Internal/External Posting Notice Chief of Staff Executive Director's Office Status: Full-time, non-union Immediate Supervisor: Level: Deputy Director Oxfam Canada is an affiliate of the international Oxfam Confederation networked in over 85 countries as part of a global movement for change. Our mission is to build lasting solutions to poverty and injustice with a focus on improving the lives and promoting the rights of women and girls. We work directly with communities, partners and women's rights organizations to challenge the systems that perpetuate inequality and keep people poor.

Together we seek to influence those in power to ensure that women trapped in poverty have a say in the critical decisions that affect them, their families and entire communities. That’s why we believe that ending global poverty begins with women’s rights.

Oxfam

Canada offers a generous compensation and benefits program, but more than that, we offer the opportunity to be a part of our global movement for change. If you advocate for gender equality, are passionate about women’s rights, and share our values of Equality, Empowerment, Solidarity, Inclusiveness, Accountability, and Courage – we want you on our team! The Chief of Staff works in close partnership with Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director (ED) and Senior Leadership Team (SLT), and in support of the Board of Directors, to help the organization operate at its best.

Own and drive the organization’s strategic planning and annual operational planning cycle, ensuring alignment between strategy and the global Oxfam confederation, annual plans, execution across departments, and reporting – ensuring quality, coherence, accountability, and learning. Establish and manage a clear cadence for planning, review, and performance tracking. Lead change management for significant organizational transitions, working with the ED and the SLT to develop structured approaches that include clear communication strategies, stakeholder engagement plans, and mechanisms to monitor staff experience and keep teams focused and accountable for mission delivery during transitions.

Ensure effective flow of information, insights, and analysis to support leadership decision-making. Lead and strengthen Oxfam Canada’s organizational risk management function and support the SLT and Board in discharging their risk oversight responsibilities by tracking key risks, surfacing emerging issues early, and providing analysis, scenario planning, and recommendations on significant organizational risks. Translate organizational cultural commitments into concrete initiatives and ensure strong coordination between culture priorities and HR strategy, systems, and delivery.

Drive initiatives that strengthen staff engagement, team cohesion, and shared commitment to the causes and communities we serve. In close coordination with the HR team and the SLT, ensure HR strategy and systems reinforce staff engagement in service of the mission, and support the recruitment and retention of diverse talent. Lead on internal communications strategy to support organizational alignment and culture.

Lead special projects and strategic initiatives Lead the design, implementation,



and reporting of cross-cutting special projects that advance Oxfam Canada’s organizational priorities, as assigned by the ED. Serve as the ED’s primary delegate for high-priority initiatives that require sustained senior leadership attention and cross-functional coordination. Establish transparent project governance structures, timelines, accountabilities, and success metrics for all special projects.

Design and facilitate high-impact SLT meetings, staff retreats, and other strategic planning sessions. Serve as the senior organizational lead for privacy, holding accountability for Oxfam Canada’s privacy framework, including the implementation and ongoing monitoring of privacy policy across all functions and departments. Ensure emerging privacy risks are identified and escalated appropriately and provide regular reporting to the ED and Board on privacy compliance and any significant privacy incidents or risks.

Support governance effectiveness and Board engagement Support the effectiveness of Oxfam Canada’s governance structures and Board of Directors, in close coordination with the Executive Director and Executive Coordinator. Support the planning, coordination, and quality assurance of Board and committee meetings – including agenda development, preparation of briefing materials, and follow-up on Board decisions and action items. Partner with the ED to structure and deepen Board engagement, ensuring Board members are well-informed, appropriately consulted, and able to fulfill their governance responsibilities.

Identify opportunities to strengthen Board governance practices, committee structures, and Director recruitment, onboarding, and development. Ensure consistent, high-quality reporting and engagement with the Board on anti-racism, JEDI, and decolonization progress and priorities. Directly supervise the Executive Coordinator, providing day‑to‑day direction and performance management to ensure seamless operational support to the Executive Director’s Office.

University degree in a relevant field; a master's degree in international development/affairs, public policy, law, business, non‑profit management, organizational leadership, or a related discipline is an asset. A minimum of 10 years of progressively senior experience in organizational leadership and management, including at least five years in a senior management role with responsibility for strategy, planning, and teams. Candidates from diverse professional backgrounds are welcomed, including the non‑profit, public, and private sectors;

experience in the international development, social justice, or human rights sector is a strong asset.

Experience working within unionized environments, including familiarity with collective agreements and labour relations, is an asset.



Robust experience in strategic and operational planning, performance management, and reporting. Demonstrated experience in organizational risk management, including risk reporting to senior leadership and Boards.

Significant experience supporting or working with Boards of Directors and/or governance bodies, including preparation of Board materials and support for governance effectiveness. Strong knowledge of and experience with best practices in anti‑racism, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Track record building purpose‑driven organizational cultures.

Proven track record of leading cross‑functional special projects and strategic initiatives from design through delivery. Proven track record in building and maintaining positive relationships within an organization and externally. Decisive, agile and action‑oriented; agile. produces work of consistently high quality and catches what others miss, without letting perfectionism slow delivery.

Exceptional organizational, prioritization, and project management skills. Strong facilitation and alignment‑building capability across diverse teams and functions. Demonstrated personal commitment to social justice, human rights, feminist principles, and anti‑racism, reflected in professional choices, lived experience, or community engagement.

Strong

English verbal and written communication skills; French or Spanish an asset. Ability to travel, in Canada and internationally, on occasion, as needed. In addition to competitive pay, Oxfam Canada Offers: ~35-hour work week and the ability to work flexible hours. ~4 weeks of paid vacation per year, prorated based on FTE equivalence, plus paid office closure from December 27 to 31. ~ Extensive health, dental and wellness coverage for staff and their dependents. ~ Paid sick days, and additional time off for personal and care responsibilities. ~ Pension plan contributions. ~ If you don’t see yourself reflected in every job requirement listed in the posting above, we still encourage you to apply!

We stand for justice, equity, diversity, inclusion (JEDI) and decolonization within our organization and society at large, guided by our Anti‑Racism and Anti‑Oppression Principles (ARAO), our Feminist Principles, and our six core values: We are especially eager to hear from women and gender non‑conforming individuals, Indigenous peoples, Black and racialized communities, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, persons with disabilities, immigrants to Canada, and others from underrepresented groups. If you require adaptive measures during any stage of the recruitment process, please notify us at [email protected] Canada has an accommodation policy for persons with disabilities. The job posting is available in alternate formats.

At Oxfam

Canada, we are committed to fair, transparent, and human‑centered recruitment and selection practices. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) in any stage of our recruitment or selection processes currently. Please note that we do not offer internships or overseas volunteer placements. We welcome you to join our movement – sign up for news and updates today.

📌 Chief of Staff - Chief Executive Officer (Ottawa)
🏢 Oxfam Canada
📍 Ottawa