Position Summary

Reporting to the Co-Chairs of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) holds ultimate accountability for the leadership and operational success of NEXT Canada. The CEO is a visionary business leader who combines operational excellence with a forward-thinking approach to innovation.

The CEO is responsible for fundraising and revenue generation, governance, strategy, people management, alumni engagement, and brand stewardship. Beyond strong leadership skills, the ideal candidate will bring a founder’s mindset or deep venture capital experience, ideally having built and scaled ventures themselves or having supported founders from the investment side. This unique perspective enables the CEO to empathize with entrepreneurs, understand their needs, and foster an environment that accelerates their growth.

NEXT Canada welcomes applicants with a proven record of leading charitable organizations, alumni of NEXT Canada seeking to give back, founders who have successfully exited their ventures, and venture capital professionals eager to explore innovative financing models—including the potential to raise a fund supporting NEXT Canada’s participants and alumni ventures.

The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and innovation landscape, leveraging this knowledge to grow NEXT Canada’s impact and support Canada’s most promising entrepreneurs.

Key Responsibilities

This role spans six critical functions:

Revenue Generation / Finance / Operations (40%)

• Lead all fundraising activities to achieve ambitious revenue targets.
• Cultivate and steward donors, sponsors, and funding partners across corporate, foundation, government, and individual sectors.
• Oversee budgeting, financial reporting, legal compliance, and organizational operations.

Governance (20%)

• Manage board and committee meetings, ensuring effective governance practices and compliance with regulatory obligations.
• Maintain strong relationships with board members and governance partners.

Strategy (10%)

• Develop and execute short- and long-term strategic plans in collaboration with the Co-Chairs and Co-Founders.
• Monitor the competitive landscape and identify opportunities for program expansion and collaboration.

Human Resources and People Management (10%)

• Foster a positive organizational culture and provide leadership to a team of direct and indirect reports.
• Oversee HR planning, staffing, performance management, and remuneration.

Programs and Alumni Engagement (10%)

• Champion program excellence and alumni engagement, representing NEXT Canada at key events and fostering relationships within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Develop and deliver alumni-focused programming to support and grow the NEXT Canada alumni community.
• Maintain active partnerships with accelerators, universities, venture capital firms, and trade commissions.

Brand and Marketing (10%)

• Serve as the public face of NEXT Canada, ensuring a strong brand presence and thought leadership.
• Oversee publications, social media presence, and brand standards.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in complex organizational environments.
• Proven track record of success in fundraising and revenue generation.
• Exceptional governance, operational, and strategic planning experience.
• Strong people leadership, culture-building, and team management skills.
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building abilities with diverse stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, government, and business leaders.
• Deep understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and innovation landscape, including experience engaging with founders, venture capital, accelerators, and universities.

A competitive salary of $250,000+ (bonus eligible) and benefits package will be offered, commensurate with experience.

Application Process

A detailed position description, and candidate profile is available from kyle.winters@nextcanada.com. Candidates must submit a resume and cover letter to https://secure.collage.co/jobs/nextcanada/55081/apply by August 22 - 12noon.