Chief Executive Officer

Canada is facing an unprecedented food insecurity crisis.

Almost 1 in 4 Canadians live in food insecure households, and the pressures of inflation, housing instability, and rising inequality continue to push more families into poverty. Food insecurity is no longer a marginal issue–it is one of the defining social challenges of our time. Right To Food exists to change this reality.

Formerly known as Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC), Right To Food is a national organization dedicated to advancing the right to food for all people in Canada. Through innovative community food programming, national partnerships, and policy advocacy, the organization has helped reshape how Canada approaches hunger and food access.

Founded by Nick Saul and Kathryn Scharf, the organization has grown into one of Canada’s most influential voices in the food justice movement. Under Nick Saul’s leadership, Right To Food has built a vibrant national network of Community Food Centres and partner organizations, pioneered programs that combine food access with dignity and community-building, and mobilized policy change aimed at tackling the root causes of poverty and food insecurity.

After 14 years of visionary leadership, Nick will retire from the CEO role in 2027, marking a significant moment in the organization’s history. The Board of Directors is seeking a new Chief Executive Officer who can build upon Nick’s legacy while guiding the organization into its next chapter.

The next CEO will inherit an organization with:

• A respected national brand and strong sector credibility
• A strong, collaborative and mission-driven team of approximately 60 staff
• A national network of 18 Community Food Centres and more than 450 partner organizations
• A newly established hub at 340 Gerrard Street East, providing a vibrant space for the community
• Innovative programming models that are recognized across the sector
• A strong policy voice advocating for systemic change
• An annual operating budget of over $14 million

This leadership transition represents an extraordinary opportunity for a leader with a track record of impact. The next CEO will guide the organization through a pivotal period, with a focus on stabilizing, connecting, and building the institution; strengthening internal systems, aligning priorities, and expanding Right To Food’s impact.

The next CEO must be both an inspirational public-facing leader and an internally grounded collaborator –someone who can embody the abundance mindset and commitment to structural change that animates Right To Food today while guiding it into its next era. For a leader who believes deeply in equity, community, and systemic change, this is a rare opportunity to shape the future of food and social justice in Canada.

The Role

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for providing overall leadership and direction for Right To Food, ensuring the organization advances its mission, achieves meaningful programmatic and systems-level impact, and operates with strong governance, financial stewardship, organizational effectiveness, and long-term sustainability.

Working closely with the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team, the CEO will guide Right To Food through an important leadership transition while positioning the organization for its next phase of impact, sustainability, and national influence.

The role requires a leader who is:

• Highly relational and emotionally intelligent
• A compelling storyteller and public-facing advocate
• Experienced in major gift fundraising
• Able to transition donor relationships while maintaining trust and revenue
• A strong operator and movement builder, with the ability to bring greater rigor to strategy, performance metrics, and execution
• Brings a strong understanding of poverty, food insecurity, health, and related social and economic issues, and can apply that understanding to organizational strategy, advocacy, partnerships, and public leadership
• Innovative with an entrepreneurial mindset

The CEO will work closely with the Board to develop Right To Food’s next multi-year strategic plan and ensure financial sustainability in a shifting philanthropic and policy environment.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Vision and Execution

Lead the development and