Griffith Group Tapped by Habitat for Humanity Canada to Lead CEO Search
January 11, 2024 – Toronto-based executive recruitment firm Griffith Group has been selected by Habitat for Humanity Canada to lead in its search for a new president and CEO. Julia Deans announced that she will step down in June. Jane Griffith, managing partner and founder, and Caroline McLean, partner, are spearheading the assignment. Reporting to the national board of directors, the president and CEO is responsible for the National Office, providing consistent leadership to further the achievement of the organization’s vision and values, and with supporting the board of directors in fulfilling its policy and governance function.
Additionally, this executive provides strategic leadership to the Canadian affiliates on a diverse range of matters including federation strategic planning; operational programs; fund and gift-in-kind development; marketing and communications; external partnerships; government relations; affiliate engagement; and the global village program. The CEO will champion and embed equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDI & A), and reconciliation and indigenization, into all aspects of the organization. Finally, they will continue to foster and support a culture that encourages strong and respectful collaboration between national office staff, the affiliates, donors, community partners, and all levels of government.
As the ideal candidate, you are a proven leader who brings knowledge, and an understanding of affordable housing, governance, financial management, donor stewardship, institutional funding, change management and organizational strategy, according to Griffith Group. Your career includes progressive experience in senior leadership roles from a national organization of similar size and complexity, and experience from a non-profit organization or a registered charity within a federation structure is considered a strong asset. As a leader, the search firms notes that you empower high performance, mission-driven, and results-oriented teams, and have the required skill to influence change and manage complex, multi-faceted dynamic relationships, in this case, with all of the Habitat affiliates. As a national organization, proficiency in English is required, and bilingualism in French and English is highly desirable.
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Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national charitable organization founded in 1976. It brings communities together to help families build strength, stability, and independence through affordable homeownership and other housing solutions across Canada and around the world. With the help of volunteers, Habitat homeowners, and 46 local Habitat affiliates working in every province and territory, it provides a solid foundation for better, healthier lives in Canada.
Toronto-Based Recruiter
Founded by Ms. Griffith in 2021, Griffith Group is a retained executive search firm focused on senior-level recruitment for academic, not-for-profit, and broader public organizations across Canada. The firm is committed to supporting, championing, and advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Griffith Group is 100 percent owned by Ms. Griffith, who identifies in two equity-seeking categories, and is a certified diverse supplier company, through WBE Canada. WBE Canada certifies Canadian B2B businesses that are at least 51 percent owned, managed, and controlled by women. Griffith Group is also a member of the Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and a signatory of the BlackNorth Initiative, and of the federal government’s 50-30 Challenge.
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Ms. Griffith, a veteran search leader, is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer on hiring practices, with a specific focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives. She has spoken at conferences across Canada and at the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto. Prior to founding Griffith Group, she was a partner and national diversity leader with three national and global search firms. She also founded Griffith Research, with clients in Australia, Dubai, Canada, and the U.S.
Ms. McLean has expertise in the executive search process, with experience supporting a breadth of clients across the non-profit, post-secondary education, and healthcare sectors. She brings nearly a decade of experience in executive search for academic, non-profit, and public institutions, advising on appointments for administrative leaders, senior-level executives, and subject matter experts across Canada, the U.K. and continental Europe.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
