Executive Director - Faye Peterson House (Crisis Homes Inc.) Thunder Bay, Ontario
Salary Range: $105,000 - $125,000
Faye Peterson House is seeking a visionary and values-driven Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter of community impact. This is an exciting leadership opportunity for someone passionate about advancing safety, equity, and justice for women and children experiencing violence.
Faye Peterson House provides emergency shelter, support services, and second-stage housing for women and children experiencing violence. The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership, oversee operations, strengthen partnerships, and champion the organization’s mission within the community.
About the Role
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic direction, health, and operational success of the organization. The Executive Director works closely with staff, volunteers, community partners, and funders to advance the organization’s mission and ensure high-quality programs and services.
This role serves as the public face of the organization, building strong relationships across the nonprofit, government, and private sectors while ensuring the organization remains responsive to existing and emerging needs.
Key Roles & Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
●Work with the Board of Directors to establish and implement the organization’s strategic vision and priorities.
●Provide leadership in the development and execution of organizational and financial plans.
●Monitor sector trends and emerging issues in gender-based violence and ensure programs remain responsive and effective.
●Establish clear performance measures and ensure strategic goals are achieved.
Organizational Management
●Provide overall leadership and management of organizational operations, including human resources, finance, governance, risk management, and program delivery.
●Build and lead a collaborative, high-performing team of staff and volunteers.
●Foster a workplace culture grounded in feminism, anti-oppression, equity, and inclusion.
●Ensure operational and fiscal integrity and accountability.
●Oversee facility operations, including maintenance, safety, and building functionality
Fundraising and Resource Development
●Lead fundraising and resource development initiatives.
●Identify, cultivate, and steward relationships with donors, funders, and corporate partners.
●Promote a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
Financial Management
●Oversee the development and implementation of the organization’s annual budget and business plan.
●Ensure sound financial management, reporting, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
●Monitor financial performance and organizational sustainability.
Community Leadership
●Serve as a key spokesperson and champion for the organization.
●Build strong relationships with community leaders across nonprofit, government, and corporate sectors.
●Strengthen partnerships that expand the organization’s impact and services.
Qualifications & Experience
●Bachelor’s Degree, preferred in Business, Public Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree considered an asset); or an equivalent combination of education, training, and senior leadership experience in the nonprofit or related sectors.
●7–10 years of senior leadership experience, preferably in the nonprofit sector. Experience in the violence against women sector is an asset.
●Experience working with Boards of Directors and volunteers; or extensive senior strategic leadership experience in the management of organizations of comparable size or mission.
●Strong understanding of feminist analysis and issues related to gender-based violence.
●Strong experience in strategic leadership, team development, and relationship building.
●Strong experience managing budgets, organizational operations, and complex stakeholder relationships.
●Strong experience navigating unionized environments and collective agreement frameworks.
●Experience working across multiple sectors, including nonprofit, public and corporate environments.
●Experience in developing partnerships, building teams, and conflict management.
Working Conditions
●Primarily office-based with occasional community engagement activities.
●Must be able to occasionally meet after or before normal business hours.
●Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
●Must be comfortable working in an environment where risk of injury or harmful effect may be possible.
●Must provide and maintain a clear and satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check.
●Some evening or weekend work may be required.
●Occasional travel may be required.
Commitment to Equity
Faye Peterson House is committed to equity and inclusion. We encourage applications from individuals who reflect the diverse communities we serve.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit a resume and cover letter outlining their qualifications and interest in the role to Coral McCaul at cmccaul@fayepeterson.org by May 25, 2026 at 4:00pm
Faye Peterson House (Crisis Homes Inc.) Job Description - Executive Director
As a visionary, the Executive Director (ED) is directly responsible for the health and performance of Faye Peterson House, the success of its operations, strategic planning, fundraising, financial management, and overseeing program delivery. Internally, the ED will focus on establishing a vision for community impact that is achieved through the efforts of a diverse team of high performing managers, staff and volunteers. Externally, the ED works across private, public and corporate sectors to increase community awareness as it pertains to the Violence Against Women (VAW) sector.
The ED is accountable to the Board of Directors (the Board) and is responsible for setting measurable goals that advance the common good by developing, resourcing, scaling, and leveraging strategies to drive broad investment and community impact. The ED establishes long-term relationships with key stakeholders and acts as a public figure, promoting and advancing the organization’s mission.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Major roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Strategic Management
●Knowledge, understanding, and commitment to principles of gender-based violence response, anti-racism, anti-oppression, decolonization, equity, and inclusion; able to build bridges and weave these principles into all aspects of the organization, including its culture and policies/processes.
●Serves as the principal resource to the Board and its committees and gives strong direction in policy formulation and interpretation.
●Partners with the Board and the leadership team to craft organizational goals and develop strategies to ensure that they are achieved.
●Ensures coordination and alignment of all Faye Peterson House activities to strategic direction in the areas of community impact, resource development and staff alignment.
●Institutes transparency in Faye Peterson House operations to engender public trust in financial stewardship and to provide the highest level of service to the public.
