The Director of Programs role at Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society (TWHLS) is a rare opportunity to lead transformative, culturally grounded programming within a deeply impactful Indigenous-led organization.
As the Director of Programs (DoP), you will be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, responsible for shaping, strengthening, and expanding programs that centre Indigenous women’s voices, lived experiences, and pathways to wholeness. You will ensure that all programs are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and aligned with TWHLS’ mission to break cycles of systemic harm and create opportunities for thriving.
If you are a strategic, skilled and compassionate leader who can demonstrate your commitment to decolonial, anti-oppressive, and community-driven approaches, TWHLS is the place for you.
ABOUT THUNDER WOMAN HEALING LODGE SOCIETY (TWHLS)
Founded in 2016, by Executive Director Patti Pettigrew, TWHLS provides trauma-informed, culturally grounded services to Indigenous women (First Nations Status and Non-Status, Inuit and Métis), including 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, who are involved with the justice system or impacted by intergenerational trauma.
Through a continuum of care model, TWHLS delivers wrap-around supports including housing, pre-release planning, aftercare programming, outreach, and basic needs support — all rooted in restoring balance, reclaiming identity, and supporting long-term healing.
For more information about TWHLS and our programs and services, visit our website
THE DETAILS
Target Start Date:
September 1, 2026
Location:
The primary location for this position is Toronto, ON. This is an on-site role.
The DoP usually works in the TWHLS office and lodge environments; however, the mandate of the organization may require work in our communities and in non-standard workplaces.
Salary Range: $105,000 - $115,000 per annum
Vacation and Benefits:
TWHLS offers a comprehensive extended health and benefits plan, vacation accrual (4 weeks per year), 4 paid days per year for personal leave, 13 paid statutory holidays per year, and a welcoming collaborative work culture in locations that are close to transit.
Hours:
This position is a full-time permanent position, 37.5 hours a week.
There may be an occasional requirement to work evenings, weekends, and overtime hours to accommodate activities such as programs, community meetings, Board meetings and representing TWHLS at public events.
ROLE OVERVIEW
The Director of Programs leads a team of managers and staff to provide strategic and operational leadership across all programs and services. They are responsible for stewarding relationships with key system partners and ensuring that programs and services are responsive to justice, housing, and community systems that impact Indigenous women (First Nations Status and Non-Status, Inuit and Métis), including 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. This position reports directly to the Executive Director and works collaboratively with leadership and program teams to foster a culture of learning, innovation, accountability, and care.
REPORTING TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IN THIS ROLE YOU WILL:
- Lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of all programs and services
- Supervise, support and mentor Program Managers and staff
- Operationalize TWHLS’ mission through program strategy and delivery
- Provide oversight of housing and residential programming
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key partners including the Ministry of the Attorney General, Solicitor General, Correctional Service Canada, and the City of Toronto
- Develop and oversee program evaluation frameworks
- Collaborate on program budgets and financial planning
- Represent TWHLS in sector tables, community initiatives, and public engagements
WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS:
- Experience or lived expertise working in processes that can meaningfully centre the voices of Indigenous (First Nations Status and Non-Status, Inuit and Métis) women, including 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals involved with or exiting the justice system.
- Demonstrable knowledge and lived experience of diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultural practices, teachings, and ceremonies, including a strong understanding of Indigenous protocols across communities in what is now known as Canada.
- Experience or lived expertise in, and deep commitment to, decolonizing and anti-oppressive principles and practices.
- Demonstrable values alignment and an unwavering ability to support the vision, mission and objectives of TWHLS, which includes a strong intersectional analysis on an anti-oppression, anti-racism, and pro-Indigenous praxis and possesses significant understanding and knowledge of systemic barriers and oppression rooted in colonization, racism, transphobia, classism, misogyny, moralism, ableism and how these impact Indigenous women, including 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.
- A post-secondary education in non-profit management, social service work, and/or public administration, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Strong administrative leadership experience with a minimum of 5 years as a Programs Director or a minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in senior leadership roles within non-profit, housing, social service and social impact sectors.
- Experience with capital projects, from planning to operation.
A demonstrated ability to work effectively and maintain professional relationships with a broad range of funders, community organizations and government.
- Experience in supervising, mentoring, and performance managing a multi-disciplinary and diverse staff.
- Superior judgment skills and ability to make quick, insightful decisions.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Self-starter energy and skills with a strong work ethic and the ability to manage and direct numerous complex tasks.
- High level of technological acuity, including Office 365/MS Office tools (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive), Visio, Project, DocuSign/Adobe and various online portals hosted by individual funders.
APPLICATION PROCESS
TWHLS is an Indigenous women’s organization, and we take our commitment to promoting the restoration of identity for Indigenous women including 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals seriously. Due to the nature of the organization’s culturally based social services, TWHLS encourages applications from Indigenous people (Section 24 (1) (a), Special Employment, Ontario Human Rights Code). Those applicants who self-identify as Indigenous-First Nation (Status and Non-Status), Inuit and Métis in their cover letter will be interviewed as priority. A successful applicant will pass the TWHLS identity vetting process.
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter (maximum 1 page) and resume in a PDF format using this form. Your cover letter should let us know why this is your job! Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis as received up until June 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m EDT.
TWHLS is committed to providing accommodation upon request at all stages of the hiring process. If you require accommodation during the hiring process, please contact us at talent@thereconsulting.ca.
This is a newly created position. Artificial intelligence will not be used to screen, assess, or select applicants for this position.
No telephone inquiries please. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. For more information on Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society, please visit https://twhls.ca/