CEO, The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals and the people who care for them. For nearly a century, the Humane Society has been a trusted community resource, providing animal sheltering and adoption, veterinary care, education, animal control, and a growing range of programs that help keep people and pets together.

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth is one of the largest animal welfare charities in Ontario. We operate an Animal Centre in Kitchener and an Animal Centre in Stratford. Together, we service all municipalities in Waterloo Region (except Cambridge) and Perth County, as well as the Township of Zorra.

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth is a registered charity that is self-funded and self-governed. While we hold fee-for-service contracts for animal control services, we receive no government funding for our charitable programs and services. We rely on the generosity of our donors to help people and pets within our communities and to provide animal welfare focused community education and outreach.

The Board is recruiting a new CEO.

What you bring to this role

• A transformational leader with a minimum of five years of leadership at a CEO level in a similar-sized nonprofit organization (HSKWSP has a revenue of $6.9 million and around 80 staff)
• Demonstrated experience leading major change and a business mindset (experience leading the business of the charity)
• Deep experience in strategic development and execution – operational experience. Uses “key performance indicators” (KPIs) to measure success.
• A proven track record in organizational people leadership managing a team of staff and volunteer. Takes a “results with kindness and respect” approach.
• Demonstrated business and financial acumen. Strong record of managing a budget and reporting on the results.
• Experience working with municipal officials and media as external ambassador
• Board governance experience reporting to/working with a volunteer Board of Directors
• General knowledge/capacity in the area of philanthropy & fundraising. The CEO will be supported by an external campaign consultant for the capital campaign.
• Strong ability to engage stakeholders and donors, cities, municipalities at a senior level
• Approachable, empathetic and collaborative
• Knowledge of risk assessment, risk management and risk mitigation to ensure the stability of the organization
• Education: A relevant university degree with specialized training in charity or not-for-profit management, or experience commensurate with such a level of education
• Assets: Passion for animals and experience working in animal welfare; capital campaign experience; multi-site experience

What HSKWSP offers you

• Compensation range of $170,000 to $200,000 commensurate with experience
• 4 weeks paid vacation
• Comprehensive Health, Dental & Prescription drug benefits
• 8 personal days
• RRSP Matching of 4%
• Opportunities for professional development and growth
• Access to staff pet food program (discounted retail prices)
• Access to staff veterinary services program
• An environment always filled with adorable animals
• Strong financial reserves
• A strong and effective board of directors

The Humane Society warmly welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and groups. We are committed to a culture of inclusivity and collaboration that celebrates diverse perspectives and voices.

The Humane Society is committed to an inclusive, barrier-free work environment. We will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities upon request.

Application Details

This search is being conducted by crawfordconnect, a search firm specializing in recruiting leaders for Canada’s nonprofit sector. For more information about the position, please contact Liz Latimer at [email protected].

Qualified applicants are invited to email their cover letter and resume by November 23, 2026 to Liz Latimer, Senior Search Consultant, at [email protected]. Although the deadline for applications is November 23, 2026, early applications are encouraged. The posting will be closed early with sufficient applications.

We thank all applicants for applying; however, only qualified candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Resume Accuracy

Please know that crawfordconnect verifies the contents of resumes and conducts background checks. If there is anything we need to know about, we ask you to disclose it as early in the process as possible.

Conditions of Employment

Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of satisfactory professional references and applicable background checks. Background checks will be conducted in accordance with applicable privacy and human rights legislation and will be relevant to the requirements and responsibilities of the position. Candidates will be informed of the nature and scope of any required checks and will be asked to provide consent before they are conducted. AI may be used.