David Suzuki Foundation: Executive Director

BES Executive Search is thrilled to be partnering with David Suzuki Foundation as they invite nominations and applications for the role of Executive Director.

David Suzuki Foundation

Executive Director

The David Suzuki Foundation acknowledges Indigenous Peoples throughout Canada, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis—more than 900,000 people living in around 630 Indigenous communities and in cities and towns across these lands.

David Suzuki Foundation (DSF) is a national non-profit organization headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with additional offices located in Toronto and Montreal. Since 1990, DSF has been an influential voice for social and ecological justice, working alongside Indigenous Peoples, community organizations, governments, businesses, and the broader public to drive positive change. Through evidence-based research, policy analysis, and excellence in communications, the Foundation is committed to ensuring the well-being of all life—now and for future generations. Grounded in the fundamental truth that humans are interconnected with nature—that what we do to the planet and its living systems, we do to ourselves—DSF inspires people across Canada and globally to act with care, courage, and a shared sense of responsibility.

It is within this context that the David Suzuki Foundation invites nominations and applications for the position of Executive Director. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a distinguished leader to join one of the world’s most respected environmental organizations—and at a pivotal moment where growing public awareness and momentum around sustainability create a strong platform for the Executive Director to accelerate action around the planet’s most pressing needs.

The Executive Director (ED) will be the organization’s most senior leader and public representative, advancing its purpose through inclusive, values-based leadership. Reporting to the Board of Directors and working in close partnership with the Cullis-Suzuki family, the ED will guide the development of a renewed organizational strategy rooted in systems change for social and ecological justice. They will support a national staff team, lead fundraising and donor engagement efforts, and steward the Foundation’s evolving legacy through programs, operations, and governance structures grounded in responsible science, communications, and justice while remaining committed to Indigenous Peoples’ rights and knowledge. As the Foundation’s lead spokesperson and relationship-builder, the ED will be a visible and influential presence across communities, industries, and sectors.

Qualifications

Among the qualifications being sought in candidates, the incoming leader must have a deep and abiding commitment to advancing reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility in all forms and must believe, intrinsically, in the importance of leading with curiosity and welcoming ideas that can later be synthesized and turned into possibility. While all candidates are encouraged to apply and, in so doing, share how they see themselves adding value to the DSF environment, the following credentials and/or experiences are seen as possible markers of the candidates most likely to realize success in the role: A) proven senior leadership experience, preferably within the environmental, nonprofit, advocacy, or movement-building sectors; B) experience with advancing ecological and social justice, Indigenous rights, and matters related to systems change, demonstrated through a blend of lived and professional experience; C) demonstrated ability to lead and deliver organizational strategies, implement change management, drive public engagement, and advance fundraising, as well as experience managing operational areas often connected to a senior leader’s accountabilities (e.g. finance, human resources, organizational branding, etc.); and D) an emotionally-intelligent communication style that promotes trust, collaboration, and inclusive dialogue.

This is not only a strategic and advocacy role—it’s also a people-centered one. Recent feedback from the DSF community highlights the need for a leader who is humble, authentic, and grounded. The successful candidate will be a relational leader who listens and communicates meaningfully, makes clear decisions, and leads with integrity. They will prioritize mentorship, learning and development as a collective, and will maintain an inclusive and values-driven workplace culture that supports well-being and a shared sense of purpose.

The salary range for this position is $180,000 to $200,000 CAD, commensurate with experience.

How to Apply

The David Suzuki Foundation is strongly committed to equity and diversity and to creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace. The organization especially encourages applications from equity-deserving groups, specifically Indigenous and racialized people, members of the LGBTQIA2S+, trans and gender-diverse communities, women, and people living with a disability, chronic illness and/or neurodiversity.

David Suzuki Foundation is partnering with BES Executive Search, a firm committed to ensuring every search mandate engages a pluralistic, inclusive, and intersectional range of candidates. Applicants are guided through what BES calls ‘The BES Experience’—a thoughtful, candidate-centered process that meets candidates with support and care at every point of the search process. All interested applicants are encouraged to apply by clicking HERE.

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), for applicants living with a disability, accommodation will be provided throughout the search process. Should accommodations be required, please make Helen Mekonen aware by emailing [email protected].

BES is deeply grateful to all who express interest in this opportunity and recognize the time and effort that goes into submitting an application. While only those most closely aligned with the position requirements will be contacted for an interview, all applications are reviewed with thoughtfulness and will receive correspondence from the firm as part of our commitment to delivering a respectful and inclusive candidate experience.