Headquartered in London, Ontario, Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes is one of five separately incorporated regional Goodwills in Canada and one of 150 internationally. Now one of the largest territories following the adoption of the Toronto regional territory and the merger with Goodwill Essex, Kent, Lambton, Goodwill Ontario Great Lakes (Goodwill) currently employs approximately 1,200 people and generates annual revenues in excess of $60 million.

Goodwill’s numerous social enterprise platforms, including donated goods, thrift retail, recycling, logistics, food and hospitality, industrial sewing, commercial services and light manufacturing, create jobs and unite caring and business to develop individual and community potential. Goodwill’s commitment also goes beyond providing a job and a paycheck, with a strong program emphasis on life coaching, wellness, training, access to education, career advancement, poverty reduction and social inclusion. The accomplishments detailed in the Community at WORK 2021-22 Impact Report are a wonderful testament to the collective teamwork, dedication, customer service, agility, resilience and, above all, spirit with which Goodwill’s  mission is embraced.

Goodwill’s mission, social enterprise, and inclusionary approach has never been more relevant. A door open to people who are marginalized and often shut out of society; a belief that everyone can work and that work itself is the power behind dignity, sustenance, and prosperity for people and communities; a focus on reuse, recycling, and circular strategies that protect rather than extract natural resources; and a compassionate, restorative, and empowering approach to building potential in everyone – is Goodwill’s formula for building inclusive and prosperous economies that embrace all people.                                                 

The Opportunity

Goodwill is readily responding and adapting successfully to a number of impactful changes to the landscape of work. The environment in which these changes are occurring is a society that itself is facing radical disruption as the world confronts ever-increasing pressures related to social injustice and inequality, a widening gap in prosperity, escalating inflation, technological advances, continued globalization, climate change, a war in Ukraine, and a persistent and lingering pandemic.

Goodwill’s current strategic plan (Vision 2025) outlines four overarching objectives guiding the growth of the organization while ensuring it continues to embrace change and disruption, seize opportunity and innovate, and stay true to its critically relevant mission and values.

With the pending retirement of the incumbent, the Board of Directors has initiated the search for Goodwill’s new President & CEO (CEO). Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is the senior organizational leader, guiding day-to-day strategic management decisions in alignment with Goodwill’s mission, vision and values. The CEO oversees all aspects related to mission, policy and strategic and annual business planning, legal and regulatory compliance, operational management and administration, governance and Board relations, financial performance, and philanthropy and fund development.

In assuming this leadership position, the new CEO will need to:

• Become immersed in the organization, learning about all aspects of its people and unique business model, and gain the confidence and trust of all stakeholders.
• Continue the execution of the current strategic plan, providing further focus, clarity and prioritization as required to successfully achieve growth goals and community impact.
• Forge and cultivate relationships with partners, funders, donors, employers and communities, embracing the power of collaboration on all initiatives.
• Ensure organizational structure, resources, processes, systems and tools continue to evolve to support growth and a culture of care, wellness and resilience.
• Actively participate with Goodwill Industries International on network-wide initiatives and best practices.

Goodwill has cultivated an excellent people-first brand, strong relationships with partners and communities, sound financials, and a reputation for innovating and delivering employment opportunities and effective support programs to help people overcome barriers to gain access to work and reach their full potential. For this new CEO, this is a wonderful opportunity to work with committed and passionate staff, Board and partners, and play a leading role in the evolution of work that strengthens and sustains communities.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following competencies, skills and experience:

• Brings passion for the mission and understands and lives the Goodwill Values, embedding I. C.A.R.E. into all decisions including strategy, policy creation, interactions, and negotiations and inspires all others in the organization to espouse the Goodwill Values every day.
• Visioning and strategic planning ability and can understand the position and potential of the organization, inspires commitment to a vision of where to go, innovates/stimulates ideation in others, and can put together a workable plan to achieve goals.
• Engages, develops and motivates others, embracing a people-first culture that fosters enthusiasm and mobilizes the team to learn new skills, and to perform at their best and to their full potential in achieving organization strategy and goals.
• Collaborative relationship building and partnering, with the ability to foster a climate for collaboration and identify, develop and manage internal and external networks, alliances, and partnerships to accomplish shared objectives.
• An effective communicator with all audiences, internally and externally, with the ability to convey information respectfully and clearly across a large, geographically-dispersed organization by listening actively, seeking to understand and demonstrating openness and sensitivity to others’ perspectives, and persuading and influencing others to build and maintain support for ideas and initiatives.
• Committed to building a sustainable organization, ensuring the balance of economic efficiency, social equity and environmental accountability including incorporating sustainability practices and policies and embedding sustainability into day-to-day practices thus creating economic value, healthy ecosystems and strong communities.
• Senior leadership experience in an organization of comparable scale, ideally in non-profit or relevant business sector (retail, manufacturing, hospitality, environmental), with an understanding of good governance principles.
• Brings business acumen, an entrepreneurial approach to leadership, and the systems-level thinking needed to tackle the complex social challenges at the heart of Goodwill’s mission and operations.
• Brings humility, humanity, courage, compassion and empathy to their work.

Goodwill Industries is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment where all employees and members feel valued, respected, and supported. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we live and serve, and where every team member has the opportunity to reach their full potential.