Vice President, Finance and Administration

About Strides Toronto 

Strides Toronto is a multi-service community agency dedicated to improving the mental, social, and physical health of infants, children, youth (prenatal to age 29), and their families across the Greater Toronto Area. Our continuum of care includes mental health counselling, autism services, early intervention, day treatment, residential services, education, outreach, and community support, delivered through individual, group, and family interventions that strengthen social and emotional well-being. 

Strides Toronto serves diverse communities across multiple sites, working with funders, school boards, hospitals, and community partners to deliver accessible, equitable, and culturally responsive services grounded in evidence-based practice and a deep commitment to anti-oppression. 

Strides Toronto is now in a pivotal period of organizational renewal, building the leadership capacity, planning discipline, and integrated systems required to deliver on our mission with greater impact, equity, and long-term sustainability. 

The Opportunity 

Strides Toronto is seeking an accomplished and forward-looking finance leader to serve as Vice President, Finance and Administration. Reporting to the President and CEO, this VP provides executive leadership for finance, information technology, facilities, procurement, risk, and corporate controls. The role sits at the centre of Strides Toronto’s organizational renewal, where the Finance and Administration division will move from reactive support to a disciplined, modern, decision-enabling function. 

This is a substantive build-and-strengthen mandate. The successful candidate will set strategic direction for financial planning and forecasting, modernize financial systems and processes, define decision frameworks and approval pathways, and ensure the integrity of audit, funder, and Board reporting. They will lead a portfolio with two Director-level direct reports and an Executive Assistant, with accountability for an enterprise administrative infrastructure that supports a complex, publicly funded, multi-site organization. 

The VP brings sound judgment, technical depth, and the ability to lead teams through change while strengthening accuracy, controls, and clarity across all financial, administrative, and IT operations. They will operate as a trusted advisor to the President and CEO, the Senior Management Team, and the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board, contributing to enterprise-wide planning, prioritization, and decision-making. 

The Role 

Reports to  President and Chief Executive Officer	Direct reports  Director, Finance; Director, Information Technology; Executive Assistant
Working arrangement  Hybrid; three days per week in office or community	Time commitments  Some evening Board and committee meetings; occasional Saturdays for events such as the annual Board retreat

 

Key Responsibilities 

Financial Stewardship and Sustainability 

• Set strategic direction for financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, funder requirements, and long-term sustainability. 

• Drive financial sustainability across cash flow, reserves, and long-term financial planning. 

• Define and oversee the organization’s funding and financial model to support strategic and operational decision-making. 

• Provide forward-looking financial insight to inform planning, prioritization, and resource allocation. 

• Ensure the integrity and effectiveness of audit, funder, and Board reporting processes. 

• Establish financial policies, controls, and approval frameworks. 

• Lead the modernization of financial processes, practices, and systems to strengthen efficiency, controls, and decision support. 

Corporate Administrative Operations 

• Set direction and service expectations for procurement, facilities, and administrative services to ensure consistent, efficient, and timely organizational support. 

• Define standards and performance expectations to reduce delays, duplication, and reliance on workarounds. 

• Ensure alignment of capital planning, asset management, and lease arrangements with organizational needs and growth, including the negotiation of leases. 

• Oversee the organizational approach to contracts, insurance, and legal coordination to ensure protection and compliance. 

Information Technology and Digital Infrastructure 

• Ensure direction for IT and digital infrastructure is aligned with operational, reporting, and organizational needs. 

• Maintain reliable, secure, and scalable systems for service delivery and operations. 

• Oversee IT risk, privacy, cybersecurity, and business continuity frameworks. 

• Guide technology investment and vendor strategy to support efficiency and long-term sustainability. 

• Ensure systems enable effective data access and reporting in partnership with relevant functions. 

Risk, Compliance, and Corporate Controls 

• Oversee the organizational approach to insurance, legal matters, and risk-related activities. 

• Lead risk management within areas of responsibility, including identification, mitigation, and reporting. 

• Ensure compliance with legislative, regulatory, contractual, and funding requirements, supporting accountability for public funding and services. 

• Establish and maintain corporate policies, financial controls, and administrative frameworks. 

• Contribute to enterprise risk oversight and organizational risk discussions. 

Process Discipline and Decision Enablement 

• Define standards and expectations for financial and administrative processes to ensure clarity, consistency, and efficiency. 

• Establish decision frameworks and approval pathways related to financial and administrative matters. 

• Reduce reliance on escalation by ensuring decision authority, roles, and expectations are clearly defined and consistently applied. 

• Ensure timely, high-quality financial and operational information is available to support decision-making. 

• Promote documentation and knowledge management standards to reduce dependency on individuals. 

Leadership and Organizational Contribution 

• Lead and develop direct reports, ensuring strong performance, accountability, and leadership capacity. 

• Build leadership capability within the Finance and Administration Division. 