●Provides leadership in developing programs, organizational and financial plans with the Board and staff, and carries out plans and policies authorized by the Board.
●Maintains a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the field and locally.
●Ensures key performance indicators are being met and where there is room for improvement, action plans are developed.
●Serves as the organization's primary media spokesperson, engaging with local, regional, and national media to raise awareness of gender-based violence and promote Faye Peterson House's programs and services.
Organizational Management
●Maintains strict confidentiality of all organizational, operational, and service user information, exercising sound judgment and professionalism to prevent unauthorized disclosure during and after employment.
●Works from an anti-racist, anti-oppression lens and commitment to social justice radically anchored in relationships.
●Fosters and nurtures a culture that promotes equity, justice, collaboration, innovation, respect, and empowerment with the core belief that women are creative, resourceful, and whole.
●Guides the organization and ensures effective day-to-day management of human resources, accounting, finance, risk management, quality, and governance.
●Responsible for building and leading high-performing teams, ensuring all teams are aligned and collaborating to achieve organizational results.
●Maintains accountability for the operational and fiscal integrity of the organization within the policies approved by the Board.
●Assesses organizational capacity to implement strategies and identify gaps in systems and staffing.
●Clearly and fairly sets expectations and holds self and others accountable with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
●Directly supervises leadership positions, and the Outreach Program, Family Court Support Worker, Transitional Housing and Support Program and Sexual Violence counsellors.
●Supports and recognizes volunteers and staff of the organization.
●Ensures that goals of inclusiveness and diversity among staff and volunteers are met.
●Oversees facility operations, including maintenance, safety, and building functionality.
Resource Development
●Drives key results in fundraising to identify, cultivate, and solicit prospective donors and key leaders of prospective new corporate partners.
●Leverages personal and professional contacts and relationships into fundraising opportunities.
●Promotes a culture of philanthropy in the organization, both at the staff and Board level.
Financial Management
●Responsible for developing and obtaining the Board’s approval for the organization’s annual business operational plan, including the financial and budget requirements to deliver on achieving that plan’s desired results.
●Assures the accuracy and integrity of the organization’s financial information, reporting and disclosure requirements, internal controls and management information systems.
●Complies with applicable legal regulatory, ethical, and other compliance requirements.
Community Impact
●Responsible for the overall impact of Faye Peterson House on the community, with particular emphasis on increasing its capacity to drive the impact agenda.
●Works closely with the Board to craft and adapt the strategy to achieve this increased impact, including raising funds to support it.
●Establishes and builds relationships with top leaders in the community, including those representing the highest levels in business, government, and nonprofit sectors.
HEALTH AND SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES
●Follows and implements the duties include those specified under the Occupational Health & Safety Act, Sec. 25 –duties of the employer, Sec. 26 –additional duties of the employer, Sec 27- duties of a supervisor, Sec. 28 – duties of a worker.
●Seeks out and corrects unsafe acts and hazardous conditions, ensuring all safety and non-safety workplace rules and regulations are followed.
●Ensures compliance with all quality, safety, environmental, and housekeeping standards, policies, and procedures.
●Responds immediately to items brought to attention with respect to hazards, defects, incidents or non-compliance issues.
●Communicates responsibilities and authorities relevant to the Employee Health and Safety management system to workers.
●Understands and upholds the principals of Bill 132 which prohibit domestic violence, workplace violence, sexual harassment, and workplace harassment.
●Attends Environmental, Health and Safety training and promotes continual improvement.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
●Year-over-year growth
●Program Effectiveness
●Client Satisfaction
●Employee Satisfaction and Retention
●Strategic Goals Met
●Organizational Development
●Community Impact
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
●Bachelor’s Degree, preferred in Business, Public Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree considered an asset); or an equivalent combination of education, training, and senior leadership experience in the nonprofit or related sectors.
●7–10 years of senior leadership experience, preferably in the nonprofit sector. Experience in the VAW sector is an asset.
●Experience working with Boards of Directors and volunteers; or extensive senior strategic leadership experience in the management of organizations of comparable size or mission.
●Strong understanding of feminist analysis and issues related to gender-based violence.
●Strong experience in strategic leadership, team development, and relationship building.
●Strong experience managing budgets, organizational operations, and complex stakeholder relationships.
●Strong experience navigating unionized environments and collective agreement frameworks.
●Experience working across multiple sectors, including nonprofit, public, and corporate environments.
●Experience in developing partnerships, building teams, and conflict resolution.
CORE COMPETENCIES
●Strategic leadership and organizational vision
●Team leadership and capacity building
●Fundraising and resource development
●Community and stakeholder engagement
●Financial and operational management
●Program effectiveness and impact measurement
●Interpersonal soft skills, communication, and relationship building
●Risk and quality management
WORKING CONDITIONS
●Primarily office-based with occasional community engagement activities.
●Must be able to occasionally meet after or before normal business hours.
●Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
●Must be comfortable working in an environment where risk of injury or harmful effect may be possible.
●Must provide and maintain a clear and satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check.
●Occasional evening or weekend work may be required.
●Occasional travel may be required.