ensures the organization’s annual reporting to funding bodies;
• Oversees the preparation of the annual financial statements and audit;
• Recommends professional development and facilitates training for self-growth for all Network staff and Boards to improve the impact of the organization. 

Delivers Value to Members and Stakeholders, Outreach  

• Leads in policy, program and advocacy development and delivery including media communications, and federal government relations;
• Support and stimulate the strategic thinking of ecosystem stakeholders;
• Establishes and maintains systems to monitor, evaluate and report the effectiveness and quality of network programs and services with clear performance metrics;   
• Establishes strong and close ties with key official languages’ partner groups and supports staff and volunteers including Board members to actively and constructively participate in events to improve French Second Language (FSL) opportunities in the community, provinces/territories, and nationally; 
• Promotes and oversees national events such as National awards and Annual general meeting;
• Serves as a key spokesperson for CPF in English and French, in partnership with Board members and Branch Executive Directors, and represents the organization before government, the media, and at partner/stakeholder meetings and events;
• Participates in symposiums, conferences, forums, conventions, and national network events to maintain the organization’s visibility with key stakeholders and influential partners;
• Stays abreast of legal, political, and social issues as they pertain to FSL learning, linguistic duality, and official languages in the province/territory and across Canada. 

Secretariat and proper functioning of the governance bodies of the National Board of Directors

• Assist the Board of Directors in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the organization's strategic plan and long-term directions;
• Plans and participates in the Board of Directors and committees meetings;
• Proposes strategic directions, bylaws, projects, partnerships, working conditions, and policies to the National Board of Directors, and ensures their follow-up;
• Oversees the organization of the meetings and preparation of the necessary documents for National Board of Directors meetings, its committees and Annual General Meetings;
• Keeps the National Board of Directors informed of the organization's current activities and ensures follow-up on the Board of Directors decisions;
• Engages and meets with the presidents and the COA of the branches.

Essential and Asset Qualifications

• Bilingual: strong ability to communicate fluently both verbally and in writing in English and French;
• A minimum of five years of recent, relevant, executive-level management or leadership experience in a not-for-profit setting is required; 
• Bachelor’s degree in political science, public affairs or organizational administration, or in a field related to the purposes of the position;
• Master’s degree in political science, public affairs or organizational administration, or in a field related to the purposes of the position will be considered an asset;
• Professional license, certification (such as Certified Association Executive designation), or graduate diploma in Non-Profit Leadership, Management and Philanthropy, Public Administration, Education, Business Administration, Communications will be considered an asset.

Essential Skills and Competencies 

• Passion for, commitment to, and knowledge and understanding of Canada’s not-for-profit landscape, official languages education, linguistic duality, bilingualism, and the federal and provincial legislation applicable to the sector;
• Knowledge of Board governance best practices and experience working with or reporting to a generative governance Board of Directors to oversee the implementation of organizational strategic plans;  
• Strong financial management skills and experience in financial oversight including budget preparation, forecasting, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting; 
• Proficient in the use of technology and online collaboration tools in monitoring and evaluating performance indicators;
• Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills, including the ability to develop and maintain a large network of contacts and team building skills;
• Strong advocacy abilities and politically acumen; 
• Well-developed strategic vision and unifying attitude;
• Professional ethics, self-reliance and excellent organizational skills;
• Demonstrated experience in: 
  • management, analysis, and evaluation of programs and strategies; 
  • relationship-building among a variety of stakeholders and partners, including government; 
  • creation and writing of project and grant funding proposal applications; 
  • active human resource management, leading a cohesive and innovative team; 
  • public speaking, preparing, and delivering briefs and publishing general interest articles; and, 
  • problem solving, engaging team members in a fast paced, dynamic environment. 

Remuneration and Work Conditions

• Salary: $110,000 to $150,000 dependent upon previous experience and education;
• Medical/dental, collective insurance plan, employer contributions to RRSP;
• 3 weeks of vacation and time off during the Holiday season;
• Reduced work schedule during the summer period (July and August);
• Cell phone provided and reimbursement of travel expenses related to job duties;
• 37.5-hour work week, Monday to Friday;
• This position requires some overtime, evenings, or weekends, as well as interprovincial travel outside the workplace;
• Although we encourage candidates from across Canada, and can accommodate remote work, staff of the national office are in Ottawa. Therefore, any remote work arrangement will include an expectation that the CEO will travel to the national office on a regular basis, the frequency of which will be determined with the successful candidate.

CPF is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to equitable employment practices. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status. We are happy to provide accommodations for those who require them - please communicate if accommodations will be required during the hiring process. Applicants must be eligible to work in Canada.

The National Board of Directors of Canadian Parents for French (CPF) has enlisted the services of Tango – HR Solutions to assist them in their recruitment process. 

All applications received will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Please submit your application (resume and cover letter required) by no later than Friday November 1, 2024 at noon to the following email address: kallard@tangoRH.ca with the subject line “CPF Network CEO”. 

Selected candidates must be available for an interview on Tuesday, November 12^th, afternoon and Wednesday, November 13^th morning, preferably in person, at the Tango offices in Gatineau. Chosen candidate should be available to begin work in January 2025.

The Board of Directors thanks all applicants for their interest. Only qualified candidates considered for an interview will be contacted.