• Contribute as a member of the Senior Management Team to organization-wide planning, prioritization, and decision-making. 

• Advance organization-wide initiatives and priorities, working collaboratively across portfolios. 

• Collaborate with the CEO and Board of Directors on matters related to the portfolio, including presenting to the Board, supporting committees, and contributing to Board discussions. 

• Align Finance and Administration priorities with organizational strategy and organization-wide needs. 

• Support organizational effectiveness, sustainability, and continuous improvement within scope. 

The Successful Candidate Will Have 

Education and Credentials 

• A degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field. 

• A professional designation, with CPA preferred; an MBA is considered an asset. 

• Ten or more years of senior leadership experience in finance and/or corporate services. 

Experience and Expertise 

• Significant senior leadership experience in finance and corporate services within a complex organization. 

• Demonstrated ability to operate as a senior leader, contributing to organization-wide planning, prioritization, and decision-making. 

• Demonstrated experience leading financial strategy, planning, and resource allocation in support of organizational priorities and long-term sustainability. 

• Track record of modernizing financial functions, systems, and processes to improve efficiency, controls, and decision support. 

• Strong understanding of financial governance, internal controls, risk management, and compliance frameworks. 

• Experience providing financial insight and advice to executive leadership to support planning, prioritization, and decision-making. 

• Experience overseeing corporate services functions, such as IT, procurement, facilities, and risk, in a complex environment. 

• Knowledge of publicly funded environments, including government funding models, regulatory requirements, and accountability frameworks. 

• Knowledge of relevant legislation, financial standards, and sector practices. 

• Experience working in a unionized environment is an asset. 

Leadership Attributes 

• Sound judgment and the ability to lead teams through change while maintaining accuracy, clarity, and discipline. 

• A solutions-focused mindset, with the ability to step into complex environments, diagnose needs, and deliver measurable impact. 

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage credibly with executive peers, the Board, funders, auditors, and external partners. 

• A collaborative, enterprise-minded orientation, contributing beyond functional accountabilities to organizational performance, culture, and effectiveness. 

Equity and Sector Orientation 

• Demonstrated commitment to and ability to champion Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) within a complex organization. 

• An anti-oppressive, anti-racist orientation, including an understanding of Anti-Black Racism in the context of the social determinants of health. 

• Knowledge of, and respect for, the cultural diversity of the communities served by the agency. 

Compensation, Benefits, and Working Arrangement 

Strides Toronto offers a competitive compensation package and a comprehensive benefits program for executive leaders. 

Salary 

The salary range for this role is $159,002.92 to $185,159.29 across a six-step grid. Placement on the grid is determined by relevant experience, education, current market conditions, and internal equity, in accordance with Strides Toronto’s Grid Placement policy. Vice Presidents receive annual salary increments aligned with negotiated increases. 

Benefits and Pension 

Following three months of continuous service, Strides Toronto pays one hundred percent of monthly premiums for the Group Benefits Plan, including Life Insurance, AD&D, comprehensive Healthcare Benefits (covering physical health, mental health, drugs, and vision care), Dental Benefits, and the Employee and Family Assistance Plan. Long-Term Disability premiums are paid by employees. The Defined Contribution Pension Plan provides a five percent employer contribution, matched against a two percent employee contribution, with a six-month waiting period. 

Time Off 

Four weeks of vacation to start, paid sick time, management days, and float days, prorated to start date. 

Working Arrangement 

Hybrid. Three days per week in office or community, with some evening commitments for Board and committee meetings, and occasional Saturdays for events such as the annual Board retreat. 

Application Details 

Interested applicants are invited to apply through the job board by submitting a resume and cover letter. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Only candidates meeting the selection criteria will be contacted. All applications are reviewed, and we may consider you for future opportunities aligned with your experience. 

Strides Toronto is an equal opportunity employer. We benefit from the diversity of lived experiences in our workplace and encourage applications from qualified candidates who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Strides Toronto is a participant in the Government of Canada’s 50-30 Challenge, a program that challenges organizations to improve access for women and non-binary people, and other equity-deserving groups, including those identifying as racialized, Black, and/or people of colour, people with disabilities (including invisible and episodic disabilities), 2SLGBTQ+ and/or gender and sexually diverse individuals, and Aboriginal and/or Indigenous Peoples, to increase the representation and inclusion of diverse groups within their workplace. 

Please let us know if you require accommodation during any aspect of the recruitment process and we will work with you to address your needs. 

About Strategisense Consulting 

Strategisense Consulting is a boutique Canadian management consulting firm established in 2000, serving nonprofit, public sector, and purpose-driven organizations. Our services span executive search, organizational strategy and design, leadership development, executive coaching, governance and board effectiveness, and facilitation. Guided by our promise of Purpose. People. Strategy., we partner with mission-driven organizations to strengthen the leadership capacity, organizational systems, and strategic thinking required to deliver lasting impact in the communities they serve.