Executive Director
Position Overview
Organization: Sheena’s Place
Title: Executive Director
Reports to: Board of Directors
Team: Seven + Contract Program Facilitation Staff
Location: Up to 4x/week in the office. To be discussed. When in office: 87 Spadina Road, Toronto (right next to the TTC subway stop!)
Compensation: $150,000 – $170,000, plus a comprehensive benefits and vacation package. Compensation will be determined commensurate with experience.
Is this you?
Sheena’s Place is an organization that is a beacon of hope for those living with an eating disorder, providing the only free service group therapy and support in Toronto (and virtually, in Ontario). Funded 100% by Foundations, Corporate and Individual donations, you could be the one to lead them into their next phase of growth, innovative programming and education.
You would be fully committed to improving the lives of those living with eating disorders, as well as those who are close to those affected. You want to be at the forefront of inspiring hope, reducing stigma and raising awareness by those impacted by eating disorders.
You are a natural fundraiser – fundraising is part of your professional toolkit. You are great with people and at building relationships. You aren’t bashful when it comes to approaching current and future donors to positively expand the reach and impact of the organization’s programs. You understand both the art and science of fundraising and can apply your experience to this unique community.
You are comfortable working with senior volunteers and sophisticated stakeholders (e.g., the organization’s portfolio manager, others in the ED space, etc.). You understand Board Governance because you’ve (ideally) reported to a Board of Directors or have sat on a board yourself.
You have led diverse and dynamic teams and although you may not have direct experience being a program developer or facilitator, you ideally have experience in the mental health space and understanding of health policy and legislation.
Does this sound like you? If so, please read on…
The Organization
Sheena’s Place offers group-based support to people aged 17+ affected by an eating disorder or disordered eating. Its professionally facilitated groups are completely free of charge and participants do not require an eating disorder diagnosis or referral to register. The organization is committed to inspiring hope, reducing stigma, raising awareness and offering meaningful help and information at all stages of recovery.
The organization has just completed the 3-year renewal of its Strategic Plan with a reaffirmation of its mission: providing accessible, compassionate support for individuals affected by eating disorders, while educating and empowering people to build healthy relationships with their bodies. The foundational pillars to support that mission (which encompass education, programming, and fundraising) have been explored and defined, producing a clear annual operating plan.
Emphasis in 2025 is being placed upon targeted fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and data collection and analytics to support data driven decision making.
The Position
The Executive Director of Sheena’s Place will be a passionate leader, advocating on behalf of the people that the organization serves at local and systemic levels. Our ideal candidate will continue to build on the vision of Sheena’s Place while being an inspirational communicator and ambassador for the cause. The Executive Director will ideally have some experience with health policy and legislation.
The Executive Director must quickly grasp the strategy within the broader context of mental health support and execute the approved strategic plan. They will play a pivotal role in ensuring the organization’s operational effectiveness, overseeing financial sustainability including fundraising and optimizing meaningful programming. The new leader will inherit a well-functioning team spanning fundraising, program delivery, community outreach, engagement, and finance, and will cultivate a positive work culture rooted in collaboration and innovation.
Strong operational expertise will be essential as the Executive Director leads Sheena’s Place through an upcoming likely period of economic uncertainty, requiring careful resource management and adaptive planning. Although Sheena’s Place has a healthy endowment, the incoming leader will proactively navigate any emerging financial challenges, while maintaining the integrity and accessibility of its programs.
Beyond operations, the Executive Director will build trusting relationships across all stakeholders, participants, facilitators, staff, donors, volunteers, and partners in the eating disorder and mental health space. Their interactions must always be sensitive, respectful and demonstrate understanding of the place of eating disorders within the mental health space and, more importantly, demonstrate an unwavering passion for Sheena’s Place’s mission.
The Executive Director will have fundraising experience and understand the underlying processes for both effectively engaging new donors, as well as retaining existing ones. They will understand how to evaluate the organization’s programming, balancing its offerings around those that are long standing and proven with new, creative, impactful options that address far-reaching community need.
They will also quickly learn how to reach out to the community effectively to broaden and deepen understanding of eating disorders. Education is an important component of the organization’s overall mission, namely outreach that provides information, resources and a community that empowers people to build healthy relationships with their bodies, particularly in the context of social media.
As Sheena’s Place approaches its 30th anniversary in 2026, the Executive Director will onboard swiftly and drive early operational successes leading up to this milestone.
The Executive Director must be a well-rounded operational leader, have proven fundraising successes, appreciate and work sensitively within the mental health sector, advocate to amplify Sheena’s Place voice, and deliver far-reaching, innovative and impactful programming.
