Executive Brief
Chief Impact Officer
Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada
Position Description: Chief Impact Officer
Position Description
The Chief Impact Officer (CIO) is a senior executive position, reporting to the President/CEO. This role has overall strategic and operational responsibility for the Foundation’s child welfare impact efforts. The CIO will develop and implement strategies to advance the Foundation’s mission and strategic vision to achieve better outcomes and ultimately impact systemic change for the children and families involved in Canada’s child welfare system(s). The position will be part of the senior leadership team, which drives the overall strategic plan for the Foundation.
The CIO will lead the Impact Team, overseeing the creation of child welfare impact strategies, as well as annual operational plans in alignment with the Foundation’s areas of focus and priority populations articulated in the Foundation’s Strategic Plan.
The CIO will oversee the Foundation’s grants program and the application of approaches to address and positively impact the Foundation’s priority populations: children and families at risk, children living in government care, and youth transitioning out of care.
This role maintains strong knowledge of child welfare, equity and inclusion, and social change issues. The role cultivates relationships in the non-profit, public and private sectors to inform, leverage and maximize the use of resources and effective community solutions. This position provides leadership in developing, promoting, and maintaining solid partner collaborations with corporations, foundations, donors, agency partners, social scientists/academics, other non-profits, and provincial and federal government partners.
The CIO oversees Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada’s (CAFC) evaluation process, which defines what is measured to demonstrate impact through collaboration with partners to learn from findings and improve overall impact. This work includes convening partners, building coalitions, forging common agendas, organizing community awareness, initiating grants, overseeing third party evaluation and measurement of program investments, and leveraging other external resources.
Successful candidates must have the professional presence and depth and breadth of experience to credibly represent Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada publicly. Success also requires a commitment to high-functioning partnerships within all areas of the foundation, including fundraising, donor relations, operations, data analytics, marketing and communications, and volunteer engagement. This position requires a commitment to being data-informed in developing and executing strategies, with clear metrics and outcomes identified.
Specific Accountabilities
Vision and Strategic Planning
- Works with CEO and senior leadership team to advance the Foundation’s strategic plan, annual goals, and other priority initiatives.
- Leads CAFC’s impact investing strategy as it relates to CAFC’s priorities, and according to child welfare partners needs, and funder’s interests.
- In conjunction with President & CEO and staff, leads in creating, building, and maintaining mutually beneficial collaborative efforts across stakeholder groups, especially the CAFC’s network of child welfare and community partners, and specifically Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (founding partner of CAFC). Supports CEO with presentations to Board when required.
- Presents CAFC’s impact and social change strategies, activities, and outcomes publicly as needed and promotes CAFC at external meetings, including thought leadership events.
Community Impact and Direction
- Oversees, maintains, and continuously strives to improve the policies, procedures and systems which initiate, evaluate, and monitor grants, and programs funded by CAFC.
- Provides guidance and monitors all grant-making and program initiatives including special projects and collaborative efforts with other agencies, foundations, organizations, and corporations.
- Works with CAFC’s Finance and Administration team to provide responsible reporting on impact efforts and presents strategic outcomes as appropriate to the Board and other pertinent stakeholders.
- Maintains a strong working knowledge of the child welfare and social change environment to monitor the needs of the Foundation’s priority populations and programmatic work of non-profits within the communities served by foundations and community funds.
- Reviews, oversees, and coordinates with Development team all grant applications to government (and other NGO) funders to ensure alignment with CAFC’s Strategic Plan.
- Leads on the promotion and support of the Board’s Equity and Inclusion Community Council and provides data and KPIs for the Council to present to the Board.
- Participates in internal and external agency activities, networking, and collaboration with community professionals on related activities.
- Serves on community committees, task forces and Boards, as appropriate. Attends meetings of the senior leadership team at Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, and other interagency meetings relating to CAFC’s programs, community practice tables, Board of Directors, and committee/council meetings, as appropriate.
Team Leadership and Management
- Leads the Impact team, fostering a high-performance team culture reflected in CAFC’s values (VOICE): vital learning and innovation, open communication, inclusion and diversity, care and compassion, and empowering accountability.
