Executive Director

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Executive Director

Friday, 2 October, 2026

Term:

Five-year mandate, renewable once

Start date

February 2027

Location

Montreal or another major Canadian region

The organization’s head office is in Montreal. Applications are welcome from candidates residing in other major regions of Canada, provided they can travel regularly to Montréal and throughout the areas served by the organization, as required by the position.

Deadline

Friday, October 30, 2026

The organization

Development and Peace — Caritas Canada, the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada, is a democratic movement for solidarity rooted in Catholic Social Teaching.

It addresses the root causes of poverty, oppression and inequality by working with partners in the Global South and by mobilizing Canadians in the common struggle for justice and dignity. It champions women and social movements as key agents of lasting change.

The organization brings together four inseparable realities:

A Catholic organization rooted in the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching, called to live and express its mission within the Church and in the public sphere;
A professional international development and humanitarian aid organization built on partner-led relationships. It’s the Canadian member of Caritas Internationalis;
A democratic, national, grassroots, bilingual and intergenerational movement comprising 13,000 members across Canada; and
A charitable organization whose employees are unionized, and which is governed by a volunteer National Council (Board of Directors).

For more information, please visit our website: devp.org

The opportunity

“Help advance a mission of justice, solidarity and hope!”

The organization is seeking an experienced, spiritually grounded leader with strong interpersonal skills to serve as its Executive Director. The successful candidate will ensure organizational stability while guiding the organization’s evolution and growth in a manner consistent with its mission. This is a unique opportunity to lead a national democratic movement and a professional international solidarity organization at a pivotal moment in its history.

Position summary

Reporting to the National Council and working closely with the President, the Executive Director provides strategic, operational and relational leadership for the organization. The incumbent ensures the fulfillment of the mission, the achievement of strategic plan objectives, and the sound management of human, financial and organizational resources.

The Executive Director embodies and promotes the organization’s mission, vision, values and approaches of the organization. They serve as an ambassador and exercise leadership that is synodal, participatory, unifying and empowering, fostering engagement, collective discernment and shared responsibility.

In addition, the Executive Director ensures rigorous operational management grounded in planning, accountability, risk management and results achievement, while supporting the development of the organization, its partnerships and its movement to ensure long-term sustainability.

Key responsibilities

Strategic leadership and governance

Advise the National Council and implement approved orientations and decisions while respecting the distinct roles of governance and management.
Work with the President to identify matters requiring consideration by the National Council or Executive Committee and support the effective preparation, participation and follow-up of governance meetings.
Translate the orientations adopted by the Orientation Assembly into strategic priorities and ensure their implementation within a sustainable development framework.
Ensure comprehensive accountability to the National Council and the organization’s various governing bodies.
Oversee enterprise risk management, legal and regulatory compliance, and the protection of people, personal information, assets and the organization’s reputation.

Organizational leadership

Guide and support the leadership team in achieving organizational objectives and ensuring operational effectiveness.
Foster a healthy, inclusive, motivating, safe and respectful workplace that supports collaboration, professional development and employee engagement.
Ensure sound management of human resources and labour relations in accordance with the collective agreement and organizational policies.
Encourage cross-functional collaboration, accountability, succession planning and leadership development within the organization.

Organizational and financial management

Ensure the effective and responsible management of the organization’s financial, material and information resources.
Support the organization’s long-term financial sustainability through revenue growth, revenue diversification and strategic partnerships.
Promote philanthropy as a shared organizational responsibility by strengthening fundraising campaigns and donor relationships.

Partnerships, international solidarity and advocacy

Develop and maintain lasting, trust-based relationships with Global South partners, the Caritas Internationalis network, national and international networks, and other stakeholders.
Ensure that the realities, needs and priorities expressed by partners and local communities guide programming, advocacy and mobilization initiatives.
Support the implementation of development and humanitarian assistance programs in accordance with organizational commitments and the standards of networks and institutions to which the organization belongs, including Caritas Internationalis.
Guide and support the organization’s advocacy activities with governments, institutions and relevant networks.
Maintain strategic and constructive dialogue with funders, governments, networks and allied organizations in support of the mission.

Movement, church and representation

Promote the organization’s values, vision and positions in spaces of dialogue and influence, from a perspective informed by social justice, solidarity and Catholic Social Teaching.
Maintain collaborative and trust-based relationships with members, diocesan councils, local communities, bishops, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and other Church stakeholders in a spirit of dialogue, listening and synodality.
Support the development, renewal and mobilization of the movement, including the participation of youth and diverse communities.
Serve as the organization’s principal spokesperson and ensure clear, prophetic, consistent and inspiring communications internally and externally.

Competency profile

Commitment to the organization’s mission, vision, values, approaches and Catholic identity;
Strategic vision and ability to execute;
Synodal, mobilizing, unifying and empowering leadership;
Sound judgment, discernment and managerial courage;
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
Ability to build partnerships and develop influential networks;
Integrity, transparency and credibility;
Ability to manage complexity, change and sensitive situations;
Political acumen;
Collaborative mindset and strong teamwork skills.

Experience and qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (administration, management, international development, social sciences or a related discipline);
Other relevant graduate-level education; master’s degree will be considered an asset;
Other relevant professional formations.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English and French is a must;
Knowledge of Spanish or another third language (asset).

Experience and knowledge

5 to 10 years of management experience in a similar leadership role;
Experience working with a board of directors;
Relevant experience in international development, humanitarian assistance, advocacy, citizen engagement or the non-profit sector;
Knowledge of Catholic Social Teaching and an understanding of the realities of the Catholic Church in Canada;
Knowledge of issues related to social justice, international solidarity and humanitarian assistance;
Knowledge of best practices in governance, strategic planning, risk management, human resources and financial management;
Knowledge of Caritas Internationalis and related ecclesial, community and international networks.
Experience in a unionized environment and collaborative labour relations (asset);
Experience in philanthropy, fundraising or revenue diversification (asset);

Position requirements

Availability for regular travel within Canada and internationally;
Availability for occasional evening and weekend work.

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application, including a cover letter outlining their interest in the position and commitment to the mission of Development and Peace — Caritas Canada, and an up-to-date résumé no later than October 30th, 2026, to rh.hr@devp.org. Please indicate “Application – Executive Director” in the subject line of your email.

Only candidates selected for the next stage of the process will be contacted.

The organization is committed to treating all applications confidentially and protecting candidates’ personal information throughout the recruitment process.

Commitment to equity, diversity and safeguarding

Development and Peace — Caritas Canada is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in its hiring practices and encourages applications from all qualified individuals who share its commitment to social justice, international solidarity and human dignity.

The organization is committed to providing a safe and respectful environment, free from all forms of exploitation, abuse, harassment, and mistreatment. To that end, it applies responsible recruitment practices aimed at promoting the safety and well-being of individuals.

Any candidate offered a position will be required to sign the organization’s Code of Conduct and undergo appropriate background checks based on the nature of the role.