Primary Accountabilities
Leadership
- Provide leadership toward implementing the strategic and operational plans of the organization with alignment to Sheena’s Place’s vision, mission and value statements
- Contribute to strategy formulation and translate that direction into effective operational plans
- Lead organizational change initiatives based upon the dynamic nature of the mental health services, non-profit environment
- Foster a positive and engaging work environment, encouraging innovation, teamwork and effective performance
- Work collaboratively with the Board (e.g., identification, assessment and communication of internal and external issues that affect the organization) to support their overall governance effectiveness
- As the chief spokesperson for the organization, enhance and protect the integrity and reputation of the organization by being active and visible in the sector and community
Fund Development
- Ensure the organization has an achievable fundraising plan to secure funding for the operation and future growth of the organization
- Lead and/or participate in the identification and cultivation of meaningful funding/donor relationships
- Diversify current fundraising by exploring and implementing digital fundraising, monthly and mid level giving, with a focus on donor acquisition
Financial, Risk Management and Governance
- Develop and manage the organization’s budget in collaboration with the Treasurer, Board Finance Committee and Bookkeeper. Provide quarterly financial reports to the Board, including communication of significant variances to budget and any other financial concerns
- Supervise the adherence to sound financial, accounting and risk management practices, control and accounting of funds, ensuring maximum resource utilization
- Identify and evaluate risks to the organization’s stakeholders, property, finances, human resources and image, and implement measures to capitalize on, control or mitigate these risks
- Ensure effective communications with the board and its committees, develop meeting agendas, and provide timely and accurate reports, presentations and supporting materials necessary for them to function effectively and make informed decisions
Program and Operational Planning and Management
- Ensure programs and services are aligned with the mission, vision and values, internal policy guidelines, donor reporting obligations and governmental/legal requirements
- Lead and support the staff with the input of the Clinical Advisory Committee in the development and management programs and services that are responsive to the needs of the community and the emerging trends within the sector, promoting high standards and innovative models, and ensuring the model of care is optimized
Human Resources Management
- Lead, guide, support, mentor, motivate, develop and coach the team in their operational objectives, thereby promoting staff retention and talent management
- Ensure the organizational structure and related resources, including both staff and volunteers, support the agency and program delivery operational requirements of the organization
- Implement a complete performance management process for all staff positions, including effective compensation, performance reviews, recognition, development opportunities and discipline processes
- Set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-limited goals as part of a personnel annual review process
- Ensure that there is a sound succession plan in place to deliver continuity for all roles within the organization and actively participate in the recruitment of roles that will contribute in the delivery of the organization’s mandate
- Develop and maintain relevant HR policies and ensure compliance with legislation
- Build, model and maintain a culture of collaboration, professionalism and adherence to organizational values
Community Relations
- Establish and maintain community connections to support organizational goals
- Represent the organization and articulate the organization’s mission, vision, values and position to funders, politicians, donors, other organizations, and the general public, and engage in relevant committees, task forces, or working groups
- Communicate with stakeholders to keep them informed and engaged and to identify emerging community needs and potential collaboration opportunities
The Ideal Candidate
Experience, Skills and Attributes:
- Relevant experience in a senior management or executive leadership role in the non-profit sector
- Experience in fundraising and fund development, particularly with major gifts, corporations and foundations
- Knowledge of the eating disorder community locally, provincially and nationally, hospital-based treatment centres in Toronto and GTA, eating disorder treatment and recovery frameworks, trauma-informed approaches and harm reduction principles are considered assets
- Experience with strategy creation and its subsequent execution
- Skilful in managing change in a small workplace environment
- Demonstrated ability to build strategic relationships with key stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to build meaningful staff relationships and cultivate a positive work culture
- Strong communications and advocacy skills with diverse audiences
- Demonstrated success in planning, coordinating and evaluating programs
- Knowledge in financial management and budgeting
- Ability to influence others including the team, community, donors, sponsors and other stakeholders
- Excellent management and self-management skills – fully able to lead a focused team (including volunteers) and to nurture a culture of diversity and inclusivity
- Passion for the mission of Sheena’s Place
- Embraces the positive impact of diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of the role: community outreach, programming, staff leadership and fundraising
- University degree in social work, business or other relevant area that would bring expertise to bear in the role as Executive Director
Application Instructions
Sheena’s Place is committed to having a team reflective of the diversity of the City of Toronto in general and of their participants in particular. We strongly encourage applications from members of groups experiencing barriers to equity.
Sheena’s Place is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code, Sheena’s Place will provide reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. During any stage of the recruitment process, please notify Lindsay Preston (lindsay@phcap.ca) of the nature of any accommodation(s) you may require. Any information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.
While there is no requirement to have had personal experience with an eating disorder, we recognize that many people become interested in Sheena’s Place as a result of lived experience. If this applies to you, we ask that you have been in symptom-free recovery and have not participated in Sheena’s Place programs for at least one full year before applying.
Preston Human Capital Group is conducting this search on behalf of Sheena’s Place. If you are looking for an outstanding challenge and you meet the qualification criteria, we look forward to hearing from you. This is a replacement role of an existing position within the organization.
Please include a cover letter and CV addressed to Lindsay Preston (lindsay@phcap.ca). The posting closes on May 30, 2025, at 5pm ET. Please note only qualified respondents will be contacted. Thank you for your interest.