- Ensures a team environment of collaboration, measurement, coaching and goal achievement.
- Ensures that processes, procedures, and assignments of responsibilities are designed to meet team goals in an efficient, optimal, and effective manner.
- Creates and monitors the Impact team budget for approval by CEO and Board.
- Identifies annual fundraising priorities for the Development Team.
- Assists the Development team with budgets and program design required in major funding proposals and Letters of Agreement with funders and donors.
- Ensures budgets are developed for approved project and program expansion activities, in partnership with the Finance and Administration and senior leadership teams.
- Works collaboratively with the senior leadership team in creating the organization’s overall budget by providing accurate information and the best forecasts possible.
The Ideal Candidate Profile
As an ideal candidate, you are a highly driven, focused, and experienced leader, skilled at building strong relationships and communicating with diverse audiences at any level. You are a natural networker who seeks evidence-based solutions to systemic problems in a thoughtful way. You are motivated by purpose, have a bias to action, and are passionate about serving the community that CAFC supports. Given your strategic thinking, analytical skills and focus on continuous improvement, you are seen as a catalyst for change and growth, aligning strong program development with measurable outcomes. You are a highly accountable and inspiring leader who energizes and engages the teams you work with to foster a culture of transformation, inclusivity, and excellence in all aspects of your impact work. The organization will benefit from your sound judgment, decisiveness, and your ability to be a thought leader, both internally and externally, at the senior level.
Education:
- A bachelor’s degree in business administration, social work, public administration, or a related field. A master’s or doctoral degree with relevant experience is preferred.
Experience:
- Senior leadership and staff supervision experience in a non-profit, corporate, or similar organization, with a level of complexity and visibility consistent with CAFC.
- Experience developing and executing strategic plans.
- Experience prioritizing key efforts and making critical mission driven decisions.
- Experience communicating in a persuasive, credible manner, in person, in digital settings, and in writing and presentations.
- Experience with stakeholder engagement at every level both government and public facing.
- Experience creating operational plans and budgets and with accountability for results.
- Strong analytical and evaluative skills.
- Knowledge of the non-profit sector and experience in leading and facilitating teams and cross-sector community coalitions.
- Ability to contribute to the broader leadership of the organization through active participation as a member of the senior leadership team.
- Integrity and ability to represent CAFC credibly, professionally, and with a strategic vision.
- Proven success navigating and leading cross-functional teams and cross-community partnerships to elevate partner and organization efforts.
- Expertise in developing complex logic models and program evaluation frameworks.
- Computer proficiency in all Microsoft components and in database management software (Blackbaud Grantmaking preferred).
Competencies:
The CIO should be/have:
- Mission Driven and Goal Oriented: The CIO should have demonstrated experience in impact-informed strategies and fundraising and be respected by stakeholders as a leader in the sector. This experience is a defining attribute of the ideal candidate and should be a particular strength of any candidate to be considered by the Board.
- Strategic Thinker and Thought Partner: The CIO will be adept at identifying key priorities for CAFC to engage and focus on and structure long term partnerships and programs to be designed to target these priorities. The CIO will find creative solutions to meet current and future challenges.
- Advanced Communication Skills: The CIO should articulate their thoughts clearly, and present information in a straightforward and logical manner. The CIO shares information with others, actively (and willingly) and listens to varying points of view. He/She engages with all stakeholders and advocates nationally as the voice of CAFC .
- Management Skills/Experience: The CIO is a natural leader and has demonstrated experience in strategic leadership and in directing and leading staff to accomplish organizational goals and objectives.
- Knowledge of the CAFC community: Ideally, the CIO will have a first-hand understanding of the domain in which CAFC functions and will be able to maintain and develop strong relationships and partnerships that will ensure the Foundation continues to meet its strategic and fundraising goals.
- A “Values driven Leader”: The next CIO should be optimistic by nature, be known for their unwavering integrity, and be a passionate ambassador for CAFC whose personal and professional goals and mission align with those of CAFC.