Executive Director

About CAMFED & CAMFED Canada

The Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) is a pan-African movement revolutionizing how girls’ education is delivered. Through a gold standard system of accountability to the young people and communities we serve, we have created a model that radically improves girls’ prospects of becoming independent, influential women. We’re a grassroots-led movement tackling poverty, inequality and injustice through girls’ education and women’s leadership.

CAMFED Canada was established as an independently registered charity, supporting the work of CAMFED. Together, we have set a formidable goal to provide 5 million vulnerable girls in Africa with intensive support to gain education by 2030. What differentiates our work is that, deeply rooted in over 30 years of partnership with schools, communities and government, we have grown an alumnae organization of over 312,000 educated, young, African women. These members of the CAMFED Association are re-investing their educations into their communities and nations through their service leadership, and philanthropy. CAMFED’s impact evidence shows that each member of the CAMFED Association supports, on average, three more girls to go to school. CAMFED’s model is unlocking the power of educated young women to transform program design and delivery in their countries. At the same time, it is driving a new understanding of how local and global philanthropy, when recognized as co-equal, together drive amplification and sustainability.

A recent partnership with the Mastercard Foundation will support the transition of 62,000 girls in Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Malawi into secondary and tertiary education, employment, and entrepreneurship. This effort will also support CAMFED’s ongoing work with governments in Africa to improve education systems for millions of young people.

Canadians have a powerful role to play. As part of the global consortium, CAMFED Canada provides the opportunity to be part of this powerful global movement that is unlocking the vast potential of girls and young women to support their communities and invest in their dedication to the education of future generations of girls.

CAMFED Values & Principles

Values

Our young women leaders, community champions, teams, trustees and partners are deeply invested in the values of equity and inclusion, and the governance principles that underpin our mission:

• Focus on the girl as our client
• Partner with the community
• Be transparent and accountable

Principles

• Accountability
• Child Protection
• Urgency
• Transparency
• Dignity
• Leadership
• Partnerships
• Measurement
• Commitment

The Role Summary

The Board of CAMFED Canada is seeking an inspiring new Executive Director (ED) who is committed to its Pan-African mission, vision and values. A strategic, entrepreneurial leader with access to key funding networks, deep knowledge of the fundraising landscape and a track record mobilizing support from governments, philanthropists and the private sector in Canada, will thrive in this role.

Reporting to the Chair of the Board of Directors of CAMFED Canada the ED will be the organization’s representative on the CAMFED Global Executive Team. The ED will ensure the long-term financial sustainability, compliance and strong governance of CAMFED Canada all in alignment of CAMFED’s global mission. Evidence-based decision making, intellectual rigour and analytical thinking are essential skillsets for this role.

It is a period of growth and opportunity for CAMFED given that efforts are yielding tangible results, and it is recognized globally as the largest and fastest growing network of young women activists. Systems are in place to track, measure and communicate impact. Supported by a small professional team, including three direct reports, the ED will lead efforts to position this ambitious African-led organization effectively in the Canadian marketplace. The ideal candidate will lead by example, be prepared to roll up their sleeves, and actively engage with all aspects of CAMFED Canada to achieve long-term success.

An exceptional communicator with strong networking skills, the ED will bring strong emotional intelligence and diplomacy skills as well as the ability to build trust-based relationships. Extensive experience working in international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and deep understanding of the collaboration skills needed to work within a federated model are foundational to this role. The ED will also benefit from having a deep understanding of programmatic and systems transformation approaches, ideally in education in Africa and especially those that place partnerships at the centre. In addition to bringing agility and an all-important sense of humour, the ED will foster and model a positive organizational culture and have a proven ability to build and lead a strong diverse team of passionate and highly skilled professionals.

Strategic Leadership

• Work closely with the Chair and Board members to define and execute an ambitious strategy for CAMFED Canada’s contribution to CAMFED’s global mission.
• Align CAMFED Canada’s objectives with CAMFED’s global priorities while ensuring fiduciary compliance and operational excellence.
• Build financial strength and stability for CAMFED Canada, ensuring long-term sustainability.
• Contribute to CAMFED’s global strategic planning and engagement.

Fundraising & Development

• Lead CAMFED Canada’s fundraising strategy to secure diverse, sustainable, and sufficient resources.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with Canadian donors, including government, private foundations, corporate partners, and individual philanthropists.
• Engage with Global Affairs Canada and other key Canadian stakeholders to grow CAMFED’s funding portfolio.
• Coordinate with CAMFED’s global fundraising teams to ensure alignment and maximize funding opportunities.

Governance & Compliance

• Uphold the ethos and principles of CAMFED, ensuring accountability to the girls and young women served.
• Maintain effective communication with the Board, providing timely updates and reports.
• Ensure CAMFED Canada complies with Canadian regulations, particularly those of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
• Oversee financial performance, working closely with CAMFED International’s CFO and CAMFED Canada’s finance team.
• Develop and implement KPIs to track CAMFED Canada’s performance and effectiveness.

Advocacy & External Relations

• Raise CAMFED Canada’s profile and brand recognition through advocacy and strategic communications.
• Represent CAMFED Canada at high-level forums, events, and public engagements.
• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with government, academia, corporations, and other key stakeholders.
• Work closely with global communications teams to ensure messaging is consistent and impactful.

Operational & Team Leadership

• Oversee CAMFED Canada’s operations and make important policies as well as strategic decisions in consultation with CAMFED Canada Board.
• Ensure effective day-to-day management.
• Build, mentor, and retain a high-performing team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and inclusion.
• Ensure staff development through training, succession planning, and performance management.
• Represent CAMFED Canada on the CAMFED Global Executive Team, ensuring strong collaboration across regions.
• Be actively involved in day-to-day operations, tackling problems directly with a solutions-oriented mindset.

Skills & Experience

• Demonstrated commitment to CAMFED’s mission and values, with a vision for impact.
• Strong strategic leadership skills with experience in setting vision and mobilizing support.
• Extensive experience in international NGOs with independent offices, understanding of governance and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Proven track record in fundraising, securing resources from diverse sources (government, foundations, corporate, major donors).
• Deep knowledge of Canada’s philanthropic landscape, with access to key funding networks.
• Experience in financial management, governance, and compliance within a Canadian charity.
• Understanding of programmatic and systems transformation approaches in Africa, particularly through partnerships.
• Proven ability to build, lead, and inspire diverse teams.
• Experience in working with Boards, including governance best practices.

Values & Personal Qualities

• Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equitable partnerships.
• Strong emotional intelligence and ability to build trust-based relationships.
• Intellectual rigour, analytical thinking, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Exceptional communication, networking, and diplomatic skills.
• Ability to navigate complexity and balance multiple competing priorities.
• Agile, flexible and open to rolling up sleeves to get the work done.
• High levels of integrity, resilience, and adaptability.
• A sense of humour and ability to foster a positive organizational culture.

Other Requirements

• Must have the right to work in Canada.

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