Leaders International Seeking CEO for The Native Canadian Center of Toronto  

June 3, 2021 – Leaders International, an executive search firm with eight offices across Canada, has been enlisted to find a chief executive officer for the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT). Leading the assignment are consultant Mike Eagar and Sarah Piotrkowski, search associate.

The new leader will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of the strategic plan, including operational, financial, administrative, and human resource activities with a $6 million revenue and in accordance with the policies established by the board of directors.

A relationship builder and an innovator, the CEO will be charged with leading a team of 70 individuals and bringing a strong foundation of policy and strategic development, governance, communication, leadership and change management, working in partnership with the board. “At its forefront, the newly expanded scope of the CEO’s role will focus on re-energizing the wisdom, knowledge and experience of the seniors and Elders to preserve the history, traditions, and culture to be entrusted with the community,” said the search firm. “The CEO will provide leadership to the NCCT by acting as liaison with government, public and private partnerships, ensuring services are reflective of the community’s needs, and advancing strategic initiatives that benefit Canada’s urban Indigenous population.”

Key aspects of the role include board governance, financial accountability, operations, and human resources planning and management.

Leading and Motivating

NCCT is seeking a highly motivated and innovative thinker who is passionate about bettering the lives of the Indigenous community. “With the proven ability to successfully operate and grow an Indigenous not-for-profit organization, you will bring excellent relationship-building skills to engage a diverse range of potential funding partners, to lead advancement initiatives, and to establish the necessary network for the NCCTs future success,” said Leaders International. “You will see the Indigenous population as strong, resilient, gifted leaders of tomorrow and serve as an advocate for these members of society.”

The new CEO must lead and motivate the staff towards a shared vision for the organization, said the search firm. Acting as a catalyst in creating future opportunities, the CEO should be a driven leader with the energy to undertake the continued growth of the NCCT. Prospects must also be well versed in the areas of human resources, finance and executive administration.

An undergraduate degree in business, community development, etc. is required for the role; an MBA or an equivalent is preferred. Candidates should have a minimum seven years of proven experience in progressive leadership roles with oversight of largescale project and program management in social services and non-profit environments required. Strong people leadership with the ability to motivate, support and develop team members is critical.

Leaders International said that candidates must also have knowledge and cultural sensitivity of Indigenous cultures, values, history and traditions. Knowledge of one or more Indigenous languages would be an asset. Strong knowledge of Toronto’s urban Indigenous community, their needs, and external community resources is required. Prospects should also have knowledge of ceremonial protocols.

Serving Canada

Leaders International Executive Search was formed in 2018, bringing together Davies Park Executive Search (established in 1989), Higgins Executive Search (established in 1999) and Leaders International (established in 2008). Its leadership team is represented across the firm’s offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. The firm’s services include executive recruitment, board of directors and leadership succession.

Mr. Eagar is an executive search professional with experience across Canada. He is a member of the firm’s Indigenous markets team and Ottawa office. He has completed over 100 executive search assignments at the director, executive director, vice president, president and C-suite levels spanning across multiple industries including retail, engineering, academia, government and non-profit to name a few. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Eagar worked in various industries including retail and insurance. His experience working in the inspection and engineering departments provided him with a strong basis for research, analysis, project management, information technology, and customer service.

Ms. Piotrkowski holds a  master’s degree in chemistry from Queen’s University and a bachelor’s degree in honors chemistry from the University of Ottawa. She was the recipient of the NSERC – CGS M scholarship during her master’s degree and NSERC – USRA scholarship during her bachelor’s degree. While at Queen’s University, she was vice president external for the Queen’s Graduate Chemistry Society and was a co-chair and organizer of the Queen’s Chemistry Graduate Symposium. Ms. Piotrkowski’s previous experience is in retail, administration and academic research, allowing her to have a well-rounded understanding of many industries.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media