Chief Operations Officer

CARE was founded in 1945, when 22 American organizations came together to rush lifesaving CARE Packages® to post-war Europe, ultimately reaching 100 million families around the world. Today, CARE works in over 110 countries every year. As a ‘dual-mandate’ organization, CARE is on the frontlines of humanitarian crises and tackles the underlying causes of poverty and injustice to deliver lasting change. CARE Canada’s bold Strategic Plan, From Caring Comes Courage (2021 – 2027), sets out CARE Canada’s commitment to bring our resources, talent, and expertise to unlock women’s leadership for a gender-just future. It recognizes that to lead change and realize a better life for herself and her community, every woman needs to be safe, healthy and have a dignified livelihood. It also fundamentally realizes that ‘business as usual’ is no longer good enough: this Plan challenges us to reimagine how we achieve our mission, inspire Canadian investment, and transform our organization to be future-ready. 

Reporting directly to the President and Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) provides strategic oversight and monitoring to key organizational functions, including strategy, information technology, finance, compliance, business systems, people and culture, and operational transformation and excellence. The COO provides executive leadership, ensuring strong support for strategic investment opportunities and ensuring contemporary, streamlined approaches to adapting and managing corporate processes, systems and functions that support the pursuit of our mission. The role engages in and contributes to the broader CARE International Confederation in relevant areas and initiatives. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), the COO leads initiatives to cultivate a culture focused on excellence, efficiency, impact and accountability. This role also models our values and principles, and exemplifies our commitments to protection and safeguarding, anti-racism and localization of our work. Bringing a values-driven approach, organizational change management and entrepreneurial acumen, the COO leads the functions of IT Operations and Security, Corporate Finance, Grants Finance and Compliance, Business Integration, and People and Culture, and supports CARE Canada’s broader strategic ambition and the business transformation that is required to realize our impact goal of unlocking her leadership for a gender-just future.

The ideal candidate will come with relevant qualifications such as postgraduate qualification in business management, organizational development, human resources, systems theory and change, or a related field, or equivalent combination of experience and education. A professional accounting designation is required (CPA, CA, CMA or equivalent) with a strong understanding of financial management, budgeting, strategic financial oversight, and experience in non-profit financial management. Fluency in French or Spanish is desired. Proven senior executive experience in complex operating environments, as well as strong leadership capability, with demonstrated experience in managing, inspiring and empowering multidisciplinary teams in changing environments. Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as demonstrated experience supporting and promoting gender, diversity, and inclusion issues.

Applications are encouraged immediately and should be submitted online at https://careers.odgersberndtson.com/en-ca/30010. For more information, please contact Diana Rucchin of Odgers Berndtson at diana.rucchin@odgersberndtson.com. We thank all those who express an interest, however only those chosen for further development will be contacted.

CARE Canada is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with the Accessible Canada Act, 2019 and all applicable provincial accessibility standards, upon request, accommodation will be provided by both Odgers Berndtson and CARE Canada throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.

Odgers Berndtson is deeply committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all the work that we do. As part of our efforts to better understand our ability to reach as broad a pool of candidates as possible for our searches, our EDI team would like to encourage you to take a moment and access our Self-Declaration Form.